The Indiana Pacers were right there every step of the way, but they couldn’t quite catch the Mavericks and fell in Dallas.
Remember the Pelicans game in New Orleans? The one where the Indiana Pacers hit timely shot after timely shot to hang on to the win despite constantly losing their momentum in the 4th quarter?
Tonight was the opposite of that. The Pacers kept going on mini-runs, only to be thwarted by a momentum-killing 3 from the Dallas Mavericks in the 4th quarter. The Pacers couldn’t get it done.
The Mavs hit 8 threes in the 4th quarter alone, they hit shots when it mattered most. In fact, just their three-pointers by themselves were enough to outscore the Pacers in the final frame. They could not be stopped from long range.
The tough task for the Pacers was to guard Luka Doncic, and the rookie proved why that task is tough. He had 26 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists in 31 minutes tonight. His size gave Darren Collison fits, and his outside shot gave like-size defenders fits. Indiana didn’t have an answer, and it cost them the game.
On the Pacers side, it’s hard to find any bright spots. Everyone just kinda played… fine. Foul trouble made the big man rotation weird, and nobody ever really got in a rhythm on the offensive end outside of a short Wesley Matthews outburst in the late 4th quarter. It was a very average performance from the team overall.
The one bright spot? We got a new entry into the McDunkContest:
#McDunkContest pic.twitter.com/vwJOFS49AA
— Tony East (@TonyREast) February 28, 2019
The Pacers needed more from their point guards
Darren Collison and Cory Joseph combined for 14 points and 8 assists. That would be a good stat line for one player, but for two that just isn’t going to cut it.
They shot 4/14 from the field and fouled more often than they typically do. Neither of them felt like they were in control, which it usually does feel like with them. Indiana needed more from their ball-handlers.
Missing Sabonis
Kyle O’Quinn racked up 3 quick fouls (1 of which was flagrant) in this game and was only able to play 10 total minutes. Myles Turner struggled with foul trouble in the first half as well.
Of all the nights to be missing Domantas Sabonis, tonight was a brutal one. The team turned to Thaddeus Young at center (it worked on its own) but that wore down Young quicker than a typical game.
The bench never quite got it going. It’s easy to tell what kind of impact Sabonis has when he doesn’t play and the second-unit offense stagnates.
TJ Leaf!
Leaf was the only guy who outperformed his expectations in this game, and he kinda wildly outperformed them.
He had 9 points and 7 rebounds in just 16 minutes and didn’t miss a shot from the field. After a dud of a performance on Monday, it was good to see this game from Leaf.
And now, grades:
The Pacers head home for a back to back with the Minnesota Timberwolves tomorrow night.