Pacers easily dispatch Suns

[January 25, 2018]  Indiana forward Thaddeus Young scored 22 points on 10-of-13 shooting to lead the Pacers to a 116-101 rout of the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night in Indianapolis.

Victor Oladipo was right behind with 21 points on 6-of-11 shooting and delivered nine assists for the Pacers. Domantas Sabonis scored 19, hitting 8 of 12 shots, and added eight rebounds. Bojan Bogdanovic added 17 for Indiana.

Josh Jackson was high for Phoenix with 20 points, hitting 7 of 11 shots. Devin Booker and Troy Daniels each scored 19 for the Suns, who have lost five of the past six games. Booker was 5 of 16 from the field as the Suns shot 41.7 percent overall.

Daniels extended the franchise record of hitting at least one 3-pointer to 28 consecutive games. Greg Monroe came off the Phoenix bench to score 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting and grabbed a game-high 17 rebounds.

The Pacers, who never trailed, shot 64.5 percent to lead 99-65 through three quarters. Indiana was on top 107-69 with 8:16 to go, but the Suns narrowed the deficit with a 36-17 edge in the fourth quarter, a surge produced primarily against the Pacers' reserves.

The Pacers shot 56.3 percent for the game.

Indiana hit 61 percent from the floor in the first half to take a 63-44 lead at halftime. The Pacers started the second half with a 10-0 run to extend to the margin to 29 points.

Phoenix made 40.5 percent from the field in the first half.

 

Pacers guard Victor Oladipo (4) reacts to a play against the Phoenix Suns during the 3rd quarter at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Indiana's Joe Young made his first career start in place of starting point guard Darren Collison, who was sidelined because of personal reasons. Pacers coach Nate McMillan said he wanted to keep Cory Joseph and Lance Stephenson together with the second unit. Young finished with six points and two assists.

Pacers center Myles Turner, who practiced Tuesday, missed his eighth consecutive game with a right elbow injury.

Indiana rookie forward T.J. Leaf was listed as questionable with a right ankle injury prior to the game. He played but was forced to leave in the second quarter after reinjuring the ankle.

Phoenix center Alex Len sat out due to a right ankle injury.

--Field Level Media

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