Pacers 104, Nets 97
INDIANAPOLIS -- Paul George scored 23 points, including a key 3-pointer with 3:26 remaining, and the Indiana Pacers rallied for a 104-97 victory against the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night in Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
Indiana (16-9) won despite making only seven of 28 shots from three-point range against a team that now is 1-12 on the road. Until Friday night, the Pacers were 0-7 this season when trailing after three quarters.
The Nets led by as many as seven early in the fourth quarter, but strong offensive moves from Rodney Stuckey and Lavoy Allen got the Pacers within 81-80 with 8:20 to play. Indiana went on to compile a 15-2 run -- capped by a George steal and dunk -- for an 89-83 advantage with 6:21 remaining.
Indiana's Jordan Hill had 10 of his 14 points during the fourth quarter. The Pacers forward added 11 rebounds. George had 10 rebounds for Indiana. Stuckey scored 15, as did Indiana forward C.J. Miles. Indiana's non-starters outscored the Nets' reserves 45-23.
Guard Jarrett Jack led Brooklyn (7-19) with 26 points, center Brook Lopez had 18 and forward Thaddeus Young contributed 14 points and 14 rebounds.
Brooklyn closed the third quarter on a 12-4 run, taking a 77-72 lead on Donald Sloan's jumper just ahead of the buzzer.
Miles scored five consecutive Pacers points for a 68-65 lead with 4:45 left in the third quarter, but Jack countered with a field goal with 4:04 on the clock, pulling the Nets within 68-67.
George Hill made two 3-pointers early in the third quarter, but Jack and Young continued to attack the basket, and Indiana led only 59-58 with 7:03 remaining in the period.
Indiana struggled from three-point range during the first half -- 3 of 14 -- but still managed a 49-47 lead through 24 minutes, getting 10 points from George and a collective 23 from its bench, including nine from Stuckey and eight from Chase Buddinger..
NOTES: The injury-riddled Nets continued to play without F Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (fractured right ankle), G/F Sergey Karasev (sore left ankle), G Shane Larkin (concussion) and F Chris McCullough (right knee rehab) ... The Pacers were without F/C Myles Turner (fractured left thumb) ... Indiana G Monta Ellis, who scored 19 points in Wednesday's victory over Dallas, was in the starting lineup despite a sore right knee, as was F Paul George, who is shaking off an upper respiratory infection. ... Brooklyn had lost three in a row and was 1-11 in road games entering Friday night's game. ... Indiana had won three consecutive home games by an average margin of 18.3 points. ... Brooklyn came in ranking no better than 10th (opponents rebounds per game) in any NBA statistic. ... Indiana ranks second in 3-point field goal shooting percentage (38.8) and second in opponents' turnovers per game (17.0). ... Brooklyn won last season's three-game series 2-1, including a 123-111 victory in the only meeting in Bankers Life Fieldhouse.