BUBBLE — We’ve waited four and a half months to see the Indiana Pacers resume their season paused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Well…they picked up with crazy energy even with missing Domantas Sabonas and Malcolm Brogdon in the lineup. TJ Warren stepped in and went NUTS scoring a career high 53 points to get rid of the Philadelphia 76ers 127-121. This win puts them ahead of Philly in the East as the fifth seed.
The Pacers got out of the gate on the struggle bus as they restarted their season in the opening quarter. Philly jumped out of the ride and went on a 10-2 run to start the game. Nate McMillan’s crew didn’t panic as they clawed their way back in to close the gap to take their first lead 16-14 with a little more than 6 minutes left in the first quarter. They went on a 9-0 run as they built even more confidence.
The Pacers literally started going into the 76ers pockets as they went on a 13-0 to force Philly to call a timeout.
Indiana went on a 17-0 run and went up 10 points before Philly could even answer. The 76ers were literally falling apart right before our eyes. TJ Warren scored 19 of his 53 points in the opening quarter and the Pacers finished first period up 35-29. Warren finished the first half with 29 points!! He was on fyyahhh!!!!
Philly regrouped to start the second period going on an 11-4 run to tie it up at 40 apiece on an Alec Burks three-pointer. However, after giving up a 9-0 run the Pacers regained the lead 45-44 on a Aaron Holiday three-pointers at the 5:49 mark.
Victor Oladipo didn’t get on the board until there was 4:05 left in the half as he knocked down a three-pointer to put the Pacers up 50-47. Indiana went into the break up 61-55 after slowly getting out of the ride to open the game.
TJ Warren was the only Pacer in double figures in the first half.
Indiana started slow coming out of the break going scoreless for almost 4 minutes. Oladipo finally got them on the board in the second half with a 27-foot three-pointer to put the Pacers up 64-61.
However, the Philly battled back outscoring Indiana 32-20 in the third period to lead 81-76 going into the final period.
Philly took it’s biggest lead of the night going up 95-86 on a Tabias Harris lay up. However, Indiana came to play as TJ Warren continued to put the team on his back closing the gap 100-97 7:05 left to play. The Pacers trailed by 10 and then outscored the 76ers 46-34 in the fourth quarter.
TJ Warren was simply unconscious as he nailed his ninth 3-pointer with 9.6 seconds left to put the nails in the coffin.
Five Pacers finished in double figures including Tj Warren’s 53 points. Both Aaron Holiday and Victor Oladipo finished with 15 apiece and Doug McDermott and TJ McConnell finished with 10 each.