INDIANAPOLIS — After jumping all over the Brooklyn Nets in the first quarter the Indiana Pacers couldn’t hold on down the stretch as they dropped their second game in a row. When the smoke finally cleared at Bankers Life Fieldhouse the short handed Nets were walking out of the joint with a 124-115 win.
Brooklyn showed up without All-Stars Kyrie Irving (groin), Kevin Durant (hamstring) and Blake Griffin (knee) suited up. So this initially looked like easy work if all they had to do was contain the subs.
Welp…Harden let them know that he was still James Harden. After Indiana jumped out to a 40-25 first quarter the Pacers looked to be in total control of this one. However, great players are called great players for a reason.
Harden led the Nets with a mean triple double finishing with 40 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds scoring 14 points, grabbing 6 rebounds and 4 assists in the fourth quarter. Brooklyn outscored the Pacers 35-24 in the fourth to outlast the Pacers.
Even without the other horses the Nets’ role players stepped up with seven players scoring in double figures.
Indiana was led by Malcolm Brogdon’s 24 points. Caris LeVert came through with 19 points in his Pacers home debut after having kidney surgery three weeks ago. Domantas Sabonis dropped off a triple double in a valiant effort finishing with 11 rebounds and 11 assists. Both Doug McDermott and TJ McConnell came off of the bench with 12 points each.
Up next for Indiana at Miami on Thursday.