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Jordan Morey

Sunday, Jan. 29 at 6:00 PM ET at FedExForum

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Game Recap: Grizzlies 112, Pacers 100

Just a handful of teams can claim they’ve entered FedExForum and escaped with a win over the Memphis Grizzlies this season.Unfortunately for the Indiana Pacers, they can’t count themselves among those squads.Despite boasting a double-digit halftime lead, the Pacers (24-28) were held to 38 points in the second half – the fewest points by the Blue & Gold in the second half of a game this season – in a 112-100 loss to the Grizzlies (32-18) on Sunday in Memphis.The Pacers led 62-50 at halftime before being outscored 62-38  in the final 24 minutes. In the second half, the Pacers shot 38.9 percent from the field while the Grizzlies made 55.8 percent of their shots.With the win, Memphis boosted its league-best home winning percentage by moving to 21-3 on their own floor while also snapping a five-game losing streak. Indiana has now lost three games in a row including nine straight on the road.Pacers rookie Bennedict Mathurin had another impressive outing, finishing with 27 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Five players scored in double figures for the Pacers, with Aaron Nesmith (16), Myles Turner (15), Isaiah Jackson (13) and Andrew Nembhard (12) following Mathurin.The Grizzles were anchored by 27 points, 15 assists and 10 rebounds by point guard Ja Morant and 28 points and eight rebounds from Jaren Jackson Jr. Morant has five triple-doubles this season.Indiana was outrebounded 41-38 in the game and outscored 66-46 in the paint.“It's a disappointing experience that we're gonna need to learn from,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said, “and being able to sustain an effort like that in the first half into the second half on the road. It's something that's not easy to do because you know the other team is going to turn it up, make it more physical, challenge the referees to blow the whistle, all those kinds of things. So it's got to be a lesson where we learn from it.”The Pacers led by as many as 19 points in the second quarter and held a 62-50 advantage at intermission.In the first quarter, the Grizzlies led 14-7 by making six of their first nine shots before the Pacers answered with a 9-0 run, in part of five made free throws by Nesmith, to take their first lead at 16-14 with 6:44 left in the first quarter.Indiana then stayed up thanks to some hot shooting by Mathurin, who scored nine points in the final 1:36 of the opening frame as the Pacers led 32-23 after 12 minutes of play.Five points by Nembhard and three from Mathurin pushed the Pacers’ lead to 40-26 two minutes into the second quarter.Two straight dunks by Isaiah Jackson – including a left-handed alley oop dunk – extended the lead to 56-37 with 4:30 left in the half before the Grizzlies got back into an offensive groove.Memphis responded with a 9-2 run to cut it to 58-44 with 1:38 on the clock, but the Pacers stayed ahead by double digits thanks to two more made baskets by Nesmith down the stretch.The Grizzlies were able to retake the lead in the third quarter by outscoring the Pacers 30-17.Out of the break, Turner scored the team’s first six points to put the Pacers ahead 68-52 two minutes into the second half.From 9:30 to 6:06 the Grizzlies went on a 14-0 run, and then extended the scoring stretch to 19-2,  to tie the game at 70 with 4:35 left in the third quarter. Five different players recorded a basket during the scoring spree.In the final 3:06, the teams continued to duke it out, but the Grizzlies took a 80-79 advantage into the final frame.The Pacers made just one 3-pointer in the third quarter while shoot 6-for-18 overall in the period.Memphis came out hot to start the fourth quarter, using a 13-2 run to go up 91-81 with 9:11 to play.While Mathurin scored the first 12 points for the Pacers in the fourth quarter, the team trailed 99-91 with 6:13 remaining.In the waning minutes, the Grizzlies answered every Pacers basket to come away with the win.“The main thing for us was to stay locked-in on defense," Mathurin said. "(The) defense was pretty bad in the second half. Rebounding and second shots really hurt us in the second half. I felt like that was a big reason we lost today.”The Pacers will have a three-day break before hosting the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday before the Sacramento Kings come in on Friday.

Mathurin has scored 20 or more points in five straight games, which is the longest streak of his young career. He has also scored 20 or more points in a game 22 times this season.T.J. McConnell, who had averaged 16.1 points per game over the last 10 games, didn’t score a point in his 23 minutes of action. McConnell hasn’t scored in just three games he's played in this season.Nesmith went 7-for-7 from the free throw line which is the most free throws he’s ever made in a game.The Pacers finished 19-for-21 from the free throw line after making all 12 attempts in the first half.Indiana turned the ball over 12 times in the second half after having just five giveaways in the first half.

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Postgame Media Availability: Jan. 29, 2023

“I thought from the very beginning when he went in he was a factor. He was getting deflections, blocks, rebounds. He's putting pressure on the rim and he did a lot of good things he played well against his guys.” – Carlisle on Isaiah Jackson’s performance“That's nothing new. He's a fearless guy. He's a fearless player. He gets the ball in the basket.” -- Calrisle on Mathurin

“We’ve got two really hot teams coming in this week with the (Los Angeles) Lakers and Sacramento (Kings). And that'll be a great challenge for our defense. We’ve got two important practice days leading up to it.” – Carlisle on next week’s gams on Thursday and Friday

“I feel like the biggest difference was they just came out and played harder. They went on a little run and the crowd got into it, and I feel like it just went downward from there. It’s a good learning experience for not only me, but for the team – just learning how to close out games.” – Isaiah Jackson on the loss

“I pretty much just try to stay aggressive. I come into the game with the same mentality all the time. Whether I make shots or not I’m still going to be aggressive.” -- Mathurin on his recent scoring

The Pacers, which have played well consistently in the later minutes of games, scored a season-worst 38 second-half points against the Grizzles. The previous low was 39 versus the Miami Heat on Nov. 4.&nbsp;

The Pacers welcome LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers to Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Thursday, Feb. 2 at 7:00 PM ET. Find Tickets >>

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Game Rewind: Pacers 100, Grizzlies 112

Wheat Hotchkiss

Friday, Jan. 27 at 7:00 PM ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse

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Game Recap: Bucks 141, Pacers 131

If there's one thing to know about the 2022-23 Indiana Pacers, it's that they never quit.

The Pacers could have packed it in after a dismal first half against the Bucks, a team that had beaten Indiana in nine straight meetings entering Friday and dominated the first two quarters, leading by as many as 33 and taking an 85-56 advantage into halftime.

Instead, the Blue & Gold scratched and clawed up until the final buzzer, trimming Milwaukee's deficit all the way down to seven before ultimately falling, 141-131.

In the end, it was another loss for Indiana (24-27) to the Bucks (32-17), but the Pacers' resilience was on full display after running into an absolute buzzsaw in the first half.

Six Pacers scored in double figures in the loss and three topped 20 points. Myles Turner had a team-high 24 points to go along with five rebounds and four blocks. Buddy Hield added 22 points and three steals, going 5-for-9 from 3-point range, while Bennedict Mathurin chipped in 21 points and eight rebounds off the bench.

But it wasn't enough to overcome two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks. The Greek Freak scored 41 points on 16-of-29 shooting and also tallied 12 rebounds and six assists to lead the Bucks to victory.

"We circled the wagons and decided to make a stand competitively and turn the game around," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said of Indiana's comeback effort after a frustrating first half.

Two threes by Pat Connaughton and seven quick points from Antetokounmpo propelled the Bucks to an early lead on Friday. The Pacers hung tight for much of the frame thanks to strong starts from Turner (nine points on 4-of-6 shooting) and Chris Duarte (eight points and two assists).

But the Bucks went 9-for-16 from 3-point range in the first quarter and closed the period with a 15-3 run -- capped by a buzzer-beating three by former Pacer Wesley Matthews -- and took a 45-30 lead into the second quarter.

Milwaukee stayed hot in the ensuing frame, as Jevon Carter drilled two more treys and another jumper to push the visitors' lead to 21 points two minutes into the quarter.

Mathurin impressed for Indiana offensively in the quarter, scoring 11 of the Blue & Gold's first 17 points.

Unfortunately for the Pacers, they couldn't find a way to slow down the Bucks. Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton combined for 14 straight points for the visitors before Brook Lopez hit a three from the top of the key that extended Milwaukee's lead to 76-48 with 3:57 remaining in the first half.

After a timeout, Jalen Smith scored four points for Indiana on a free throw and a 3-pointer, but the Bucks responded with nine unanswered points to push the lead to 33. The Pacers scored the last four points of the half, but still entered halftime facing a staggering 85-56 deficit.

"The starts we've been getting off to are just atrocious," point guard T.J. McConnell said of the opening 24 minutes. "We're not going to be a team that is a moral victory team of we played great in the second half. It's already too late. We fought hard, but we lost and it's because of the way we started. We just can't keep getting off to slow starts."

To their credit, the Blue & Gold came out of the intermission firing. Turner and Hield hit early threes as Indiana opened the second half with an 8-2 spurt. The Pacers scored consistently in the third quarter, but still trailed 109-86 following Grayson Allen's corner three with 3:58 remaining in the frame.

Indiana finally put together a real charge to close the quarter. Hield got it started with a three-point play. After a Jrue Holiday layup on the other end, McConnell set up Turner for a layup, then stole Lopez's inbound and scored an easy two of his own.

Hield drilled another trey with 1:57 remaining in the quarter and then Smith scored on a breakaway slam in the final minute after another McConnell slam. That 12-2 run trimmed the deficit to 111-98 and forced a timeout from Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer with 37.5 seconds left in the quarter.

Budenholzer subbed Antetokounmpo back in and the Bucks immediately got an open look for Connaughton in the right corner to push the margin back to 16. Smith drew a foul and hit one of two free throws in the closing seconds to make it 114-99 entering the fourth quarter.

The Pacers managed to trim the margin to 11 following Andrew Nembhard's jumper with 9:03 remaining in the game, but Antetokounmpo took it upon himself the next two possessions. First, the two-time MVP spun past Turner for a layup in the halfcourt. Then, after a Nembhard turnover, Antetokounmpo trailed the break, took a drop-off pass from Allen, launched from near the top of the lane, and threw down a hard right-hand slam through contact.

Those two buckets pushed Milwaukee's lead back to 120-105 with 8:35 remaining. The Pacers again got within 11 following Nembhard's alley-oop to Turner with 7:05 remaining. Once again, Antetokounmpo answered, scoring five straight points to prevent the Pacers from climbing within single digits.

The Bucks subbed out Antetokounmpo for a breather shortly thereafter, and Indiana promptly reeled off five straight points. After he returned, Hield stole the ball from Holiday, then drained a three to finally make it a single-digit game at 129-121 with 4:06 remaining.

The Blue & Gold twice got within seven, the second time following a Mathurin free throw with 2:06 remaining. But Holiday drew a foul on the other end and made both foul shots and then -- after Mathurin missed a jumper -- drained Milwaukee's 18th 3-pointer of the night to seal the victory.

McConnell stuffed the stat sheet for Indiana in the loss, registering 19 points, six rebounds, nine assists, and three steals. Duarte tallied 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting and six assists, while Aaron Nesmith scored 10 for Indiana.

Holiday narrowly missed out on a triple-double with 23 points, nine boards, and nine assists for the Bucks. Middleton scored 17 points in 15 minutes while only playing in the first half as he works his way back from a knee injury. Lopez added 15 and Connaughton 14 as the duo combined for seven 3-pointers.

Indiana will play on Sunday night in Memphis, then have three days off before opening a three-game homestand on Thursday against LeBron James and the Lakers.

Milwaukee's 45 points in the first quarter were the second-most the Pacers have allowed in the opening frame this season, but an improvement over their last game, as they allowed 46 in the first quarter in Wednesday's loss in Orlando.

The Bucks followed that up with 40 points in the second quarter, matching the most points by a Pacers opponent in that period this season. The Pacers answered with a season-high 43 points in the third quarter.

Turner led Indiana in scoring for the 10th time this season and blocked four shots for the sixth time in 11 games this month.

Hield added five 3-pointers to his league-leading total and now is just four away from becoming the third player in franchise history to make 200 3-pointers in a single season. Reggie Miller holds the franchise record with 229 in 1996-97 and Paul George made 210 in 2015-16.

Mathurin topped 20 points for the 21st time and his fourth straight game, the longest streak of his young career.

Antetokounmpo recorded his ninth 40-point game of the season. His only struggles on Friday came from the free throw line, where he started 1-of-9 and finished the night 7-of-18.

Milwaukee's 141 points were the most by a Pacers opponent this season. They finished the night 18-for-43 from 3-point range.

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Postgame Media Availability: Jan. 27, 2023

"A difficult and ugly start to the game. I just think we've got to make a stand as a team and just decide that we're going to compete together at the start of games." -Carlisle

"It's on the starters, man. It really is. We can try to point fingers here and there. Our second unit I think has done a great job (this season) of keeping us in games and getting us back, but the starters have got to come out with a better sense of urgency. This time of year, you're supposed to have that." -Turner on Indiana's slow starts

"When we get out and run and play with pace, we're pretty good. When we can't get a stop and play in the half court, you see what happened in the first half." -McConnell on what changed in the second half

"They're a very disciplined team full of structure from top to bottom...They know exactly what they want to do offensively. Defensively, they're going to get down and guard you. And they have guys on their roster that abide by those principles. You have to give credit where credit's due -- those guys are champions. They've been there before (and) won there before." -Turner on why the Pacers have struggled against Milwaukee

"I think the extended minutes obviously help, but I've just got to give my teammates credit. They're the ones that are telling me to be aggressive and look for my shot. When I do that, it opens up the pass and gets the ball moving. Just credit to the other guys that are out there with me." -McConnell on taking on more of a scoring role with starting point guard Tyrese Haliburton sidelined

"I feel like every game it's just coming along. Every game, I'm feeling better, physically and mentally. My ankle is doing much better, my shot is coming. Overall, I just feel better...You guys can see the different Chris Duarte from three weeks ago to now." -Duarte on feeling more comfortable after returning from an ankle injury in December

The Bucks scored 85 points in the first half, surpassing their own record for most points by a Pacers opponent over the first two quarters (they previously scored 83 against Indiana in Milwaukee on March 22, 2021). Milwaukee shot 63.5 percent from the field and went 13-for-24 (54.2 percent) from beyond the arc over the first two quarters.

Indiana travels to Memphis to take on Ja Morant and the Grizzlies on Sunday, Jan. 29 at 6:00 PM ET.

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Game Rewind: Pacers 131, Bucks 141

Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 7:00 PM ET at Amway Center

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Game Recap: Magic 126, Pacers 120

Another major comeback wasn’t in the cards on the second leg of a back-to-back for the Indiana Pacers.While the Pacers have overcome slow starts on multiple occasions this season – including a 21-point deficit on Tuesday against the Chicago Bulls –&nbsp; the Blue & Gold couldn’t recover from down 17 in the first quarter to the Orlando Magic on Wednesday.The Pacers (24-26) gave up 46 points in the opening frame – the most of any quarter this season –&nbsp; and never led despite getting it all the way down to a one-possession game in the fourth quarter in a 126-120 loss to the Magic (19-29) at Amway Center.Two of the top rookies from the 2022 NBA draft took the floor, as No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero had 23 points for the Magic and the No. 6 pick, Bennedict Mathurin, scored a game-high 26 points for the Pacers.Between the two 20-year-olds, Banchero leads all rookies in scoring average (20.7 points per game) while Mathurin has more total points (882-852).“I feel like I’m learning a lot and I’m growing as a player and as a person, too,” Mathurin said postgame. “I’ve been through adversity most of my life and most of my career as well. I feel like I’m pretty prepared for those moments, and stepping up in those moments ... but also just being me.”The Magic shot 56.1 percent from the field and 53.6 percent from 3-point range while the Blue & Gold shot 48.2 percent overall and 42.9 percent from deep.After Mathurin, center Myles Turner had 22 points and 13 rebounds and Buddy Hield scored 21 points on six made 3-pointers.Indiana native Garry Harris was second in scoring for the Magic with 22 points and five players scored in double figures on the winning team.In the first quarter, the Magic took an early 46-29 lead.Orlando made 16 of 25 shots in the opening frame and hit all eight free throw attempts while the Pacers turned the ball over five times and made 50 percent of their shots.The Magic jumped to an 11-0 lead, on six points from Banchero, two minutes into the game.Out of a timeout, Pacers point guard T.J. McConnell converted an and-one opportunity to stop the bleeding, but the Magic went on a 7-2 mini run to go up 18-5 with 8:54 left in the first quarter.Orlando came out on fire from the field, making eight of their first 11 shot attempts.The Magic continued to pour it on the remainder of the quarter, and a 3-pointer by Jalen Suggs with one tick left on the clock put his team up by 17.Banchero led all scorers with 13 points after 12 minutes of play, going 6-for-6 from the free throw line, in the first quarter for the Magic.The Pacers scored six unanswered points to open the second quarter and then used a 14-2 run, on six points from Mathurin and 3-pointers from Oshae Brissett and Hield, to make it 56-54 with 5:10 left in the half.Orlando responded with a 9-2 run to go up 71-62, but back-to-back 3-pointers from Hield made it 71-68 Magic with 23 ticks on the clock before a basket by Franz Wagner off a hail mary pass by Suggs with a second left on the clock put the Magic up by five points at the break.Both teams shot at a high clip in the first half, as the Magic made 60.9 percent of their shots while the Pacers hit 57.1 percent of their attempts. Hield had 17 points – making all five of his 3-point attempts – and Mathurin had 14 points for the Pacers while Banchero scored 17 for the Magic in the first half.Out of the break, the teams traded baskets until the Magic were able to establish some distance at 93-83 with 5:11 left in the third quarter.Turner helped keep the Pacers in the game, scoring 10 points in the third period, but the visitors trailed 102-91 going into the final frame.While Hield hit another 3-pointer to open the fourth quarter, the Magic then went on a 9-0 scoring spree behind four different scorers to lead 111-94 with eight minutes left.Indiana chipped away at the lead down the stretch, but never went ahead.A basket by Markelle Fultz with 90 seconds remaining and a pair of free throws by Banchero with a minute left ended up giving the Magic enough of a cushion down the stretch despite the Pacers cutting it to four points with 19 seconds on the clock.

“There's no questioning the fight in this team,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “The second, third and fourth quarters were really good, really solid. You give up 46 In the first quarter,&nbsp; it's almost like you gotta play a perfect game from there.”Despite the loss, the Pacers still lead the season series 2-1 over the Magic. The teams will play again on Feb. 25 in Orlando.The Pacers will host the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday at Gainbridge Arena.

Mathurin has now scored 20 or more points 20 times this season. He has now done it three games in a row, which is a first for him.

Mathurin now has 19 20-point games off the bench, which is the second most by a rookie since starters were listed in box scores during the 1970-1971 season, according to ESPN Stats & Info. Ben Gordon currently owns the record with 24 (2004-2005).

The Pacers had 14 turnovers after just giving the ball away a season-low seven times on Tuesday. Orlando finished with 17 turnovers.

The Magic outscored the Pacers 27-14 in fast-break points.

Mathurin has attempted 10 or more free throws 14 times in a&nbsp; game this season.

The Pacers are now 6-4 on the second leg of back-to-backs.

Turner has scored in double digits in the third quarter in back-to-back games.

Turner has 13 double-doubles this season.

Chris Duarte had a career-high six steals for the Pacers, which is also the most by a player on the team in a game this season.

Hield has made six or more 3-pointers seven times this season and five or more 19 times.

Harris, a Fishers native, had a season-high in points scored (22).

All 11 players that took the floor for Orlando scored at least one basket.

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Postgame Media Availability: Jan. 25, 2023

“Tonight we saw the two best rookies in the league. Their stats were incredibly comparable and they're both great. That was fun to watch.” Carlisle on Mathurin and Banchero “The second night of a&nbsp;back-to-back is not an excuse because we've been good all year in those situations. So we've just got to be better.” Carlisle on the loss“It’s like he's gaining momentum and gaining strength, and so that's a testament to his strong will as a player. So far hasn't missed a game. He was really aggressive from start to finish tonight – he did a good job attacking.” Carlisle on Mathurin’s recent play“I’m just trying to stay aggressive. Every time I come into the game, I’m trying to be the same person – trying to attack the rim, getting to the foul line and making winning plays. I feel like it has been pretty helpful for the team.”“I always believe in the saying that if you put the work in, the basketball gods are going to reward you.” – Mathurin on his game

In the first quarter, the Pacers gave up a season-high 46 points in a quarter. The previous high for a quarter against the Pacers was 44 by the Sacramento Kings on Nov. 30.

The Pacers return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse to take on Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday, Jan. 27 at 7:00 PM ET. Find Tickets >>

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Game Rewind: Pacers 120, Magic 126

Tuesday, Jan. 24 at 7:00 PM ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse

Things didn't look good for the Pacers in the first half on Tuesday night against Chicago, as the Blue & Gold seemed on their way to an eighth straight loss.

But Indiana mounted a furious rally in the second half. Myles Turner scored 16 points in the third quarter and rookie guard Bennedict Mathurin tallied 15 points on 6-of-6 shooting in the fourth to lead the Pacers (24-25) to a 116-110 comeback win over their Central Division rivals.

Turner and Mathurin shared high-scoring honors for Indiana with 26 points apiece and T.J. McConnell added 20 points and 10 assists in a much-needed victory over Chicago (22-25).

"We had a positive halftime," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said. "We talked about the fact that we were very much still in the game, that they played last night, and we were starting to do some things that were causing them some problems -- just to hang in and stay together.

"That's exactly what happened. Guys fought their butts off...Down the stretch, it was just guts all the way."

The Pacers trailed by as many as 21 points in the first half and by 16 at halftime, but had pulled within three at 94-91 with eight minutes remaining in the fourth quarter.

DeMar DeRozan hit a contested jumper to push the Bulls' lead back to five, but Mathurin came right back at him and converted a layup plus the foul to draw Indiana within two.

Two straight baskets by Nikola Vucevic padded Chicago's lead once again, but the Pacers answered with baskets by Buddy Hield and McConnell. After the latter, Aaron Nesmith intercepted a lazy inbound pass and Turner drew a foul on DeRozan, hitting both free throws to tie the game at 100 with 4:57 remaining.

Zach LaVine lost the ball out of bounds on Chicago's next possession. McConnell then converted a reverse layup on the baseline to give Indiana its first lead of the night with 4:27 remaining.

DeRozan drew a foul and hit both foul shots to tie the game on the other end. Hield then missed a three from the left wing. Bulls guard Alex Caruso tried to chase down the rebound on the baseline, but threw the ball right back to Hield, who hoisted another trey. This one bounced high off the rim before dropping through the net to put Indiana back in front.

The Bulls answered, however. Vucevic hit a hook shot at 3:35 and Ayo Dosunmu converted a jumper with 2:54 remaining to give the visitors a one-point lead. Mathurin hit one of two foul shots with 1:59 remaining to tie the game at 106.

On the ensuing possession, LaVine tried to drive, but lost the ball off his leg out of bounds. Caruso then fouled Nesmith on a screen and the third-year wing hit one of two free throws to put Indiana back in front.

DeRozan took it himself on the other end, somehow escaping a trap and getting to the lane for a go-ahead reverse layup with 1:13 to play. The Pacers answered, as McConnell found Mathurin on the left wing for a three and a 110-108 lead with 1:01 left.

Vucevic tied the game once again, driving down the lane and throwing down a left-hand slam over Turner with 41.9 seconds left. But once again, McConnell and Mathurin responded.

The veteran point guard drove to the baseline, then dropped off to the cutting rookie for the go-ahead layup with 29.2 seconds to play.

After a timeout, Hield got a hand on Caruso's inbound pass intended for Vucevic to force a turnover. The Bulls fouled Nesmith with 22 seconds remaining and this time he hit both foul shots.

LaVine missed a stepback three on the other end. The Bulls secured a long rebound, but LaVine was whistled for a travel, essentially ending the game. The improbable victory was Indiana's first since Jan. 8.

"I feel like a lot of teams in our position would have probably put their head down and said, 'Here we go again, loss number eight in a row,'" McConnell said after the victory. "But we've been saying it all year -- we don't quit. This team has a ton of fight. It's annoying that we have to come back from a deficit like that, but we showed a lot of maturity tonight."

DeRozan had a game-high 33 points, going 14-for-21 from the field and 5-for-5 from the free throw line, but the second half belonged to the Blue & Gold.

Turner finished 11-for-21 from the field and pulled down eight rebounds, while Mathurin went 10-for-17 and collected seven boards. McConnell played 40 minutes, went 9-for-14 from the field, tallied a double-double, and came up with three steals.

It was a remarkable turnaround after a rough start on Tuesday. Vucevic hit two quick threes as the Bulls scored the first eight points of the game. Vucevic added another bucket and DeRozan scored seven points while the Pacers went just 2-for-12 from the field to open the game as Chicago opened up a 20-5 lead midway through the opening frame.

The Blue & Gold found some offensive rhythm over the rest of the first quarter thanks to Mathurin and McConnell (six points apiece), but still trailed 33-21 after the first 12 minutes.

The Bulls pushed their lead to 16 with two baskets in the first 45 seconds of the second quarter. Second-year guard Chris Duarte did his best to keep the Pacers in the game from there, hitting two 3-pointers and two free throws for Indiana's next eight points.

The Blue & Gold drew within 11 on Terry Taylor's jumper with 4:26 remaining in the first half, but the Bulls responded with nine unanswered points, extending their lead to 59-39 with 3:03 left in the second quarter.

The Pacers managed to trim four points off that deficit before the intermission, but still headed to the break facing a 62-46 deficit.

Turner sparked a Pacers charge out of halftime. The 26-year-old big man scored nine points over the first 3:25 of the third quarter as Indiana opened the second half with an 11-4 run.

"We put in a new action for him yesterday that gave him two looks at getting the ball in the post," Carlisle said of Turner's play out of halftime. "It was effective. He was able to score some, his activity led to some open shots, we were able to draw some fouls that allowed us to get to the bonus a little earlier in the quarter. It was something that was needed."

Turner scored 16 points in the quarter, hitting a stepback three over Andre Drummond to cut Indiana's deficit to 84-76 with 2:14 remaining in the frame. After Drummond missed two free throws, Taylor threw down a two-hand slam on the other end to pull Indiana within six.

That would be the closest the Blue & Gold would get for the remainder of the frame, as they entered the fourth quarter trailing 87-80. But they outscored Chicago by 13 in the final frame to come away with the victory.

Hield stuffed the stat sheet, finishing with 19 points, five rebounds, four assists, three blocks, and four steals. Duarte added 11 points and nine rebounds for Indiana, while Taylor chipped in 11 points and five boards off the bench.

Vucevic had 20 points, eight rebounds, and five assists for Chicago. LaVine scored 14 points, but finished 4-for-14 from the field and 0-for-7 from 3-point range.

After snapping their losing streak, the Pacers will try to win their second game in as many nights on Wednesday in Orlando, when they take on Paolo Banchero and the Magic on the second night of a back-to-back.

Mathurin topped 20 points for the 19th time this season, Turner for the 13th, and McConnell for the second.

After tallying his third career triple-double on Saturday in Phoenix, McConnell tallied his fourth double-double of the season on Tuesday.

The Pacers matched their season low with eight turnovers, a feat they previously accomplished on Dec. 29 against Cleveland.

Hield went 4-for-11 from 3-point range and now has a league-leading 185 made 3-pointers this season. He also set new season highs with four steals and three blocks (the three blocks matched his career best, a mark he originally set on April 28, 2021).

Taylor, in his second year out of Austin Peay, reached double figures for the first time this season.

The Pacers limited the Bulls to just 5-of-24 3-point shooting, the fewest 3-point makes by an Indiana opponent this season.

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Postgame Media Availability: Jan. 24, 2023

"I think it was all about our trust. I think that first half we just weren't together as a cohesive unit as we were in the past. That was really just the message -- to get back on the same page and get back to competing and play hard." -Turner on what changed after halftime

"This is where he's unique to most rookies. Where a lot of rookies are hitting the wall and losing steam, he's actually gaining momentum. That's I think the thing that's most impressive about him. He just has a capacity and will to compete and get better." -Carlisle on Mathurin

"He shows a lot of maturity. Big-time players make big-time shots in big-time moments. That's what he did. He's done that pretty much all year for us. We trust him to do that and he stepped up in a big way." -McConnell on Mathurin's strong play down the stretch

"T.J. McConnell plays with an annoying persistence that everybody wishes they had on their team. He's a supercharged competitor and that's really a great compliment. Everything the guy stands for is totally about team...McConnell is a guy that players throughout the league respect because he brings it every single night and the NBA is a hard league to bring it every single night." -Carlisle

"It really starts with him. The pace that he plays with allows us to make reads. A lot of times when he's aggressive and he's getting to the paint, he's either going to finish or make the right play. That's huge for our offense, especially when we don't have a lot going for ourselves on a given possession." -Turner on McConnell igniting Indiana's offense

"I thought Terry Taylor really reestablished himself tonight. He gave us a physical presence. He generated some second-chance points when the game was mucky and ugly and we weren't able to get any rhythm." -Carlisle

The Pacers outscored Chicago 70-48 in the second half. After allowing the Bulls to shoot 55 percent in the first half, Indiana held them to 43.8 percent shooting in the second half. The Pacers, meanwhile, flipped the script, going from 32.7 percent shooting over the first two quarters to 53.2 percent over the final two.

The Pacers will take on the Magic in Orlando in the first meeting this season between Mathurin and Banchero -- the two Rookie of the Year frontrunners -- on Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 7:00 PM ET.

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Game Rewind: Pacers 116, Bulls 110

Saturday, Jan. 21 at 9:00 PM ET at Footprint Center

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Game Recap: Suns 112, Pacers 107

After opening their four-game road trip with three straight double-digit losses, the Pacers were in it until the final second on Saturday night in Phoenix.

In the end, though, the result was the same, as the Pacers (23-25) fell to the Suns (23-24), 112-107.

Bennedict Mathurin had 23 points and went 11-for-11 from the free throw line in the loss and Buddy Hield added 22 points on 5-of-12 3-point shooting and eight rebounds.

T.J. McConnell, inserted into the starting lineup for the first time all season, registered his third career triple-double with 18 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists.

But it wasn't quite enough as Indiana -- still without Tyrese Haliburton -- dropped its seventh consecutive contest against a Phoenix team missing five of its six top scorers.

The Pacers trailed by as many as nine in the fourth quarter, but whittled the deficit down to 98-94 following Mathurin's reverse layup in transition with five minutes to play. But Josh Okogie hit one of two free throws at 4:42 and then swished a three from the right wing at 3:47 to push the margin back to eight.

The Blue & Gold made another charge when Saben Lee elbowed Hield in the face with 2:49 remaining, a foul that was upgraded to a flagrant 1 upon video review. Hield made both foul shots, then Mathurin scored 10 seconds later to make it 102-98.

Bismack Biyombo missed a pair of free throws on the other end. McConnell had a look at a reverse layup to bring Indiana within two, but couldn't get it to fall. On the other end, Aaron Nesmith picked up his sixth foul contesting Lee at the rim and his former Vanderbilt teammate made both free throws with 2:01 remaining.

Mathurin pushed the ball right down the floor and converted a basket through contact with Lee. It was initially called a charge, but Pacers coach Rick Carlisle successfully challenged the call. Mathurin then hit the free throw to complete the three-point play and make it a one-possession game with 1:55 left.

Lee was whistled for traveling and Hield had a look at a 3-pointer to tie the game with 1:28 remaining, but couldn't get it to fall. On the other end, Ish Wainwright's triple pushed the Suns' lead back to six with 1:10 remaining.

The Pacers weren't done, as McConnell got the lane and converted a three-point play with 46.2 seconds remaining. But the Suns had an answer, as Wainwright connected with a cutting Jock Landale for a backdoor basket with the shot clock winding down to make it a two-possession game once again.

Hield drilled a deep three with 6.2 seconds remaining to keep the Pacers' hopes alive and McConnell fouled Lee. He hit the first but missed the second, leaving the door open for Indiana.

After a timeout, Carlisle drew up a play to get a look for Hield, but he rushed his look from the left wing and missed. Okogie hit two free throws with 0.9 seconds left and the Pacers fell for the seventh straight game.

"We fought all night," Carlisle said. "It's been a rough run here. I really liked the way we competed and hung in and all that, but getting the next win is going to be challenging. That's how it is in this league. It's never easy."

Okogie finished with a game-high 24 points and 10 rebounds and Mikal Bridges added 22 for Phoenix, which was already without All-Star guards Devin Booker (groin) and Chris Paul (hip) and also did not have starting center and former number-one pick Deandre Ayton on Saturday as the seven-footer was sidelined with a non-COVID illness.

The Suns went deep into their bench to pull out the victory. Damion Lee scored 16, Biyombo (12 points and 16 rebounds) and Landale (10 points and 10 rebounds) recorded double-doubles, and Saben Lee -- playing on a 10-day contract -- tallied 12 points and four assists off the bench.

It was a close contest from the start on Saturday. After Damion Lee hit a 3-pointer to open the scoring, the Pacers reeled off 10 straight points on four baskets by four different players. The Suns answered with an 8-2 spurt and back and forth they went, as the opening frame featured six lead changes and two ties.

McConnell did his job running the offense, playing the entire first quarter and tallying six points, four rebounds, five assists, and two steals. But it was Phoenix -- behind seven points from Bridges -- that took a 29-27 lead into the second quarter.

The Suns opened the second quarter with an 8-0 run. Back-to-back threes by Wainwright and former Pacer Duane Washington Jr. and a hook shot by Biyombo pushed the hosts' lead to 10.

The Blue & Gold answered, however. Oshae Brissett, Myles Turner, and Nesmith all knocked down threes before McConnell got in on the act, draining a triple from the top of the arc to cap a 17-5 Indiana run and take a 44-42 lead midway through the second quarter.

Bridges scored seven straight Phoenix points to put the hosts back in front. The Pacers re-took the lead on Hield's 3-pointer with 1:56 remaining in the half. Phoenix tied the game at 55, but Mathurin drew a foul and hit both free throws to put Indiana in front with 38.3 seconds left before the intermission.

But Damion Lee hit a hook shot on the other end and after Mathurin missed a layup in the closing seconds, Nesmith fouled Okogie on the rebound. Okogie hit both foul shots with three seconds on the clock to give the hosts a 59-57 lead at the break.

The third quarter was another back-and-forth affair, featuring six ties and six lead changes. Hield, Turner, and Jalen Smith all scored eight points for Indiana in the frame, and six straight by Smith gave the Blue & Gold an 83-80 lead with under two minutes remaining in the quarter.

But Saben Lee scored five quick points and Landale added a dunk as the hosts closed the quarter with a 7-0 spurt to take an 87-83 advantage into the fourth.

The hosts added to their lead to start the fourth quarter, as Okogie converted a three-point play and Damion Lee drained a three to help Phoenix extend its lead to nine with 9:34 remaining. The Pacers would ultimately be unable to complete the comeback from there.

"There's no quit," McConnell said. "I know we had a few breakdowns defensively at the end, but we played incredibly hard. We didn't quit and didn't lay down. Obviously it's tough without (injured star) Tyrese (Haliburton). You lose an All-Star caliber point guard, it's really hard and I think that's showing, but we're not going to put our head down and make excuses."

Turner finished with 16 points, 12 rebounds, and four blocks in the loss, while Smith tallied 11 points and six boards off the bench.

The Pacers will return to Indiana and have a couple days off before hosting Chicago on Tuesday. They will then travel to Orlando Wednesday before returning to Gainbridge Fieldhouse to host Milwaukee on Friday.

Mathurin topped 20 points for the 18th time this season and set a new career best by making all 11 of his free throws.

Hield, who leads the NBA in 3-pointers made this season, had gone just 6-for-19 from beyond the arc over his past four contests -- including two games in which he failed to make a single 3-pointer. He bounced back Saturday with five treys -- his 18th game this season making five or more 3-pointers.

Turner swatted four more shots on Saturday and now has 11 games this season with at least four rejections, including four of his last five and six of his last 10 contests.

Both teams struggled from the field in the second half. Phoenix went just 14-for-47 (29.8 percent), but still managed to eke out the victory because the Pacers were barely any better at 16-for-47 (34 percent).

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Postgame Media Availability: Jan. 21, 2023

"McConnell was brilliant in this game. He had a triple-double and he was just tremendous...He's one of our best competitors. We needed our best competitors out there to start the game. Pretty simple really." -Carlisle on McConnell's performance and why he inserted him into the starting lineup

"The group I was with spaces the floor, gave me a lot of chances to drive. That's a credit to the players I'm playing with. They gave me the space and I just tried to get them the ball and shoot when I was open." -McConnell on his triple-double

"I think it's great for his confidence. He's hitting threes, he's making plays for us, and he's just being himself. When T.J. plays with confidence, he's a hell of a player." -Turner on McConnell's performance

"He's an aggressive player. That's who he is. He knew we needed him tonight. There were times where he got maybe a little overzealous just trying to create a little bit too much, but his heart's always in the right place. He wants to win, he's a hell of a teammate, and he's great at what he does. He made some amazing shots and got unlucky on a couple other plays." -Carlisle on Hield getting more shot attempts

"I think we were a bit more connected tonight. There will still a few miscues here and there, but it's just one game at a time right now." -Turner on defensive improvements

"It meant a lot. Obviously Phoenix was the first team to allow me to play in the NBA, my first home in the NBA. Just being back and around all the guys, it was emotional...It was just great to see the guys I built bonds with, the coaches I built bonds with." -Smith on playing in Phoenix for the first time since the Suns traded him to Indiana last February

McConnell's triple-double was the third in his eight-year NBA career and his second in a Pacers uniform. He had a triple-double with points, assists, and steals in an Indiana win in Cleveland on March 3, 2021 and recorded his first career triple-double for Philadelphia in a victory over New York on Feb. 12, 2018.

After a four-game road trip, the Pacers will be back at Gainbridge Fieldhouse to host DeMar DeRozan and the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday, Jan. 24 at 7:00 PM ET. Find Tickets >>

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Game Rewind: Pacers 107, Suns 112

Mark Boyle

Tonight’s Pacers - Suns game in Phoenix will be my 3,000th Pacers broadcast.

When I signed my first contract with the Pacers – back when dinosaurs roamed the earth – it was a two year deal, so I knew I’d have a chance to do a minimum of 164 NBA games. But back then, I never gave any thought to how many games I would do; what really mattered to me at the time was that I had achieved a goal. I wanted to broadcast games at the major league level, and while my original goal was to become a major league baseball play-by-play broadcaster, my opportunities came in other sports and I wound up in the NBA.

As the years went by and the games added up, I started to notice numbers. I did my 1,000th Pacers game in Boston back in 2000, then reached 2,000 in 2011, and by then I was old enough to understand how lucky I was. Broadcasting is a fickle business, and I’ve known many talented guys that were fired for no reason any rational human being would understand, and others that never even got the chance to work at this level at all. To work for people like the Simons, and for management folks that not only tolerate my eccentricities, but give me the room I need to do this job the way I think it should be done, is extraordinarily rare, and I’m grateful.

Over the years, my friends and family have been so supportive. The broadcasters I’ve worked for and with offered so much advice and encouragement when I was finding my way as a professional. The players, coaches, and support staff with the Pacers have always been a treat to work with, and those that work on our broadcasts put such pride and passion into their work that’s it’s been humbling for me to work with all of them. I’m not from Indiana, but the people here have treated me as one of their own from day one, and I hope I’ve earned that over time. What I’m really trying to say here is that this has been an experience that has surpassed anything I ever imagined, and to the extent that doing 3,000 games is an achievement, it belongs to all of you as much as it does to me.

Tonight in Phoenix, we broadcast our 3,000th Pacers game together. Thank you for making it the pleasure and privilege of a lifetime.

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Mark Boyle On Calling 3,000 Pacers Games

Friday, Jan. 20 at 9:00 PM ET at Ball Arena

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Game Recap: Nuggets 134, Pacers 111

Visiting The Mile High City, the Indiana Pacers knew they were facing a tall task in taking on the No. 1 team in the Western Conference.Unfortunately for the Blue & Gold, the final result was far from an upset.Both the Pacers (23-24) and Denver Nuggets (33-13) continued streaking in opposite directions on Friday, as the Nuggets handed the Pacers a 134-111 loss at Ball Arena.Denver has now won their last nine games while Indiana has lost six in a row.The Nuggets haven’t squandered many opportunities at home this season, as they are now 22-3 on their own floor and have won 16 straight in Denver.Both teams were without key starters in the matchup, as Pacers star point guard Tyrese Haliburton missed a fifth straight game due to left elbow and knee sprains and Nuggets two-time reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic was a late scratch due left hamstring tightness.Despite missing Jokic, Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray recorded the first triple-double of his career with 17 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds. Aaron Gordon also had a big night for the Nuggets, totaling 28 points, six assists and five rebounds while Michael Porter Jr. collected 19 points and six boards.The Nuggets shot 61.4 percent&nbsp;from the field to the Pacers’ 44.6 percent.The Pacers won the rebounding margin 50-44 but were outscored in the paint 68-50 and on fastbreak points 23-14. Indiana had 21 turnovers in the game.“This is a talented team, even without Jokic,” Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said postgame. “And, you know, small breakdowns turn into big problems. We’ve got to defend better, we’ve got to take care of the ball better.”

Pacers standout rookie Bennedict Mathurin topped his squad with 19 points, Chris Duarte scored 18 points off the bench and Myles Turner finished with 15 points and seven rebounds for the visitors.Three minutes following the tip, both teams made four of their first seven shots to tie it at 10.Denver then went on a 17-2 run, behind seven points from Murray, before T.J. McConnell stopped the Pacers' bleeding with two free throws as the visitors trailed 27-14 with 3:11 left in the first quarter.Duarte then caught fire for the Pacers, scoring nine quick points, before Buddy Hield was fouled from beyond the arc and hit all his free throws to cut it to 35-28 with six seconds on the clock. After one, the Nuggets led 37-28.The Nuggets made 15 of 21 shot attempts in the first quarter while the Pacers went 8-for-22, including 1-for-10 from 3-point range.A 9-2 scoring stretch by Denver boosted their lead to 52-36 midway through the second quarter, but the Pacers responded with a 17-9 run to make it 58-53 with 1:29 left in the half. During the scoring flurry, the Pacers had a streak of nine unanswered points, with five coming from Aaron Nesmith.

At the break, the Pacers trailed 61-53.Nesmith got the Pacers’ offense rolling to start the second half, scoring the team’s first eight points, to narrow it to 68-61 four minutes into the third quarter.However, the Nuggets responded with a 12-2 run to build their lead to 81-63. After the Pacers were able to cut it to a 10-point deficit, the Nuggets scored on three straight dunks – two off Pacers turnovers – to push the score to 92-76.Going into the final frame, the Pacers trailed 99-82.Denver built its lead to as many as 30 in the fourth quarter as they squashed any hopes of a Pacers comeback and the visitors emptied the bench midway through the period.“I think we’ve got to hammer out a lot of details and get back to being us,” Turner said after the game. “Concerned is not the word for it. We have way too much basketball left to be concerned.”The Pacers will play the second leg of a back-to-back tomorrow at the Phoenix Suns (22-24).