Game Rewind: Pacers 92, Warriors 81

It wasn't the same Warriors most are accustomed to seeing, but it'll show up in the win column just the same.

Despite trailing by double digits for much of the first half, the Pacers used an impressive fourth-quarter performance to grab a victory against the shorthanded Warriors, beating Golden State 92-81 on Tuesday night at the ORACLE Arena in Oakland.

"We just stayed with it," said Pacers head coach Nate McMillan. "They were doing some good things the first half, our defense picked up and we tried to keep them in front. We started to rebound the basketball and get out and execute on the offensive end of the floor. It's a 48-minute game and we just stayed with it and found a way to get this game."

The Warriors were a hardly recognizable group to begin the game, playing without All-Stars Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson, all of whom were dealing with an assortment of injuries and illnesses.

But even with Golden State's core four missing in action, the fourth quarter still proved to be tense as Indiana (44-31) held tight to a lead created by a 9-2 run to begin the frame.

With 4:17 remaining in the game, Victor Oladipo put one of the finishing touches on one of his most efficient performances of the season, hitting a jumper to extend Indiana's lead to nine points.

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Oladipo finished his night with a game-high 24 points, connecting on 9-of-12 shots, passing out six assists, and only committing a single turnover.

The Warriors (54-20) were able to cut into their deficit with a 3-pointer from the wing, but Indiana gave itself space once more as Thaddeus Young — who notched a double-double — collected a loose ball and threw it up and in for the score, putting Indiana back up by eight.

In the final two minutes, the Pacers were able to keep the Warriors at bay, wrapping up their 44th victory of the season with an impressive and-one from Oladipo to put the Pacers up by 11.

"We finally got our legs under us," said Oladipo. "Finally started making shots. Getting stops and making shots. It was effective for us. I thought we picked it up defensively, that was huge for us. We just have to build on it."

Even without the help of their four All-Stars, the Warriors still got off to a quick start against the visiting Pacers, leading 27-18 after a quarter of play.

Although Golden State controlled the game for the majority of the second quarter, the Pacers were able to trim the deficit back down to nine as Myles Turner canned a jumper at the end of the half, leaving Indiana trailing 48-39 at the break. The deciding factor in the first half was rebounding, where the Pacers were beat soundly by the Warriors, who outrebounded Indiana 31-17 on the glass, which included a 9-3 disparity on the offensive boards.

While the Pacers looked hesitant in the first half, a different team emerged in the third quarter, opening up the frame on a rollicking 11-2 run which was capped by a two-handed slam by Oladipo. The run tied things up at 50 as Indiana erased its halftime deficit in under three minutes of action.

Indiana's offense continued to flow throughout the third, as Glenn Robinson III executed a 360-degree slam with just over three minutes remaining in the quarter. Bojan Bogdanovic was also a catalyst for offense in the third, posting 10 points as Indiana fought itself back into the game.

While Robinson's highlight dunk put Indiana up by five, the lead was quickly wiped by a 7-0 Warriors run to close the quarter, putting the hosts up 70-68 entering the fourth.

To open the fourth, Indiana's bench unit hit its stride at the right time as the Pacers scored six unanswered points to force a Warriors timeout just 1:49 into the quarter.

The Pacers led for most of the fourth quarter, including when Oladipo sank a jumper from the top of the key to put the Pacers up by nine with just over four minutes remaining.

Although Golden State sliced into the deficit once more with a 3-pointer, an offensive rebound and score by Thad Young helped seal the game as Indiana opened up its road trip with a crucial #PacersWin.

The Pacers outscored the Warriors 50-34 in the paint.

Nick Young was the leading scorer for the Warriors with 12 points.

The Pacers won the turnover battle, only giving it up 11 times while the Warriors had 16 giveaways.

Indiana outscored the Warriors 53-33 in the second half.

"I think that was what it was all about. I feel like we got the shots we wanted. We moved the ball. We just didn't make them. Then in the second half, we kind of regrouped and did a better job of coming together and making shots down the stretch. The biggest thing is we made stops. We got stops defensively and that was effective for us." -Victor Oladipo

"We just went out there and we executed on offense, but really we picked up our defense in the third (quarter). I think really that was the biggest part. When I came in when we were breaking the huddle getting ready to go into the third, I told them, 'When we're hungry on defense, everybody eats on offense.' We just got after it on the defensive side of things." -Thaddeus Young

"Domas did a good job. We were really watching him closely and trying to decide, do we go back with Myles (Turner) and he was giving us some good minutes so we ended up finishing with him. He came out of there a little scratched up, but we think he's going to be okay." -Nate McMillan on Myles Turner

Despite entering the fourth quarter trailing by two, the Pacers took care of business over the final 12 minutes, outscoring Golden State 24-11. The Warriors' 11 points were the lowest total that Indiana has held a team to in the fourth quarter this season.

Following a four-game road trip, the Pacers return to Bankers Life Fieldhouse to host the Golden State Warriors on Thursday, April 5 at 7:00 PM ET. Find Tickets »