(BROOKLYN, NY) – After draining a franchise record 23 three’s Saturday night in Brooklyn, the Indiana Pacers go 11/39 (28%) in their 116 to 109 loss against the Nets.
In the opening quarter, it was the Kevin Durant show. After registering four points in the first half Saturday, Durant opened the first 12 minutes of basketball with 13 points. Indiana had four players (Myles Turner, Buddy Hield, Tyrese Haliburton, Isaiah Jackson) score four points in the first period. They would miss all twelve three pointers this quarter and trail 33-15 after the first twelve minutes.
The second quarter was a rollercoaster for the Indiana Pacers. The other superstar for the Nets in Kyrie Irving opened the quarter with eleven of the first fifteen points for Brooklyn in two and a half minutes. Indiana would find themselves down a game high 24 points, but they did not waiver. The Pacers would outscore the Nets 30-13 the final 9:34. Chris Duarte (11 points) and Buddy Hield (10 points) led the blue and gold in scoring for the quarter. Also, worth noting that the Pacers turned the ball over NINE times. The Pacers would trail the Nets 61-54.
Coming out of the locker room, the third quarter was like the second. Brooklyn would open the quarter with a 9-1 run to extend their lead back to 15 points. The Pacers would Duarte’s hot shooting from the second quarter would continue in the third period. He went 5/6 including two triples, totaling up to 15 points. The rookie in Bennedict Mathurin came up big throughout the quarter with a pair of three-point plays and 11 points off the bench. The Pacers would once again trail by a touchdown with 12 minutes to play.
Indiana’s late momentum from the third quarter would carry over into the start of the fourth quarter and would tie the game at 100 with 6:12 remaining for the first time when the score was 4-4 with 9:35 to go in the first period. The Pacers would go ice cold the rest of the way by shooting 3/11 and turned the ball over three times. Buddy Hield scored eight of the 24 points for Indiana. Durant (8 points) and Nic Claxton (7 points) led the Nets in scoring. Indiana falls to 3-5 and Brooklyn improves to 2-5.
NOTES: Tyrese Haliburton set a career high in turnovers (7) and registered season lows in assists (5) and points (11). Buddy Hield has now scored 20+ points in three of his last four games and has made 25 triples in the last four games while shooting 48%.
TOP PERFORMERS: Kevin Durant (34p, 9r, 7a), Kyrie Irving (28 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, and 4 steals), Chris Duarte (30 points), and Buddy Hield (22 points, 7 assists). Click here for the full statistics from tonight’s game.
NEXT UP: The blue and gold have the next three days off and begin a four game homestand with the Miami Heat at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Tip-off is at 7pm with the Kroger Pregame Show starting at 6:30pm eastern with Pat Boylan on 93.5/107.5 The Fan.
