INDIANAPOLIS — On the back end of a back-to-back on Sunday night. The Indiana Pacers were down one-point, 107-106, with 11.8 seconds to play. Domantis Sabontis put the team on his back and a couple of Celtics as he muscled his way to the rack for a layup to put the Pacers up for good 108-107. He earned the And-1 but missed the free throw.
Indiana’s defense held in the final 8.4 to get out of the joint with a win.
I’m still hot that the big homie Nate McMillan was let go after the Pacers were swept by Miami in the playoffs. So I’m not all warm and fuzzy about the new Nate taking over but I’ve got to give him his props.
Ole boy is coaching his butt off right now. Just ask Domas how he feels about his new coach and his decision making. After hitting the game winning layup here’s what he had to say.
“Coach is a genius. He has a different play for everything. He trusts every single one of us and that makes it easier for the players. We all trust him and just try to execute as best we can.”
That’s huge when players are trusting of their coach. I guess I need to get over Nate Mac getting canned and get on the Nate B bandwagon. Everybody else has right? I can’t hate because he’s doing what very few Pacers head coaches have ever been able to do so far and that’s to start the season 3-0.
This is only the seventh-time in Pacers NBA history that the franchise has started the season 3-0. It’s early but props are due.
He’s got these cats playing together, sharing the ball and trusting the process.
Indiana had six players in double figures. Malcolm Brogdon led the way with 25 points, 5 assists and 5 rebounds. Sabonis dropped off his No.100 double-double of his career with 19 points and 10 rebounds. T.J. Warren came through with 17 points as Doug McDermott and Justin Holiday hit them up for 16 and 13 points respectively. Myles Turner added 10 points.
Normally it takes a minute for a team to adjust to getting a new coach but the Pacers are playing with great chemistry right out of the gate.
Keep in mind that Victor Oladipo didn’t play on Sunday night as they attempt to manage the injury he sustained in January of 2019. He suffered a ruptured quad tendon in his right knee. They’re still taking their time with pushing him into back-to-backs.
Up next they’ve got Boston again on Tuesday night.