Pacers
Pacers pull away in the third, rout winless Nets 136-109 in Brooklyn
The Indiana Pacers beat the Brooklyn Nets 136-109 at Barclays Center, shooting 57.6% from the field and 21 of 43 from three. Indiana won the third quarter 37-24 to break the game open and got 24 points and 10 assists from Tyrese Haliburton. The Pacers are 2-2 and ninth in the East, while the Nets fall to 0-3, 14th in the East, with three straight losses.
By the Hoops Nightly Desk · updated 11 h ago01The story of the nightThe turning pointBrooklyn had the better start.
Brooklyn had the better start. The Nets led 26-24 after one quarter, and their biggest lead of the night was 6. That edge did not last. Indiana scored 41 points in the second quarter against Brooklyn's 30 and went to halftime ahead 65-56. The third quarter settled it. The Pacers outscored the Nets 37-24 and took a 102-80 lead into the fourth. Indiana's lead reached 27, and the game finished with exactly that margin. There were 8 lead changes, all before the Pacers took control. Brooklyn won the fourth quarter 29-34 the other way only on paper; Indiana scored 34 to the Nets' 29 and never let the gap shrink.
02Haliburton and Siakam set the toneTyrese Haliburton ran the game.
Tyrese Haliburton ran the game. He scored 24 points on 8-of-13 shooting, made 4 of 7 threes and handed out 10 assists against 2 turnovers in 31.4 minutes. His plus-minus was +29, the best on the floor. Pascal Siakam added 21 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists in just 25.6 minutes, going 7 of 15 from the field and 3 of 6 from deep. Andrew Nembhard made 4 of 6 threes for 14 points. Aaron Nesmith chipped in 13. For Brooklyn, rookie-age guard Nolan Traore led the way off the bench with 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting and 5 assists. Josh Minott had 15 points and 8 rebounds.
03Where it was wonIndiana won with shot quality and ball movement.
Indiana won with shot quality and ball movement. The Pacers made 49 of 85 shots and assisted on 34 of them; Brooklyn made 35 of 86 with 25 assists. The gap showed inside, where Indiana scored 56 points in the paint to Brooklyn's 40, and in transition, where the Pacers held a 25-18 edge in fast-break points. From three, Indiana made 21 of 43 and Brooklyn 13 of 39. The Nets did win some battles. They outrebounded Indiana 54-49, made 26 of 37 free throws to the Pacers' 17 of 22, and had 13 steals to 7. Turnovers were close, 15 for Brooklyn and 14 for Indiana, with the Pacers scoring 18 points off them to the Nets' 15.
04Benches and the Nets' cold startersBoth benches produced.
Both benches produced. Brooklyn's reserves scored 66 points, Indiana's 62. The difference was the starters. Michael Porter Jr. scored 10 points on 4-of-13 shooting and missed all 5 of his threes. Julius Randle had 10 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists but went 2 of 8 from the field with 3 turnovers. Egor Demin made 1 of 6 shots and finished at -20. Keon Ellis was the exception, going 4 of 4 for 9 points with 4 steals. Indiana's bench was efficient. Obi Toppin scored 16 on 6-of-9 shooting with 4 threes. Jay Huff made 5 of 6 shots for 14 points and blocked 3 shots. Kelly Oubre Jr. added 14, and Jarace Walker was +24 in 19.2 minutes.
05What it meansFor Indiana, it is a clean road win that evens the record at 2-2 and puts the Pacers ninth in the East.
For Indiana, it is a clean road win that evens the record at 2-2 and puts the Pacers ninth in the East. The offense looked balanced: seven players scored in double figures, and Haliburton and Siakam did their damage in limited minutes. For Brooklyn, the start is rough. The Nets are 0-3, 14th in the East, and have lost three straight. They competed on the glass and at the line, but shooting 40.7% from the field and 13 of 39 from three was not enough. The loss also exposed the defense, which gave up 136 points, 56 in the paint and 25 on the break.
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