2015 Game Rewind

Wheat Hotchkiss

The Pacers put together a memorable run for the playoffs over the final two weeks of the regular season, but they ran out of gas at the end. Indiana saw its six-game winning streak snapped in Wednesday's regular season finale in Memphis, as the Pacers (38-44) fell to the Grizzlies (55-27), 95-83.

The Blue & Gold controlled their own destiny heading into Wednesday, but because they lost and Brooklyn defeated Orlando earlier in the evening, the Nets earned the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

After a dramatic double-overtime victory over the Wizards back in Indianapolis on Tuesday night, the Pacers had a quick turnaround against a Memphis team that needed a win to secure homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

"I’m proud of this group’s resiliency and their ability to overcome a ton of adversity dating all the way back to the summer," Pacers head coach Frank Vogel said after the loss. "We gave ourselves a chance to get in but I certainly am very disappointed."

The Pacers got off to a solid start on Wednesday, leading by as many as eight points after Ian Mahinmi's tip shot with 3:01 remaining in the first quarter. But the Grizzlies dominated the second quarter, reeling off a 19-4 run midway through the period to seize control of the game.

The Pacers never got within two possessions in the second half, as the Grizzlies grinded out the victory by pounding the ball into their bruise brothers in the post, Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph.

Gasol, Memphis' All-Star center, was listed as questionable coming into Wednesday's game due to a sprained ankle, but it didn't hamper him at all on Wednesday. Gasol had a career-high 33 points on 13-of-19 shooting and reeled in 13 rebounds, five of them on the offensive glass.

Randolph played the Robin to Gasol's Batman, scoring 18 points on 7-of-12 shooting and collecting nine boards.

"It seemed like every time we got a couple of plays, they would get a couple of big plays back," Pacers shooting guard C.J. Miles said. "We could never break that."

The Pacers, conversely, relied heavily on their starting backcourt. Miles led Indiana with 26 points, going 5-for-12 from 3-point range. Point guard George Hill added 20 points, five rebounds, and six assists in the loss.

Unfortunately for Indiana, no one else could get much going offensively. Sixth man Rodney Stuckey was the only other Pacers player in double figures with 11 points, but even he was just 3-for-13 from the field.

Pacers forward Paul George exited the game with 10:37 left in the fourth quarter. George was carried off the court by teammate and David West and diagnosed with a sore left calf. He did not return and finished the night with two points in 15:01.

"I just came off a screen and felt a pop," George said of the injury. "(The training staff) looked at it, and it’s nothing more than just a calf strain. It’s tough. I worked so hard in rehab to come back and to have something else pop up now, it’s tough. The good thing is that I have a long summer and a lot to look forward to."

Memphis will move on to face Portland in the first round of the playoffs. The Pacers will miss out on the postseason for the first time since the 2009-10 season.

Miles finished the year on a high point. The veteran swingman scored in double figures in all eight games in the month of April and topped 20 points in his last four contests. Miles shot 41.5 percent from 3-point range over his final eight contests.

George Hill finished the year by scoring in double figures in 19 of his final 21 games. In his seventh, NBA season, the Hometown Hero had career-best averages for points, rebounds, and assists.

Gasol's 33 points were one more than his previous career best. He scored 32 points twice earlier this season, on Oct. 29 against Minnesota and on Nov. 21 against Boston.

The Grizzlies owned the glass, outrebounding Indiana, 48-36. The Pacers finished the year just 10-23 when losing the battle of the boards.

"Their bench came in with a lot of energy and made a run in that second quarter. They left Marc Gasol in almost the entire first half. He was too much for us tonight, Marc Gasol was." -Vogel on the difference in the game

"Tough to say. I think our guys played with a lot of energy most of the night. Marc Gasol and this basketball team was too much for us. That’s tough to decide. Tough to tell." -Vogel on if his team ran out of gas

"This was a game that we knew was going to be tough coming into it, regardless of who was in jerseys for these guys tonight. They play so well here. This was a must win, and we came up short." -George

"We definitely showed that we are about winning basketball games. There is no giving up on this team. No matter how bad it got or how bad we thought it was going to be or whatever people thought that we were going to do, we stayed the course. We kept pushing. We put ourselves in a position that really no one thought that we were supposed to be in the first place. We believed in it. We got to it. We just fell a little short." -Miles on the Pacers' season

"I just took the shots that they gave me and I was in rhythm. They kept finding me and I was open and I made shots. At the end of the day, I felt we won the game on the other end. I felt defensively we did a really good job and we communicated from one side to the other side. We helped each other and talked and rebounded." -Gasol

Gasol and Randolph combined to average 46.5 points and 20.5 rebounds in the Grizzlies' two wins over the Pacers this season. They had 42 points and 19 boards in their win in Indianapolis on Oct. 31 and then totaled 51 points and 22 boards on Wednesday.

game-rewind-pacers-83-grizzlies-95

Game Rewind: Pacers 83, Grizzlies 95

indgrapp08

Before Tuesday night's game against the Wizards, in a tunnel beneath Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Pacers coach Frank Vogel told reporters he expected the game against Washington to have a playoff feel to it. He said that his players seemed to be dialed in during both practice and morning film session.

And after overcoming a slow start on the offensive side of things, the Pacers began to embody the focus and determination Vogel had spoke of earlier, as Indiana roared past the Wizards using a 5-0 run in the second overtime of a double-OT, instant-classic at The Fieldhouse to grab a 99-95 victory and remain in control of their playoff destiny.

"I couldn’t be more proud of our guys, just all out heart, will and perseverance," said Vogel after the game. "We had so many opportunities to give in. Our defense carried us. It was exceptional."

For much of the game, the Pacers struggled to find their footing on the offensive end against the playoff-bound Wizards. So it came as little surprise that in the first overtime period, it took Indiana four minutes to get on the board. But luckily for the Blue & Gold, the Wizards were also restricted on offense, scoring only four points as well.

Vogel's risk to put the recently returned Paul George back into late-game situations paid quick dividends when PG nailed a floating jumper to tie the game at 85 with 22.4 seconds left in the first overtime. The Wizards thought they had what would be the game's final possession, but as Bradley Beal drove to the basket David West slapped the ball from his grasp as it tumbled off Beal's legs and out of bounds, giving the Pacers the ball with 2.3 heart-pounding seconds left.

George inbounded the ball to West, who quickly shoveled it back to him as he launched the potential game-winner. The shot, however, was a hair off as it bounced off the rim with the backboard lit red, signifying the end of the first overtime period with the game tied at 85 apiece.

"I thought our defense really came through in that second overtime," West explained. "You know, we just made enough plays to win."

Although the Wizards were able to nudge the deficit back to just two points after the Pacers' 5-0 run in the second overtime, a 3-pointer from George Hill — who had a 24 points, nine rebounds, and 10 assists — put Indiana up five with 27 seconds left. From there, the Pacers were able to finally shut the door on the Wizards' inspired comeback attempts.

Back in the fourth quarter, however, the Pacers started off trailing Washington by three, but that changed quickly when George shook off his defender and found himself open on the right wing. PG drilled the open 3-pointer to tie the game up 59.

But from there, the Wizards cracked off an 11-2 run that had the Pacers down nine with a little more than six minutes remaining in the game.

Sprinting down the baseline past his defender with three minutes remaining in regulation, C.J. Miles received a pass and quickly threw up a layup that fell right down the middle of the hoop. When the ref whistled a foul to signal the and-1, the crowd screamed loudly in approval. When the Hometown Hero George Hill came down and laid one in to put Indiana up 76-75 on the following possession, the crowd became deafening.

However, despite the thunderous cheers of "De-Fense" from the crowd, the Wizards were able to score on consecutive possessions and tie the game up at 79. Until of course, Rodney Stuckey, who had 10 second-half points, hit a short jumper to take the lead.

The Wizards responded with a basket in the paint on the other end to once again knot things up 81. Washington ended up with regulation's final possession as John Wall — who had 16 points and 11 assists — attempted a floater that caromed off the rim. Wizards forward Marcin Gortat appeared to tip in the game-winner, but the refs quickly ruled it was after time expired, sending the contest into overtime.

"Every time we play them, it’s a tough game," Wall said. "The games are always back and forth and real close and it seems like they always come down to the end."

The game had a streaky nature to it from the beginning, with the Wizards jumping out to an 8-0 advantage. The Pacers didn't score a point until four minutes into the game, but once George Hill hit Indiana's first basket, the Pacers rattled off a 9-0 run of their own. But given the type of game it was, the Wizards responded with a 6-0 run.

By the time the first quarter ended neither team was shooting higher than 35 percent from the field, which led to the teams being tied up at the low score of 16.

At the half, the Pacers were trailing by eight and tied their season low with just 33 points. But the team that emerged from the tunnel after the break was an energized group on the offensive side of the ball, outscoring the Wizards 23-18 in the third quarter.

The game was critical from a playoff standpoint since Indiana could guarantee itself a spot in the playoffs by winning its final game tomorrow night at Memphis.

For one of the season's most thrilling games, it was fitting that it was Fan Appreciation Night, as the Pacers stuck around after the final whistle and signed autographs for all the fans who came down to the court. Not a bad way to cap off season's final regular-season home game.

RELATED: Playoff Picture (Latest Standings and More) »

C.J. Miles, who finished the night with a team-high 25 points, has now scored 20 or more points in three straight games.

Indiana's last double-overtime game was a November 3, 2012 game against the Sacramento Kings.

Roy Hibbert has now snared 10 or more rebounds in four straight games, his longest streak since March 23-28 of 2013.

"We executed, moved the ball some more, got guys good looks and we made them. We missed some shots in the first one. We turned the ball over a couple times and that gave them a chance to get back in it. George Hill made a big shot, (Rodney) Stuckey  made some big shots, D West...Everybody got a chance to make big shots and we’ve been talking about that all year, guys stepping up and continuing to give us a chance to be able to do what we want to do. We’re going to continue to fight and give ourselves a chance. As long as we continue to do that, that’s all you can ask for." -C.J. Miles

"We were locked into the game. We wanted to win. This was a great test for us. This was a great atmosphere against a good team. It’s unfortunate that we lost but there’s a lot that we can gain from this game." -Wizards guard Bradley Beal

"That was huge for us, just to keep us alive. Roy (Hibbert) made a few of those (extra effort) plays. That’s the kind of motor we needed for this win. We were able to do it." -David West on the hustle plays at the end of the game

The Pacers are now 14-4 when George Hill leads the team in assists. Hill continues to have one of the finest seasons of his career. He's notched 20 or more points on 14 occasions, and dished out 10 or more assists three times, both career highs. He also set his career high in tonight's game when he logged 48 minutes

game-rewind-pacers-99-wizards-95

Game Rewind: Pacers 99, Wizards 95

The Pacers' playoff hopes are alive and well after Indiana (37-43) withstood an offensive onslaught from Russell Westbrook and knocked off the Oklahoma City Thunder (43-37) on Sunday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, 116-104. Indiana has now won five straight games and has moved into a tie with Brooklyn for eighth place in the Eastern Conference, though the Nets own the the head-to-head tiebreaker for the final playoff spot in the conference.

"These guys have really stayed in the fight, had a great attitude and a great perspective to grind through the tough spots," Pacers head coach Frank Vogel said after the win. "You get in the playoffs, you’ve got a chance to go somewhere.  We’re about winning here.  We want to win every game."

Indiana won despite Westbrook, who is battling with former teammate James Harden for the NBA scoring title, going off for a career-high 54 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists. Oklahoma City remains tied with New Orleans, who lost to Houston on Sunday, for eighth place in the West, though the Pelicans own the tiebreaker over the Thunder.

Westbrook had it going early on Sunday, scoring 22 points in the first quarter on 9-of-14 shooting. But the Pacers weren't too shabby themselves, shooting 54.8 percent from the field in the first half to take a five-point lead into the locker room.

Indiana led for the entire second half until midway through the fourth quarter, when Westbrook, the Thunder's All-Star point guard, reeled off seven straight points, tying the score at 88 on a breakaway dunk with 7:54 to play.

That tie was shortlived, however, as Rodney Stuckey connected on a 3-pointer from the left corner just 17 seconds later to put the Pacers back in front. Indiana wound up scoring 12 unanswered points, aided by Westbrook's 16th technical foul of the season — a foul that will result in him being suspended for tomorrow's game against Portland — and a three-point play by George Hill.

But Westbrook had a little more left in the tank. He scored nine straight points for the Thunder to cut their deficit to 102-99 with 3:12 to play.

George Hill gave the home team a little breathing room a few possessions later, throwing a slick behind-the-back pass to Roy Hibbert for an uncontested slam with 1:48 to play. Hill then knocked down a pair of free throws on Indiana's next offensive possession, but Westbrook answered with another 3-pointer to make it a one possession game.

Hill then bounced in a floater with 1:04 remaining and C.J. Miles buried his sixth 3-pointer of the night 16 seconds later to seal the victory.

"Every play is a big play," Miles said of the atmosphere on Sunday. "Everybody is stepping up and making big plays on both sides. When everything is big, you have to lock in and just find ways to win games."

Miles led Indiana with 30 points and 10 rebounds. "3-J" was 6-for-8 from 3-point range on the evening. Hill added 19 points and seven assists, while Hibbert recorded his 18th double-double of the season, finishing with 17 points and 10 boards.

In his fourth game of the season, Paul George played 14:09 off the bench, tallying eight points and three rebounds on 3-of-9 shooting. George did, however, throw down his first two dunks of the season and banked in a 3-pointer at the buzzer at the end of the third quarter.

Westbrook finished 21-for-43 from the field and 5-for-15 from 3-point range. Dion Waiters added 16 points while Enes Kanter chipped in 13 for Oklahoma City.

"Westbrook is one of the unbelievable talents in this league," Pacers forward David West said after the win. "So we knew it was going to be a tall task. He got going early but I don’t think we ever backed down. We know he’s a great player and is going to get his, I thought we just did a good job of limiting the rest of those guys."

The Pacers return to the floor on Tuesday night, when they'll host the Washington Wizards in the final home game of the regular season at 8:00 PM ET.

Miles' double-double was his first of the season. He matched a career high with 10 rebounds, a feat he previously accomplished at San Antonio while a member of the Utah Jazz on Nov. 21, 2008. Miles' 30 points tied his season high, set back on Dec. 10 against the Clippers.

Led by Miles, the Pacers went 10-for-20 from 3-point range on the night and have now hit 10 or more 3-pointers in six of their last nine games.

Westbrook's 54 points were the third-most by an NBA player this season. Cleveland point guard Kyrie Irving has scored 57 and 55 earlier this year. Westbrook also tied injured teammate Kevin Durant's franchise record for most points in a game.

Sunday's game was the fifth time this season Indiana allowed an individual player to score 40 or more points. The Pacers were 0-4 in those previous four contests, but they found a way to grind out the win on Sunday.

"That’s not fun knowing that no matter how good we’re playing, we’re still depending on someone else. The biggest thing is give ourselves a chance. If we don’t give ourselves a chance, it would definitely not be fun. I’m just enjoying the moment with these guys, playing hard, and trying to give ourselves a chance." -Miles

"He was the guy making all the plays on the offensive end and battling Westbrook on the defensive end. He was making play after play after play." -Vogel on George Hill

"It all comes down to who's going to make the most plays down the stretch. We got some great stops, made some great plays, and the rest was history." -George Hill

"We made some good runs at them and were able to cut it down but we were never able to get over the hump. They made some tough shots." -Westbrook

"You can look at the shots. He probably took a handful too many. A lot of them were attacks and layups. Twice at the end we made two comebacks with his aggressive play. Russell leaves everything on the floor. He’s not a perfect player nor is any player in this league. But he plays with perfect energy every night, so that’s what we look at." -Thunder head coach Scott Brooks on Westbrook taking 43 shots

The Pacers weren't great from the foul line, shooting 62.9 percent on the night, but the Thunder were abysmal at the charity stripe. OKC made just 11-of-28 free throws — 39.3 percent. That's the worst team free throw percentage by a Pacers' opponent this season and the worst single-game percentage by the Thunder in franchise history.

Steven Adams (0-for-6) and Dion Waiters (0-for-4) were the primary culprits, although even Westbrook missed four of his 11 foul shots.

The Pacers host John Wall and the Washington Wizards on Tuesday for Fan Appreciation Night. Tipoff is scheduled for 8:00 PM ET. Find Tickets »

game-rewind-pacers-116-thunder-104

Game Rewind: Pacers 116, Thunder 104

Just a few minutes into the third quarter, with the Pacers trailing by one to the Detroit Pistons, George Hill threw a dart pass into the paint to Roy Hibbert, who quickly shoveled it off to David West on the baseline. Without hesitation, West fired a line drive to C.J. Miles, who was waiting beyond the arc with his hands outstretched. Miles lifted up and drilled the 3-pointer to complete the idyllic passing sequence from the Pacers.

On the next offensive possession, Miles did it again; this time from the corner. The shot, which was once again assisted by West, put the Pacers up by five at that point, as they went on to gut out the 107-103 road victory and keep their playoff hopes alive into the final week of the season.

Talking to the media last week, team president Larry Bird presented a rather simple equation for beating opponents, “Every time we move the ball to the open man, we win games," he said.

That ball movement was on full display on Friday night at the Palace at Auburn Hills, where the Blue & Gold dished out 29 assists as a team, led by Hill and West, who each had nine.

But as succinct as Bird made it out to be, beating the plucky Pistons proved to be a daunting task, as the Pacers trailed for a large chunk of the fourth quarter. But thanks to the contributions of Rodney Stuckey and Miles, who had 24 points apiece, Indiana was able to escape Michigan with a win in hand.

The victory, which was their fourth straight, keeps the Pacers in the thick of things in the Eastern Conference Playoff race. Although both Boston and Brooklyn are ahead in the standings — and both hold the tie-breaker over the Pacers — the players on Indiana were rightfully treating Friday night's game as a must-win situation.

"We're in survival mode," said West after the game, "We're just fighting for our lives. We know we need help from somebody else but we're just taking care of our business."

The fourth-quarter comeback came to fruition for the Pacers when Luis Scola was fouled with just over four minutes remaining in the game. Scola calmly sank both to tie the game at 93.

Other than a tie at 95, Indiana led the rest of the way, picking up key scores from Stuckey, who made all three of the Pacers' final field goals against his former squad. George Hill, who finished the evening with 13 points, made the Pacers' last six points, draining all of his free throw attempts at the end to ice the game.

"You all know what he can do," Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy said of Stuckey. "I mean Rodney can score the ball, and when he gets it going he’s very good. He was fabulous tonight.”

While neither the Cavaliers or Wizards did the Pacers a solid by defeating their playoff relevant foes, Boston and Brooklyn, respectively; it made the win all the more vital for Indiana, whose odds of making the postseason would have plummeted dramatically with a loss.

"We know those teams are playing really well. We're going to need some help along the way," said Pacers coach Frank Vogel. "We'll just control what we can and stay in the fight. It's what we did late in the game tonight."

The Pacers four-game winning streak is their second longest of the season.

David West's nine assists were the most he's had all season, surpassing his previous high of seven, which he had accomplished three times.

The Pacers' bench, which already leads the NBA in scoring at 41.2 points per game (prior to tonight's game) once against stepped up, pouring in 48 points, including 10 from Paul George.

"It's pretty much the story of our season. Finding ways to win games. Finding ways to stay together. We knew it was going to be a tough game coming in here." -Pacers swingman C.J. Miles

"He's just aggressive. We encourage him to shoot the three ball. He made some big threes, but really he was aggressive down the stretch. Attacking Reggie Jackson - getting him in foul trouble. He just played a solid game all the way around." -Pacers head coach Frank Vogel on Rodney Stuckey

“That’s the game. You can’t go 12-for-23 in the game and miss six free throws in the fourth quarter. We had some bad fouls and we missed our free throws. We also missed some standing-by-yourself wide open shots so it’s frustrating. I thought we did a lot of good things. I thought we played pretty hard and did some really good things offensively, but our inability to make wide open shots and free throws ends up getting us beat.” -Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy

The Pacers' 29 team assists were their most since a March 10 game when they dished out 37 against the Magic.  Prior to that, you have to go back until late December to find a game in which the Blue & Gold compiled 29 or more team assists.

The Pacers return home to Bankers Life Fieldhouse for a Sunday matchup against Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder at 6 PM. Select seats still available » Get Tickets Now

game-rewind-pacers-107-pistons-103

Game Rewind: Pacers 107, Pistons 103

admin

The Indiana Pacers led by as many as 28 points on Wednesday night and never trailed as they defeated the New York Knicks 102-86 at Madison Square Garden. The Pacers (35-43) came in hot off of a pair of wins and were looking to avoid a let-down against a Knicks (15-63) team with the worst record in the NBA this season.

Paul George played his allotted 15 minutes and stayed active while working out the kinks. PG scored in double figures again with 10 points to go along with three rebounds and a pair of steals. Paul didn’t shy away from contact either, taking bumps, hitting the ground and bouncing back multiple times.

"I think the more contact I get into it, the more I trust it," George said. "I haven't had really any lower leg contact – getting banged up below. That was really the first time I've been hit in the leg was tonight. Again, the more and more I get hit there, the better I feel there."

The Pacers held a 54-38 lead at the half and scored the first eight points in the third quarter to extend their advantage to 24. The woeful Knicks were not able to mount any sort of comeback and the Pacers rolled to a third straight decisive victory.

Indiana controlled nearly every facet of the game, displaying poise for the full 48 minutes. The Pacers controlled the tempo of the game, dominating the boards 54-34. Indiana also shot the ball effectively at 49 percent while holding the Knicks to 35 percent from the field.

Six Pacers players scored in double figures on the night. George Hill got himself out of his brief scoring slump (he had failed to score in double figures in the past two contests), adding another 20-point game to his resumé to go along with six rebounds and five assists. Roy Hibbert recorded the only double-double of the game with 11 points and 11 rebounds in only 16 minutes of play.

"I was just trying to be aggressive," Hibbert said. "We've been playing three centers, so not as many minutes for myself. I have to make the best and most of the minutes I have."

Langston Galloway led the way for New York with 19 points, many of which came after the game had essentially been decided. Andrea Bargnani scored 15 points and collected nine boards for the Knicks.

Wednesday night’s victory completed the Pacers’ four-game season sweep of the New York Knicks.

Indiana currently sits in the ninth spot in the Eastern Conference, one game behind the Boston Celtics and the Brooklyn Nets.

Luis Scola came into the game needing only a single point to reach 8,000 on his career. Scola scored 11 points on the night.

Oddly, the Pacers have a losing record when attempting more field goals than their opponent and now have a winning record (20-19) when attempting fewer shots than the opposition.

With six dimes, Donald Sloan has now led the Pacers in assists 25 times this season. That is the most of any player on the team.

"We need them all at this time of year. We've been behind the eight ball. It's an uphill battle. We'll need some losses from some other teams – we can't control that. We have to just control what we can control and take care of our business and get another win." – Pacers head coach Frank Vogel

"This was an important game for them. Every game is like a playoff game for Indiana. They played that way. They were physical right from the start and kind of overmatched us." – Knicks coach Derek Fisher

"It feels good. We're playing good. With me coming back, it definitely has sparked a little bit and strengthened the team. It gave us more depth and more experience." – Paul George

"We should embrace playing teams in the playoff hunt. They are going to give us their best effort and we have to give our best effort. Tonight wasn't our best effort. We could have played a lot tougher. Indiana has been a tough team and I don’t think we met that physicality." – Knicks forward Lance Thomas
 

With Wednesday's win over the Knicks, the Pacers will end the season with a perfect 6-0 record while wearing their renowned Flo-Jo throwback uniforms.
 

On Friday, the Pacers will take on the Pistons (30-48), who are officially out of the playoff hunt, in the Motor City. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. ET.

game-rewind-pacers-102-knicks-86

Game Rewind: Pacers 102, Knicks 86

Sunday's game unfolded as if it was written by one of the finest Hollywood screenwriters. And if that were the case, it would have to be rated PG-13.

Paul George scored 13 points in his season debut as the Pacers (34-43) rolled to a 112-89 win over the Miami Heat (34-43) at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. With the win, Indiana has moved into a tie with the Heat for ninth place in the Eastern Conference, just a game back of idle Boston for the eighth and final playoff spot.

RELATED: Running Blog of PG's Season Debut »

George's return drew national attention. The All-Star forward originally fractured his right tibia and fibula in the USA Basketball Showcase on Aug. 1 and returned to practice on Feb. 26, but the Pacers waited until they felt he was completely ready before allowing him to return to game action.

George first checked into the game with 5:34 remaining in the first quarter to a thunderous ovation from the capacity crowd.

"(The reception) was probably the greatest moment that I've had," George said. "It was so hard to not get caught up in the moment."

The noise grew by a few more decibel levels when he knocked down his first shot, a 14-foot jumper with 3:45 to play in the period.

George played 7:02 in the first half, registering 5 points, two rebounds, and one assist. He was even better in the second, draining two more 3-pointers in 7:32.

All told, George finished with 13 points on 5-of-12 shooting (3-of-6 from 3-point range) to go along with two rebounds, two assists, and two steals.

"I knew I was going to be able to make some shots," George said. "I was just playing with confidence. I was just happy to get some open looks and (for) the ball to drop."

PHOTO GALLERY: PG Returns to the Court »

While George's return drew the most attention, his teammates got off to a fast start. Indiana scored the game's first nine points and led for the vast majority of the half. The Heat surged in front with a 14-6 run late in the second quarter, but the Pacers scored the last five points of the half to regain control.

Indiana pulled away in the second half, closing the third quarter with a 20-8 run that gave them an 11-point lead and extending the margin in the fourth.

Luis Scola led the charge for the Blue & Gold, scoring 17 of his season-high 23 points in the fourth quarter. The Argentinian also collected 12 rebounds to record his ninth double-double of the season.

"Just one of those days that things were going my way," Scola said. "I got a couple easy shots and got some confidence."

Solomon Hill had 19 points for Indiana, while C.J. Miles added 17. The Pacers' starting wings combined to go 8-for-14 from 3-point range. The Pacers dominated the game from the 3-point line, making 14-of-30 attempts from beyond the arc. Miami, conversely, was just 2-for-20 from long range.

"It was big to be able to knock down those shots and spread their defense out," Miles said. "They were undersize tonight, they've got some injuries, so we knew they were going to have to help (inside).

"They went zone...my eyes kind of light up when I see zone, because that means somebody's not attached to me all the time."

Heat guard Dwyane Wade led all scorers with 27 points on 11-of-21 shooting. Goran Dragic and James Ennis each finished with 15 points for Miami.

The Pacers now hit the road for a pair of games against the Knicks (on Wednesday) and the Pistons (on Friday) before returning to The Fieldhouse to host the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 12. With five games remaining in the regular season, every game will go a long way in determining whether the team can get into the postseason.

The Pacers have now made 10 or more 3-point field goals in four of their last seven contests. Indiana is 7-4 on the year when making at least 10 3-pointers.

Scola's 17 points in the fourth quarter were the most by a Pacers player in any single period this season.

David West finished with 12 points and six rebounds, going 10-for-12 from the free throw line, setting season highs for both free throws made and attempted.

The Blue & Gold outrebounded Miami, 55-37 overall and 20-7 on the offensive glass. Scola had seven offensive boards, while Roy Hibbert collected six. In four games against Miami this season, the Pacers have outrebounded the Heat by an average of 11.8 rebounds per game.

"There is no bad time to get a Paul George back. With what we’re up against certainly, we have an uphill battle of trying to catch the teams ahead of us, it’s good to have him back." -Pacers head coach Frank Vogel

"Success, personally, was being able to move and play confidently and not overcompensating with my left leg. I felt confident planting and cutting and jumping, doing everything normally on my right leg." -George

"It meant everything. I have the utmost respect for Coach K. I’m really happy for his success right now. It’s almost like I’ve played for him my whole life. That’s the relationship I have with him, one of the best human beings in this world. It was great to see him before this game tonight." -George on his pregame visit with Duke and Team USA head coach Mike Krzyzewski, in town for the Final Four

"It was a different energy and we needed it. It was perfect timing because it was Miami, a team that we've played in the playoffs many years, it was at home, it was Paul coming back, it was a virtual playoff game we needed to win big time." -Scola

"I’m happy that he’s been able to recover. The basketball world was saddened when he got hurt, he is one of the good guys in this league. It’s good to see him back on the court. He’s still working on his game, but he looked good." -Wade on seeing George return to the court

"You know we are like a brotherhood in the NBA, even though we compete against each other. I’m happy for him, for his family, and for the Pacers. When you go back and see how he got hurt, you couldn’t even watch it. It was that bad. So I’m happy to see him be able to put it behind him. I’m not happy that he came back against us. But still happy to have him back." -Heat forward Luol Deng on George's debut

With Sunday's win, the Pacers improved to 21-18 at The Fieldhouse and secured a winning record at home for the 26th straight season — the longest active streak in the NBA.

The Pacers travel to New York on Wednesday for their fourth and final meeting this season with the Knicks.

game-rewind-pacers-112-heat-89

Game Rewind: Pacers 112, Heat 89

It's moving time. In 11th place in the Eastern Conference heading into Friday night, the Pacers knew they needed to reel off wins in most — if not all — of their final seven games to make the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season.

Indiana (33-43) more than took care of business on Friday, cruising past the undermanned Charlotte Hornets (32-43) at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, 93-74. With the win, the Pacers moved past the Hornets and back into 10th place in the East.

Already without starting forwards Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Cody Zeller, the Hornets lost the third member of their frontcourt early into Friday's contest. Center Al Jefferson, the team's second-leading scorer, scored just four points in 11:40 in the first half, and didn't return in the second due to soreness in his knee.

The Pacers took full advantage, dominating the game defensively over the final three quarters en route to a convincing victory.

Indiana didn't get off to the best start, falling behind by as many as nine points in the opening quarter. But Rodney Stuckey and the second unit got Indiana off on the right foot in the second quarter and the Blue & Gold outscored Charlotte in the period, 27-13.

"The energy of the bench, they just outplayed Charlotte’s bench," Pacers head coach Frank Vogel said after the win.

The Pacers then held Charlotte to just nine points in the third quarter as the Hornets made just 2-of-21 shots and missed their final 15 attempts in the period. Indiana was on cruise control in the fourth quarter, leading by more than 20 points until the final minute of the game.

The Hornets' 74 points tied for the fewest by a Pacers opponent all season. Charlotte shot just 35 percent from the field and made only 4-of-18 attempts from 3-point range.

"We just kept staying with it," Pacers forward Solomon Hill said. "…Defense is always a point of emphasis here.  We really don’t talk about offense much but defense is our calling card."

Stuckey, playing despite a sore shooting wrist, scored 15 points on 6-of-12 shooting. Starting shooting guard C.J. Miles, himself hampered by a sprained right ankle, contributed 12 points and six rebounds. Backup point guard C.J. Watson added 13 points off the bench.

Gerald Henderson led Charlotte with 12 points and seven rebounds, while Marvin Williams added 10 points, eight boards, and four assists. Jefferson's absence loomed large, as the Hornets had no real post presence after halftime.

"We have played without Al before, we’ve got other guys that have stepped up and played well when he’s been out," Henderson said. "We didn’t adjust to it too well tonight, though."

The Pacers return to the court on Sunday, when they'll host the Miami Heat in another pivotal game. Tip off is scheduled for 6:00 PM ET.

"When you put one game to bed, you move on to the next one," Vogel said. "Every game matters."

Frank Vogel picked up his 200th career victory on Friday. Vogel passed Larry Brown earlier this season for most coaching wins in NBA franchise history.

Point guard George Hill, who had scored in double figures in 14 straight games, finished with just four points on 2-of-11 shooting. Still, Hill found a way to contribute, grabbing six rebounds and dishing out 10 assists. It was the Hometown Hero's second game this season and sixth in his career with 10 or more assists.

Charlotte's nine points in the third quarter were the fewest the Pacers have allowed in any quarter all season.

The Blue & Gold outrebounded Charlotte, 55-42. It was the most rebounds the Pacers collected in a regulation game this season. Luis Scola led the way with 11 boards.

Former Pacers guard Lance Stephenson had fallen out of the rotation in recent days in Charlotte, but he checked into the game late in the third quarter with his team trailing by 23. Stephenson played 14:18, finishing with 10 points on 4-for-7 shooting.

"We just worked at it. Maybe it was a better matchup against these guys and we were hungry for a win. We had a confidence playing at home, understanding the ramifications and the mindset of staying in the fight." -Vogel on his team's defensive effort

"We’re trying to get back to keeping opponents under 40 percent. That was kind of our philosophy in that last month or two. That is something we definitely have to get back to if we want to be successful. That was one of the points of emphasis, just staying together on defense, communicating, just using our speed and length, just trying to be solid on defense. After that, (it was) just move the ball on offense and everything would fall in place." -Pacers forward Damjan Rudež

"We wanted to come out with a sense of urgency and get a good start in the first quarter, get ourselves a rhythm offensively and defensively and try to give ourselves a chance to really be able to make a big push." -C.J. Miles

"Offensive rebounds, they crushed us in the second quarter. I think they scored seven second chance points in five possessions and that’s when they pulled ahead." -Hornets head coach Steve Clifford

"They’re like family, like brothers. They just told me to hold my head, keep working hard, keep focused, they’ve always been there to encourage me." -Stephenson on what his former Pacers teammates told him after the game

The Pacers outscored the Hornets 48-22 over the second and third quarters on Friday night.

The Miami Heat visit Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday at 6:00 PM. Find Tickets »

game-rewind-pacers-93-hornets-74

Game Rewind: Pacers 93, Hornets 74

The Pacers headed into Boston on Wednesday knowing that it wasn't a must-win game in a literal sense, but also fully aware that a loss could be very damaging to their playoff hopes. Still, the Celtics (34-41) jumped in front early and never trailed in the final three quarters, handing Indiana (32-43) a 100-87 loss.

The Pacers have now dropped nine of their last 11 contests, falling into 11th place in the Eastern Conference. The Blue & Gold now trail Charlotte by a half-game, are two games back of Boston, and three games back of both Brooklyn and Miami in the loss column. After losses on Tuesday night in Brooklyn and Wednesday at TD Garden, the Nets and Celtics both now own the head-to-head tiebreaker over the Pacers.

Tyler Zeller and Kelly Olynyk each scored 19 points for the Celtics on Wednesday, while Evan Turner recorded a triple-double against his former team. Turner, Indiana's big trade-deadline acquisition last season, finished with 13 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists for Boston, his third triple-double this season.

The Pacers got off to a slow start offensively. Indiana scored just 16 points in the first quarter as Boston seized control of the game early. The home team stretched its lead to as many as 11 points before Indiana rallied, cutting the deficit to just four on C.J. Miles' 3-pointer with 2:23 remaining in the second quarter.

From there, however, the Celtics reeled off a 9-0 run to stretch their lead back to double digits heading into the break.

The Pacers managed to climb within six points on three occasions in the second half, the last occurring when a pair of free throws from Rodney Stuckey made it a 77-71 game with 8:23 to play. But Boston responded with another 10-3 spurt and never let the visitors back within single digits the rest of the way.

"We scrapped and clawed and tried our best to make it a game," Pacers head coach Frank Vogel said after the loss. "But they made more shots, they made more plays, they were quicker to the ball...Their style of play won out."

George Hill led Indiana with 21 points, six rebounds, and six assists in the loss. Hill was very efficient, making 9-of-11 shots overall and 3-of-4 from beyond the 3-point arc.