Pacers 103, 76ers 91
Pacers 103, 76ers 91: Roy Hibbert had 22 points and seven blocks and Rodney Stuckey scored 16 off the bench as depleted Indiana knocked off visiting Philadelphia in the season opener for both teams.
Donald Sloan started at point guard due to injuries and contributed 16 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for the Pacers, who played without two injured starters in addition to Paul George. David West (ankle) and George Hill (leg) will be out for at least a few weeks and George is lost for the season with a leg injury.
Tony Wroten had 22 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the 76ers, who played without injured Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams. Rookie Nerlens Noel, the sixth overall pick in the 2013 draft who missed all of last season rehabbing a knee injury, had six points and 10 rebounds in his NBA debut.
Indiana scored the first eight points of the fourth quarter on a jumper by Stuckey and 3-pointers by Stuckey and Chris Copeland to push a five-point edge to 86-73. Wroten spurred an 11-2 run with seven points, but a free throw from Sloan, a 3-pointer by C.J. Miles and a three-point play by Hibbert off a nice feed from Luis Scola helped the Pacers hold on.
Wroten had 13 points and five assists while Hibbert tallied 13 and four blocks as the Sixers took a 51-48 lead at the half. Sloan had seven points and three assists over the final 5:44 of the third quarter to give Indiana a 78-73 lead entering the fourth.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Stuckey, a projected starter, was limited to 16 minutes off the bench due to a leg injury. … Hibbert was the only player from either team who was in the starting lineup opening night last season. … Philadelphia has scored 100-plus points against the Pacers just twice over the past 12 games.