Pacers 92, Pelicans 84
INDIANAPOLIS -- Rookie Myles Turner celebrated his 20th birthday with 24 points and 16 rebounds, and the Indiana Pacers defeated the injury-plagued New Orleans Pelicans 92-84 on Thursday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
It was the Pacers' 10th straight victory over the Pelicans.
New Orleans (26-45), which had eight of its 16 players available, closed to within 88-84 on Toney Douglas' 3-pointer with 1:03 left.
C.J. Miles made two free throws with 46.6 seconds remaining, increasing the Indiana lead to 90-84. Monta Ellis made two more free throws with 40.1 seconds to play to push the Pacers ahead 92-84.
Miles added 19 for Indiana (38-33), which lost leading scorer Paul George with a lower right leg injury in the third quarter. He did not return, finishing with 15 points.
Alexis Ajinca led the Pelicans with 22 points, Tim Frazier added 18 and Alonzo Gee scored 17. New Orleans was guilty of 16 turnovers.
Frazier's 3-pointer cut the Indiana lead to 79-73 with 7:32 remaining, but thanks in large part to Turner's strong play, Indiana hung on.
Miles' 3-pointer just ahead of the third-quarter buzzer gave Indiana a 70-61 lead through 36 minutes. A Miles basket with 11:07 remaining in the fourth quarter extended the advantage to 75-63 and prompted a New Orleans timeout.
Turner had 22 points and 13 rebounds through three quarters.
The Pacers finished the first half on a 17-6 run to take a 49-39 lead through 24 minutes, getting 16 points from Turner and 13 from George.
Turner and George were a combined 12 of 16 from the field during a half when Indiana shot 48.8 percent.
Ajinca had 12 points and five rebounds for the Pelicans in the first two quarters, and Gee added eight. New Orleans shot 37 percent.
Indiana led 24-22 after one quarter.
NOTES: The Pelicans were without seven players, including five double-figure scorers, led by C Anthony Davis (left knee, left shoulder). ... New Orleans has lost eight of its last 11. ... Indiana was coming off a Monday night victory over Philadelphia and is 7-4 in its past 11 games. ... New Orleans ranked fifth in turnovers (13.2) in the NBA entering Thursday. ... Indiana was fourth in opponents' 3-point field goal percentage (33.2 percent) and fourth in steals per game (9.0). ... The Pacers' winning streak against the Pelicans is their longest current one against any opponent. ... Indiana's Paul George has made 21 of his last 24 free throws.