The Indiana Pacers closed out their 3-game western conference road trip with another frustrating loss as Butler’s own Gordan Hayward and the hometown hero George Hill combined for 57 points.
The Good: The Pacers shot over 50% from both the field and from the 3-point line which will earn you a victory on most nights.
The Bad: The defense allowed 60+ points in the 1st half for the 8th time this season and don’t appear to have the collective will to stop anybody right now. Got beat on the boards once again (42-36) and practically every fast break ended in a turnover or missed shot at the rim.
MVP: George Hill scored his season high against his former team and definitely took this game personally from the tip. You’re happy for him to be a part of an up-and-coming team like the Jazz, but you also miss all of the great things he brought to the table as a Pacer.
LVP: Glenn Robinson III was a ghost (0 points on 0-3 shooting, 0 rebounds and 0 assists in 14 minutes). Quinn Buckner suggested he was very tired tonight, but he’s one of the youngest players on this team and should be able to handle the rigors of the NBA schedule better than this.
X-Factor: Thaddeus Young played with heart and hustle tonight. He was extremely efficient offensively and was able to frustrate Derrick Favors all game long.