Game Rewind: Pacers 111, Nets 123

The Pacers had more than enough offensive firepower on Saturday night, but their defense let them down in a 123-111 loss to the Brooklyn Nets (29-39). The Nets shot 61.3 percent from the field in the victory, setting marks for the most points scored and the highest field goal percentage by a Pacers opponent this season.

Indiana (30-39) has now lost five consecutive games to fall half-game behind idle Boston for the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. With the win, Brooklyn is now just a half-game back of the Pacers and idle Charlotte.

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"I think we have run into some really hot offenses," Pacers head coach Frank Vogel said of his team's recent swoon. "We’re dinged up. But guys are playing their tails off."

Both the Pacers and Nets travelled to Indianapolis on Saturday after a tough game on Friday (the Pacers lost i Cleveland, the Nets defeated the Bucks in triple overtime in Brooklyn).

Both teams put on a show offensively in the first half, as Brooklyn raced out to a 63-56 lead. The Nets shot an astounding 64 percent from the field in the half and the Pacers were close behind at 57 percent.

The visitors led by as many as 12 points in the second quarter, but Indiana roared back in the third, starting the quarter on a 20-9 run to retake the lead. C.J. Miles hit three straight 3-pointers during that stretch to lead the offensive charge.

The lead swung back and forth over the rest of the period, which featured four ties and four lead changes. The Nets seemingly took control at the start of the fourth quarter with an 8-0 run that gave them a nine-point advantage.

But the Pacers responded immediately with an 11-3 run of their own. Luis Scola scored five points in that stretch, including a layup that made it 99-98 with 6:46 to play.

That would be as close as they would get, however, as Brooklyn reeled off another 12-3 spurt to put the game away. The Nets wound up outscoring the Indiana 35-24 in the fourth quarter, connecting on 12-of-16 shots in the period.

"They came with an energy and determination that we didn’t have and they took the game," Scola said.

George Hill led six Pacers players in double figures, finishing with 18 points and nine assists. Solomon Hill and Luis Scola each added 17 points for Indiana. A night after scoring 20 points against Cleveland, Roy Hibbert tallied 16 points and six rebounds.

Nets center Brook Lopez led all scorers with 26 points on 11-of-14 shooting. Bojan Bogdanovic added 21 points off the bench, making all eight of his shots, including three from beyond the 3-point arc.

Point guard Deron Williams added 17 points and dished out six assists. He had 15 points in the first quarter on 6-of-9 shooting, after scoring just four points in last night's triple-overtime game.

"He was the difference early because he wasn't worried about what he did yesterday," Solomon Hill said of Williams' play. "He came in like this was a new game, a new opportunity, and he took full advantage of it. We had mistakes defensively as a team and we tried to get it back, by that time we were more focused on trying to stop Deron Williams and other guys got involved."

The Pacers return to the court on Monday night, when they host James Harden and the Houston Rockets. That game will be broadcast nationally on NBA TV, with tipoff scheduled for 7:00 PM ET.

The Pacers have now lost five or more games at four different points this season, the first time that has happened since the 1988-89 season.

Indiana has now lost three straight home games to fall to 18-17 on the season at Bankers Life Fieldhouse with six home games still to play. The Pacers have finished with a winning record on their home court in each of the past 25 seasons – the longest active streak in the NBA.

Brooklyn's bench outscored the Pacers' reserves, 58-33. In addition to Bogdanovic, three other Nets reserves scored in double figures: Jarrett Jack finished with 13 points, Alan Anderson had 11, and Mason Plumlee finished with 10. THe Pacers are now 3-16 on the year when their bench is outscored by their opponents' second unit.

Indiana made 8-of-15 shots from 3-point range in the first three quarters, but didn't connect on eight attempts from long range in the fourth.

The two teams combined for 106 points in the paint on the night, with Indiana matching its season high with 56 points and Brooklyn scoring 50.

"Give them credit. They played a great game. They shot 61 percent against our defense." -Vogel

"Give credit where it is due. They came out off of a triple overtime game and they made big shots. Joe Johnson showed why he is Joe Johnson in any game. He made some big plays. Brook Lopez made some big plays. Deron Williams got them going tonight. You don’t want to be fighting uphill when you’re playing these high powered offensive teams." -Solomon Hill

"We have to do a lot of thinking. We needed this game. We complicated things a little more than they were before the game. We just have to regroup and continue to try to play well and win games." -Scola

"I look at it is, we overcame a lot from last night to win a game and we came back and we backed it up with great team play and with a team win. Everyone contributed in some way and they created this win." -Nets head coach Lionel Hollins

"We all came out and tried to be aggressive. We put last night out of our minds and came out here and helped each other out. When the other team made a run, we responded. The ball has really been popping on offense lately, really moving" -Lopez

The Nets' 61.3 shooting percentage was the highest field goal percentage the Pacers have allowed in a home game in franchise history. The previous record belonged to the Dallas Mavericks, who shot 60 percent from the field in a 118-111 win at Market Sqaure Arena on Jan. 21, 1984.

The Pacers host James Harden and the Houston Rockets at 7:00 PM on Monday. Find Tickets »