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INDIANAPOLIS – Opening up a four-game preseason slate of games all away from home, the Pacers gave those back in Indiana something to cheer about on Thursday night.

The Pacers were 110-100 winners in their first preseason game of the year in Houston.

Victor Oladipo led all scorers with 24 points in 25 minutes of action. Oladipo was 9-of-18 from the floor, connecting on 4-of-10 from behind the arc.

Thursday night saw a nice outing from second-year forward T.J. Leaf. Starting in place for the injured Thaddeus Young, Leaf had 12 points and 13 rebounds (7 offensive) in 34 minutes. Leaf is trying to earn a rotational spot with Young likely to miss at least another game or two in the preseason.

Center Myles Turner had 11 points and 5 rebounds.

“We just attacked the mismatches and we knew they were going to be switching a lot,” Turner says. “That’s their game plan and we knew they were going to try and run in transition. We still have some things to clean up, but overall it was a good first effort.”

Indiana finished the night just 8-of-26 from three-point land, but did outrebound Houston, 48-41. Controlling the glass is a major priority for Nate McMillan this season.

McMillan did not like his team’s sloppy night handling the ball, with 21 turnovers. But they did force 26 turnovers.

On Thursday night, the Pacers did get a nice contribution from young guard Edmund Sumner.

The 2017 second-round pick had 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting off the bench. Sumner, who is still likely to be a G-League contributor in his second professional season, looks to be fully healed from a torn ACL late in his final college season at Xavier.

The Pacers sat out Tyreke Evans (ankle) and Thaddeus Young (foot) on Thursday.

 

Pacers 2018 Preseason Schedule

-at Grizzlies, Saturday (10/6)

-at Cavaliers, Monday (10/8)

-at Bulls, Wednesday (10/10)

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