INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Pacers must have forgotten that the All-Star break was over as they played the first half of their first game back on Friday night. The New Orleans Pelicans showed up with a disgruntled employee, Anthony Davis, and still went to work on them getting out of the gate. However, by the time the smoke cleared the Pacers found their way on the yellow brick road to holler at the ole great OZ or more importantly, the big homie, Nate McMillan, as they got the win 126-111.
New Orleans got out of the ride and went to work on the Pacers going up by as many as 20 points in the first half. It wasn’t until the new addition to the family playing only his third game with the team, Wesley Matthews, caught fire scoring 15 of his 24 points in the third quarter to help lead the Blue and Gold past the Pelicans.
With 2.5 second left in the second quarter ole boy knocked down a three-pointer to pull the Pacers to within 13 and that started the surge to get back into it. They were down 71-58 at the break and didn’t lead until Matthews drained 3 free throws with 6:23 left in the third quarter.
Tyreke Evans knocked down a 3-pointer with 3 seconds left in the third quarter to take a three point lead and they never looked back after that. It was Chris Brown up in the piece, “On and Poppin'” in the fourth quarter.
Anthony Davis only played 20 minutes as New Orleans is trying to figure out what to do with him. They’re stuck with the dun for the rest of the season so it is what it is. Luckily for Indiana that he was on punishment because he was able to put up 15 points, 8 rebounds and throw 4 dimes in the 20 minutes he did play. Not trading ole boy was the worst decision ever known to man and that’s why Dell Demps is unemployed right now.
They’ve got a cat that doesn’t want to be there that they don’t want to play but have to pay. Incredible!!!
After the game Nate McMillan had this to say about his team. “What you saw was a team that looked like they had come off a break and was still on break for the first half,” Pacers coach Nate McMillan said. “The second half, we came out there and started playing the basketball we’re capable of playing.”
Bojan Bogdanovic finished with 20 points and 5 rebounds, Domantas Sabonis dropped off his 23rd double-double of the season finishing with 18 points and 13 rebounds. Tyreke Evans had 17 points while Thaddeus Young had 17.
Well I know everybody around the Indianapolis area has to be happy that they were able to shake the rust off without dropping a game that they shouldn’t have loss. No Anthony Davis should have been easy but a win is a win. Stop me when I start lyin’!