|
 Roy Hibbert scored 29 points and non-starters A.J. Price and
Lavoy Allen made solid contributions in a 97-86 victory over the
Utah Jazz in Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
Price added 22 points and Allen had several key offensive rebounds,
finishing with a double-double that included 12 points and 15
rebounds.
"I tried to establish myself early and my teammates did a really
good job of finding me," said Hibbert, who added five rebounds.
"It's a team game, and we played that way tonight."
Price, who was signed last week because of several injuries in the
Pacers' backcourt, made 8 of 12 shots from the field goal, including
3 of 4 from 3-point range.
"They tried to defend us, but Roy was big time," Price said.
"Another thing was that we had only seven turnovers. Coach (Frank
Vogel) has been on us to keep that number down.
"Tonight our goal was to keep it at 12, and we were under that. Utah
wasn't known as a team that forces a lot of turnovers. We tried to
apply a lot of defensive pressure, especially picking up their
guards and not letting them get into their offense."
Utah starting guards Trey Burke and Alec Burks were a combined 6 of
25 from the field, including only 1 of 9 from beyond the arc.
Indiana also out rebounded the Jazz 44-37, including 22 from
non-starters, led by Allen's 15.
Indiana (2-6) had not lost six in a row since March 2011.
Pacers forward Luis Scola, who had eight points and eight rebounds,
said defense turned the game's momentum in the Pacers' favor.
"We had a lot of good energy, and that really allowed us to get
something goin," Scola said.
Utah got 30 points -- 17 in the second half -- from forward Gordon
Hayward, but the Jazz (3-5) had no answer for Hibbert, Price and
Allen. Hibbert missed his regular-season career high of 30 points by
one.
"It was an up and down game," Hayward said. "Basketball is a game of
runs, and unfortunately, they made their run last. I have to give
credit to them. They battled and hit some big shots. They made a
couple of wide open 3s off loose balls."
Utah coach Quinn Snyder said Indiana's 13-5 advantage in offensive
rebounds was a key.
"When you work hard and get a second shot, usually that second shot
is a good shot," Snyder said. "And Hibbert is a really good player
who got a lot of shots (21) and made some."
Indiana used an 8-0 run to take an 82-77 lead with eight minutes
remaining, getting consecutive 3-pointers from forward Damjan Rudez
and Price and a basket from center Ian Mahinni.
A Price 3-pointer with 6:01 remaining extended the Pacers' advantage
to 87-79.
Vogel credited Price for helping end the losing streak.
[to top of second column] |
"He obviously gave us a big-time lift tonight," Vogel said. "We have
four guys who are out for an extended period of time, and he was
great tonight. We have him for 10 days, and when that time is up, we
can sign him for 10 more days. To perform the way he performed
tonight shows his value."
The Jazz built a 60-53 third-quarter lead, but the Pacers responded
with a 19-9 run and led 72-69 with 12 minutes remaining. Hibbert had
25 points through three quarters.
After trailing throughout most of the first half, the Pacers closed
the second quarter on an 11-2 run to take a 47-41 lead after 24
minutes.
Hibbert scored six of his 17 first-half points during the final 1:38
of the second quarter, and forward Solomon Hill, who scored a
career-best 28 points in a Saturday loss to Washington, added a
steal and a dunk in the Pacers' strong finish to an otherwise
uneventful first two quarters.
Indiana, which trailed 20-17 after one quarter, made 12 of 23 shots
from the field in a 30-point second quarter. The Pacers also out
rebounded the Jazz 12-7 in the second quarter.
In addition to strong play from Hibbert, Indiana's non-starters
outscored the Utah bench 13-6 before halftime, including seven from
Price.
NOTES: After missing the final three quarters of Saturday night's
loss to Washington with a bruised left knee, Pacers C Roy Hibbert
returned to the starting lineup. ... The Pacers continue to play
without F David West (sprained right ankle), G George Hill (bruised
left knee), G C.J. Watson (bruised right foot) and G Rodney Stuckey
(sore left foot). ... F Paul George is out indefinitely with a
broken right tibia/fibula. ... Utah starting F Gordon Hayward played
college basketball at Butler in Indianapolis and attended high
school in Brownsburg, Ind., just a few miles from Indianapolis ...
On Nov. 5, Hayward made the winning shot in a 102-100 victory over
Cleveland.... Last season, Indiana swept the two-game series with
Utah, marking the first time since the 2005-2006 season the Pacers
swept the Jazz. ... Indiana and Utah will play again on Jan. 5 in
Salt Lake City.
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2014 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
