Pacers show they lack in one key area against Mavericks

The Pacers welcomed the Dallas Mavericks to Gainbridge Fieldhouse yesterday. The season is starting to wind down for the Blue and Gold, and any hopes of heading to the play-in tournament are fading quickly. Adding to this, was the news from the injury report...rnrnhttps://twitter.com/Pacers/status/1640475695229943808?cxt=HHwWgIC-zYD9kcQtAAAArnrnThis game was more in the news before the tip-off because Luka Doncic was supposed to be suspended for picking up his 16th technical of the season last game, but it was rescinded by the NBA. Can the Pacers ever catch a break? Anyways, I'm sure there were lots of fans excited to see the Mavericks superstar, and Pacers just couldn't muster enough offense to stick with Dallas, falling 127-104.rnrn[nextslide teaser="The%20good" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_102396" align="alignnone" width="3200"] Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports[/caption]rn The Good rnI have to admit, I did not have high hopes for this game. With the losses on the Pacers roster tonight, I figured the Mavericks would be able to come into the Fieldhouse and leave with the win. That proved to be correct. I guess the best portion of the game for the Pacers was the opening quarter, but it still did not sit right as the second quarter began.rnrnSo, instead, let's take a look at some good pieces outside the basketball court. Look at this Pacers dedication!rnrnhttps://twitter.com/Pacers/status/1640542725421535235?cxt=HHwWhsDQuda6sMQtAAAArnrnAlso, shout out to Boomer, the best mascot in the NBA. My family loves watching Boomer throughout a basketball game, especially one like tonight's. Look at what Boomer was up to during the game:rnrnhttps://twitter.com/Pacers/status/1640520192424804352?cxt=HHwWgICwxYqbpsQtAAAArnrn[nextslide teaser="The%20bad" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_102381" align="alignnone" width="3200"] Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks (Photo by Tim Heitman/Getty Images)[/caption]rn The Bad rnGuarding Luka Doncic is a challenge. He's so crafty, using his body to get to where he wants on the floor, and even if you are guarding him well, he will get to the free throw line and make the opponent pay. I mean, how in the world does this pass make it through!?rnrnhttps://twitter.com/dallasmavs/status/1640515336012218370?cxt=HHwWhIC2ubOApMQtAAAArnrnDoncic ended up with 25 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists in a game that realistically was in hand by the beginning of the fourth quarter. I know we have seen comebacks throughout the NBA, but the Pacers really couldn't slow down the Mavericks, and their All-Star was leading the way.rnrn[nextslide teaser="Boom%20Baby!%20Player%20of%20the%20game" /]rnrn rnrn[caption id="attachment_102089" align="alignnone" width="3200"] Bennedict Mathurin (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)[/caption]rn Boom Baby! rnI was debating back and forth about who the player of the game should be for Indiana, but I decided on Bennedict Mathurin. Mathurin had a great stat line: 26 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists. To me, the fact that he only had 1 foul is promising because there are many games where foul trouble has been an issue, but on the flip side, could he have been more aggressive tonight? I think that's a story for another day. Anyways... look at this shot by Mathurin tonight:rnrnhttps://twitter.com/Pacers/status/1640495173254762500?cxt=HHwWiMC-mePqmsQtAAAArnrnThe Pacers will welcome the Milwaukee Bucks to town on Wednesday evening. It would be a miracle for the Pacers to make it into the play-in tournament, and it would a similar miracle for Indiana to get one of the top lottery picks in the draft at this point. One thing that as a fan I'm looking forward to seeing as the season comes to a close is if the Pacers can have a winning home record. Right now, the Pacers are 19-18 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Wednesday may decide the fate of that record.rnrnhttps://8points9seconds.com/2023/03/05/50-greatest-indiana-pacers/

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Pacers show they lack in one key area against Mavericks

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