The Indiana Pacers overcome late deficit & their own mediocrity to avoid embarrassing home loss.
The Good: Is there any good that comes from going to overtime against a winless team with the worst offense in the league playing without their best player? Not much. The Pacers put one in the win column instead of the loss column. That’s the only good that comes from this game.
The Bad: The defense. It’s bad. It’s really, really bad and it doesn’t appear like it’s going to get better anytime soon. The Pacers allowed the worst offense in the league score 109 points through regulation. Alleged basketball players named Hollis Thompson and TJ McConnell were granted free access into the lane repeatedly, leading to easy baskets and open looks from the perimeter. The Sixers shot 48% from the field and hit 14 three-pointers.
MVP: Welcome to the 2016-17 season, Jeff Teague. 30 points, nine assists, and only one turnover. That’ll work.
LVP: Monta Ellis was all kinds of awful throughout the game. His off ball defense is bad more times than not, as evidenced by losing Gerald Henderson on a 3-pointer with under 10 seconds left, but the six turnovers only exacerbated his bad night.
X-Factor: Paul George. The superstar arrived in time to save the Pacers with a game-tying shot with 3.9 seconds left in regulation. 28 and 8 with clutch buckets. The blue & gold will take that every night.