LDN - Sports

George, Young lead Pacers past 76ers

[April 11, 2017] PHILADELPHIA -- The Indiana Pacers moved to the brink of a playoff berth on Monday night, but had to secure an important victory after losing their best player.

All-Star forward Paul George scored 27 points as the Pacers beat the Philadelphia 76ers 120-111 on Monday night, but George was ejected after drawing his second technical foul with 2:59 left.

The Pacers (41-40) nonetheless closed out their fourth straight victory as Thaddeus Young contributed 20 points and Myles Turner chipped in 18 points and 13 rebounds.

Indiana, which is seventh in the Eastern Conference, did not clinch a postseason spot, however. They needed a loss by either Chicago or Miami on Monday for that to happen, but the Bulls routed Orlando 122-75, and the Heat beat Cleveland 124-121 in overtime.

The Pacers, as a result, will need a victory in Wednesday's season finale, at home against Atlanta, or a loss by either the Heat or the Bulls in their final games, for the Pacers to get in.

"It would stink to finally figure things out and put our finger on what we want to be and who we are this year and to not make it," George said. "But we're in the driver's seat right now."

George and Philadelphia's Gerald Henderson were each assessed technical fouls when Henderson appeared to pull George down on top of himself with 5:08 left. George drew his second technical when officials ruled he elbowed Henderson with 2:59 remaining.

Henderson then elbowed George in the neck on a drive to the basket and was given a flagrant foul-2, resulting in his ejection.

George said he had repeatedly complained to the referees about Henderson's physical play during the game.

"He was throwing jabs, throwing punches at my stomach all night, and I didn't retaliate until late in the game, when they weren't doing (anything) about it," George said. "So he pulled me down, I get double-teched for doing nothing. And then throw an elbow at my neck, I get another tech for nothing. ... (Lousy) officiating job."

Indiana coach Nate McMillan thought Henderson, in effect, "threw a punch" on the second confrontation. Henderson did not agree.

"I didn't intentionally try to hit him," he said. "As I came off the screen, I knew the contact was coming. I tried to bump him. I didn't try to hit him in the face. That's exactly what happened."

Nor did the veteran guard believe he deserved a technical for the earlier dust-up.

"I didn't do anything," he said. "He stood over top of me. I got up and walked to the bench. I think that was a copout (by the officials)."

In McMillan's view, Henderson's physical play was nothing new.

"That's every game with Henderson -- playing physical with Paul and our wings," he said. "That was on the scouting report -- keep your head, play through that."

George, who plans to appeal both technicals, agreed with his coach.

"For whatever reason, (Henderson) doesn't like getting scored on by me," he said. "Every time he's at home, I guess that's when he feels confident. He's sweet on the road, but at home is when he gets some (courage)."

[to top of second column]

Pacers forward Paul George (13) dribbles the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Henderson had an answer for that as well.

"I play physical," he said. "Sometimes scraps are going to happen. It's just the nature of the game."

The Sixers never led, but cut a 21-point first-quarter deficit to five in the third. They were still down only seven, 111-104, after Alex Poythress nailed 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions, the second with 3:36 left in the game.

They would get no closer.

Rookie guard Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot scored a career-high 24 points for Philadelphia, which has lost six players for the season to injury.

Richaun Holmes finished with 17 points, and Nik Stauskas and Poythress had 15 each for the Sixers. Losers of seven straight, they finish the regular season Wednesday in New York.

The Pacers roared out to a 33-12 lead in the first 10 minutes behind George's 17 points, and were up 35-20 at the end of the first quarter.

With Philadelphia trailing 52-34 midway through the second quarter, Holmes converted three-point plays on consecutive possessions, then dunked on a fast-break alley-oop from point guard T.J. MConnell. Luwawu-Cabarrot followed with a 3-pointer to cap the 11-0 flurry and cut Indiana's lead to 52-45.

The Pacers held a 64-54 halftime lead, but the Sixers continued their run early in the second half, closing the gap to 66-61 on Luwawu-Cabarrot's jumper with 9:52 left in the third quarter.

NOTES: Pacers F Paul George was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played from April 3-9. George averaged 31.7 points on 57.4-percent shooting, and the Pacers went 3-0. ... It is unclear if Philadelphia F Ben Simmons, who has missed the entire season after breaking his right foot in training camp, will play in summer league. "I think it'd be good if he did, but I wouldn't say it's a prerequisite he has to play," coach Brett Brown said. "I think, still, his health and the judgment of his health rules the day." ... Indiana C Al Jefferson aggravated his sprained left ankle in practice Sunday and missed his seventh straight game. Coach Nate McMillan said Jefferson is day to day, as is G/F Glenn Robinson III, who sat out his ninth straight game with a strained left calf. ... Pacers F Thaddeus Young and F/C Lavoy Allen both played on the last Philadelphia team to make the playoffs, in 2011-12. That team beat Chicago in the first round and lost in seven games to Boston in the Eastern Conference semifinals. "We win that (first) game (a 92-91 loss), we beat Boston, the team stays together," Young said. "Maybe I'm still a Sixer. Maybe (Allen is) still a Sixer."

Back to top