Indiana Pacers End Dallas Mavericks Winning Streak with 133-11 Win

Source: Justin Casterline / Getty

(INDIANAPOLIS, IN.) – The Indiana Pacers (33-25) win their third consecutive game with a commanding 133-111 victory over the Dallas Mavericks (33-24). With the win, Indiana ends the seven-game winning streak for the Mavericks.

1. First Quarter

On Thursday night Luka Doncic dropped 41 points on 52% shooting against the Phoenix Suns. He picked up right where he left off to start today’s game. He scored Dallas’s first five points to give them the advantage. Indiana would tie it up three times in the quarter, but never possessed the lead in the first quarter. The most Indiana would trail by in the quarter was six points on two instances. The second coming on a three from Tim Hardaway Jr., making it 22-16. Bennedict Mathurin converted his second consecutive triple to cut it in half the next possession. The Pacers just hung around before tying the game at 30 and then again at 32 with T.J. McConnell hitting a floater in the final seconds. Doncic led all scorers with 10 first quarter points followed by Kyrie Irving, Pascal Siakam, and Mathurin with six points.   

2. Second Quarter

Indiana’s offense was operating a peak efficiency in the second quarter with their only issue in the quarter being ball security. They wound up scoring 35 points on 61.9% shooting but coughed the ball up six times in the quarter. Dallas scored 28 with Doncic and Irving combining to score 21. McConnell gave Indiana its first lead on the first Pacer possession of the second with another floater. Obi Toppin eventually gave them a five-point lead after a three-pointer with 9:38 left in the half. After going down 47-46, Indiana was able to push the lead back to six points following a Myles Turner three ball. The most the Pacers would lead by in the quarter was eight after a Tyrese Haliburton layup that made it 63-55 with 3:18 remaining. The Pacers lead at halftime was 67-60. Doncic led all scorers with 25 points followed by Turner with 15 points after a ten point second. Indiana and Dallas each converted six threes in the first half, but the Pacers shot 56.2% compared to 47.7%.

3. Third Quarter

Indiana did a good job coming out of the locker room to start the second half by extending the lead to double figures for the first time with a Turner triple. Indiana’s center pushed it back to eleven points a little over a minute later with two free throws. For most of the game, it was just Luka and Kyrie being the source of offense for Dallas. The third started guard, Jalen Green, knocked down a three on an assist from Doncic to make it 82-78. Bennedict Mathurin had been silent for most of the game, until he had eight straight for the team to put them back up eleven with three minutes to go. After 36-minutes, the Pacers led 100-91. Turner, once again, was a monster for Indiana. He scored 15 points in the quarter, to lead Indiana in scoring with 30 points. Doncic led all scorers with 33 points.

4. Fourth Quarter

You could make the argument that Dallas possesses the best one-two punch in the NBA with Luka and Kyrie. To start the fourth quarter, Kyrie was unconscious. He scored nine points in the first 3:04. He was the reason Dallas was able to make it a 104-100 deficit for the Mavericks. Indiana then put the game away with a 20-4 run the next four minutes. Ben Sheppard was the catalyst for the run because he knocked down a three after Rick Carlisle called a timeout. Toppin scored a three on the next Pacers possession after a Daniel Gafford dunk. Sheppard then knocked down his fourth three in as many attempts to push the Pacers lead back to 113-102. Dallas called a timeout and then was outscored 11-2 and found themselves down 124-104 after a Haliburton layup. Indiana was able to pull their starters with a back-to-back tomorrow night against Toronto with 2:57 left in the game. The biggest lead the Pacers had was 22 points after an alley-oop dunk from Isaiah Jackson on a no-look pass from Toppin. Indiana wins it 133-111.

5. Top Performers

Myles Turner (33p, 8r), Tyrese Haliburton (17p, 10a, 4s), Andrew Nembhard (15p), Bennedict Mathurin (14p, 11r, 5a, 3s), Pascal Siakam (12p, 9r, 2s), Ben Sheppard (15p, 5 threes, 4a, 2s), and T.J. McConnell (12p, 7a). For Dallas, Luka Doncic (33p, 6r, 6a) and Kyrie Irving (29p, 6r). For tonight’s full box score, click here.

6. Notes

Pacers improve to 16-7 with Andrew Nembhard in the starting lineup this season. Tyrese Haliburton extends his double-double streak to five games, now has a career high 33 on the season. Myles Turner recorded a season high 33 points and his 10th career game with 30+ points. Bennedict Mathurin notched his second season & career double-double and a career high three steals. Ben Sheppard set career highs in points (15), threes made in a game (5), and assists (4). Jalen Smith returned from a five-game absence and played 15 minutes. Luka Doncic registered his 37th game with 30+ points on the season, second most in the NBA.  

7. Next Up

The third game of the four-game homestand will continue tomorrow night when the Pacers take on the Toronto Raptors. Mark Boyl and Eddie Gill will have the play-by-play action starting at 7pm. Pat Boylan will get it all started with the Kroger Pregame Show at 6:30pm on 93.5/107.5 The Fan.