2017 Summer League

David Benner

Orlando -- The Indiana Pacers concluded play in the Mountain Dew Orlando Pro Summer League with an 89-80 victory over Oklahoma City Thursday at the Amway Center.

The Pacers finished 4-1 and in third place after missing the championship game by a half point. In four previous games, teams earned one point for winning a quarter, four points for a win.

PACERS SUMMER LEAGUE CENTRAL: Stories, Photos, and Highlights »

Thursday, the Pacers had just eight players available due to injuries and early departures. But those eight overcame a rough second quarter and two-point halftime deficit to lead by as many as nine in the second half.

"The last two weeks we talked about playing hard, playing unselfish and respecting the game," said Pacers Summer League coach Popeye Jones. "Even though we we short-handed, that was what today's game was all about. Even in this short period of time, we wanted to be a team that plays hard and physical. That's what we want in Indiana."

PHOTO GALLERY: Pacers 89, Thunder 80 (Summer League) »

Jarnell Stokes led the Pacers with 17 points. Travis Leslie and Trey McKinney Jones added 13 each. Jordan Loyd had seven points, 10 rebounds, and six assists.

Joe Young and T.J. Leaf both sat out the game with minor injuries.

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Game Rewind: Pacers 89, Thunder 80 (Summer League)

ORLANDO -- A promising start turned into a futile finish as the Indiana Pacers lost to Dallas, 94-79, in the Mountain Dew Orlando Pro Summer League at the Amway Center here Tuesday.

The loss dropped the Pacers to 3-1 and they will await the outcome of Wednesday's games to find out if they will play for the championship Thursday. The Pacers have Wednesday off.

Tuesday, the Pacers jumped out to a 24-12 lead after the first quarter, saw that trimmed to four by the half and then a game-long problem, turnovers, took affect. And the 3-0 Mavericks took full control. For the game, the Pacers had 24, leading to 40 Dallas points.

"Dallas' intensity and pressure hurt us, which led to turnovers and that was pretty much the game," said Popeye Jones, the Pacers' Summer league coach. "They were faster than us and we were a step slow, which was to be expected as we have been going at it for eight straight days. We've got a day off, we'll play Thursday and try to finish this the right way with a win."

PHOTO GALLERY: Pacers 79, Mavericks 94 »

Jarnell Stokes led the Pacers with 15 points and seven rebounds. Trey McKinney Jones had 11, Joe Young 10 and top draft pick T.J. Leaf, Ben Moore and Jordan Loyd all had 7. Loyd also had six assists.

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Game Rewind: Pacers 79, Mavericks 94 (Summer League)

Wheat Hotchkiss

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Pacers 79, Mavericks 94 (Summer League)

The Indiana Pacers ran their record to 3-0 in the Mountain Dew Orlando Pro Summer League here Monday with an 86-83 victory over the Miami Heat.

Unlike their first two victories, the Pacers faced a hurdle in the form of a 10-point halftime deficit, but rallied back in the second half behind the play of many contributors: Chris Johnson, T.J. Leaf, Jarnell Stokes, Joe Young and Rakeem Christmas.

Stokes and Christmas in particular played huge roles in the second half by slowing Miami's No. 1 draft choice, Bam Adebayo from Kentucky, who finished with 29 points (13 of those from the line) and 11 rebounds.

With both teams struggling from the 3-point line (Pacers 4-for-27, Miami 3-for-24), it became a game that was to be decided on the inside. Which is where the Pacers won it with 17 offensive rebounds that led to 29 second-chance points.

"The biggest thing was this was really the first adversity we had faced with being behind by as many as 11 points," said Pacers' Summer league coach Popeye Jones. "But we came together at halftime, there was no griping and we got back in the game. One of the things we talked about from day one was having physical toughness and mental toughness.

"We were behind, shots weren't falling, guys were tired but we went inside to get our points and that required both mental and physical toughness. Over half our points today were in the paint."

Leaf, the Pacers' No. 1 draft pick from UCLA, led the Pacers with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Young had 17 with six assists, Stokes 14 and seven rebounds, Johnson 12, and Christmas, in his first game after recovering from a sprained ankle, had nine points and five rebounds. Young also sustained a dislocated finger in the third quarter, but came back in the fourth.

Travis Leslie, who led the Pacers in their first two games with 20 in each, had a tough night shooting (2 of 10) and finished with four points.

The Pacers play Dallas (2-0) today (3:00 p.m., NBATV) before getting Wednesday off. Thursday will be the final day with the teams seeded according to points earned in the four games they played. Teams get one point for winning a quarter, four points for winning a game. The Pacer currently lead with 19.5 over Oklahoma City (13.5) and Dallas (12). They each have played just two games.

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Game Rewind: Pacers 86, Heat 83 (Summer League)

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Pacers 86, Heat 83 (Summer League)

Orlando -- The Indiana Pacers beat Charlotte, 84-77, at the Amway Center Sunday to improve to 2-0 in the Mountain Dew Orlando Pro Summer League.

The Pacers are in first place after two days with 13 points. Teams are awarded one point for winning a quarter, four points for winning the game.

For the second straight game, Travis Leslie, who played with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants last season, led the Pacers with 20 points. The game also marked the debut of the Pacers' No. 1 draft pick, T.J. Leaf from UCLA. He played 24 minutes and scored 12 points with five rebounds.

"I would rate my first game as solid," said Leaf. "It was good to get one under my belt. I know what it's like now as far as the physicality. I don't know if I was surprised, but now I know what to expect."

As they did in their opening game against Orlando, the Pacers led much of this game, but never got much breathing room until the end. They played the game without three big men (Georges Niang, sprained left knee; Rakeem Christmas, sprained left ankle; and Augusto Cesar Lima, sore lower back).

"That was a big, strong, physical team we played tonight," said Pacers Summer league coach Popeye Jones. "With the three bigs out, we knew we were undersized, but we battled and fought. It was good to see T.J. Get his first action. He showed some good skills offensively."

Joe Young had 14 points and seven assists for the Pacers as he ran the team from the point guard spot.

"My goal this week is to win, show the organization I can lead the team and play high intensity defense," Young said.

The Pacers return to the court today for a 5:00 p.m. (NBATV) game against Miami.

2017 Summer League

Game Rewind: Pacers 89, Thunder 80 (Summer League)

Game Rewind: Pacers 79, Mavericks 94 (Summer League)

Pacers 79, Mavericks 94 (Summer League)

Game Rewind: Pacers 86, Heat 83 (Summer League)

Pacers 86, Heat 83 (Summer League)

Game Rewind: Pacers 84, Hornets 77 (Summer League)

Pacers 84, Hornets 77 (Summer League)

Pacers 85, Magic 74 (Summer League)