Pacers Win Third Straight Road Game, Defeating Thunder 121-111

Source: Don Juan Moore / Getty

(OKALHOMA CITY. OK.) – The Indiana Pacers (37-29) weather a third quarter storm from the Oklahoma City Thunder (45-20) in 121-111 win with superb fourth-quarter defense.

1. First Quarter

For most of the season, Rick Carlisle has been the coach to call the first timeout. Tonight, it would be Oklahoma City’s Mark Daigneault calling the first timeout. That’s because the Indiana Pacers jumped out to a 11-2 advantage. Myles Turner scored seven of the eleven points with Andrew Nembhard and Pascal Siakam scoring the other four. Indiana would eventually call a timeout after a Lu Dort triple to make it a 15-10 Indiana advantage. The Pacers would push the lead up to ten points after a Jalen Smith layup to make it 20-10 with 3:10 left. Indiana was outscored from that moment on 7-2 by OKC. After twelve minutes of play, Indiana led 22-17. Turner led all scorers with nine points and Indiana held OKC to 26.9% from the field.

2. Second Quarter

After a slow offensive quarter from the top team on a points per game basis (Indiana) and the third team in that statistical category (Oklahoma City), the scoring really picked up in the second. The second quarter started with the Pacers going up eleven after a T.J. McConnell pullup jumper. Indiana and OKC exchanged buckets for a couple minutes. With 4:33 left in the half, Indiana’s lead was 46-38. The team then went on a 10-2 to go ahead by a game high sixteen points. Haliburton, Nembhard, Siakam, Turner, and Obi Toppin all had baskets during the run. Shai Gilegeous-Alexander closed the half with a free throw, rebound, and assist to help trim his team’s deficit to 58-46 at halftime. McConnell led all scorers in the quarter with seven points, but at halftime it was Turner leading all scorers with 15 points. Gilgeous-Alexander was OKC’s leading scorer with 11 points on 4/12 shooting. Indiana held OKC to 9/25 from inside the arc, but they went 7/20 in the half from distance. Indiana was only 5/16 from three-point range.

3. Third Quarter

For most of the season, the Pacers have been a dominant third quarter team, but with OKC struggling in the first half offensively as the top team in the Western Conference, they were bound to rebound. The Thunder started the second half with a 14-6 burst to make it 64-60 after a Josh Gidey layup. The Pacers pushed the lead back to nine points with a pair of field goals from Aaron Nesmith and a layup from Turner. Oklahoma City would respond to make it a one possession game after a Chet Holmgren triple with 6:44 remaining. The Thunder would cut it down to three two more times before tying the game at 82 with 2:56 left in the third quarter after a Dort three-pointer. OKC would later take its first lead of the game on an Isaiah Joe three. Indiana would close out the quarter with an 8-0 run to go ahead 94-87 after three quarters. Gilgeous-Alexander scored a dozen in the quarter and led all scorers with 23 points followed by 22 from Turner. In the quarter, Oklahoma City went 5/8 from long range.

4. Fourth Quarter

After weathering the storm at the end of the third quarter, Indiana managed to hold the lead for the rest of the game. Oklahoma City did threaten, but Indiana responded every time the Thunder tried to make a run. Nesmith scored converted a layup to put Indiana back up seven with 10:57 left in the contest. Cason Wallace would bury a three to make it 99-98 game with 8:34 remaining. On the ensuing Pacers possession, Jalen Smith scored a layup and then Nesmith stole the ball from Josh Giddey. The Pacers ended up getting a layup from Siakam out of it. It sparked a surge where the Pacers would lead 108-99 after a Nembhard 28-footer with 5:04 remaining. Haliburton later put the Pacers back up by double digits with a layup and then again with a deep three with 1:51 left. All the Pacers had to do the rest of the game was make their free throws and not turn the ball over. They did so and defeated the Thunder 121-111.

5. Top Performers

Myles Turner (24p, 4), Tyrese Haliburton (18p, 12a), Pascal Siakam (18p, 11r, 4a), Aaron Nesmith (15p), Andrew Nembhard (14p, 5a, 4r), and Obi Toppin (10p, 4r). For OKC, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (30p, 10r, 5a), Lu Dort (18p), and Chet Holmgren (15p, 13r, 2b). For tonight’s full box score, click here.

6. Notes

• Indiana snaps Oklahoma City’s 9 game home winning streak
  • Only 2nd loss at home since Christmas
• Oklahoma City’s 17 first quarter points tie a season low for points in a quarter
  • Fewest points scored in a first quarter this season for the Thunder
• Oklahoma City’s 46 points in the first half are the second fewest points in a half scored at home this season
  • Fewest points scored in the first half at home
• Indiana outscored Orlando and Oklahoma City 50-3 in fast break points
• Indiana has won three straight road games (Dallas, Orlando, Oklahoma City)
• Indiana is 15-3 when Aaron Nesmith scores 15+ points
• Indiana 25-11 when Tyrese Haliburton records a double-double
• Indiana 6-13 when making 10 or fewer threes (have now won two straight)
• Tyrese Haliburton logged his 37th double-double of the season
  • 39th game with 10+ assists this season
  • Shooting 8/41 this month (6 games) from three – 17.1%
• Myles Turner scored 20+ points for the 23rd time this season
  • Pacers are 16-7 in those games
• Myles Turner needs 7 blocks to set franchise record for blocks
  • Jermaine O’Neal holds record with 1,245
• Pascal Siakam recorded his 10th double-double of the season
  • 4th time as an Indiana Pacer
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 30+ points for the 48th time this season (64 games played)
  • SGA notched his 8th double-double of the campaign
• Chet Holmgren recorded his 19th double-double in his rookie season
• Indiana now 6th in Eastern Conference Standings after the win
  • .5 game behind the Orlando Magic for 5th
  • 5 game behind the New York Knicks for 4th
  • .5 game advantage over Philadelphia 76ers for 7th
  • 1 game advantage over Miami Heat for 8th

7. Next Up

It’s a quick turnaround for the Indiana Pacers as they take on the Chicago Bulls Wednesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Indiana is 2-9 on the second night of a back-to-back this season. Pay Boylan will get things started at 7pm on 93.5/107.5 The Fan with the Kroger Pregame Show. Mark Boyle and Eddie Gill will have the play-by-play starting at 7:30pm.