LDN - Sports

Korver helps Cavs end Pacers' seven-game win streak

[February 09, 2017] INDIANAPOLIS -- Kyle Korver is giving Cleveland the type of lift it expected when the Cavaliers acquired the veteran guard from Atlanta last month.

Korver came off the bench to score a season-high 29 points, sharing scoring honors with Kyrie Irving in a 132-117 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

LeBron James added 25 points for the Cavaliers (36-15), who won their fourth game in a row The loss snapped a seven-game winning streak by the Pacers (29-23).

Korver scored 20 points in the second half as the Cavaliers rallied from a six-point deficit.

"I got a lot of great looks," said Korver, who hit 10 of 12 shots to score in double figures for the fourth game in a row. "Nothing gets a shooter open like more shooting like with LeBron and Kyrie. You got to pick your poison. I got in a rhythm and knocked down some shots down."

Korver hit 8 of 9 3-pointers to move past Jason Kidd for seventh all-time in 3-pointers made in NBA history.

"It just means I've been doing this a long time," said Korver, who needed five 3-pointers to pass Kidd prior to the game and now has 1,992 for his 14-year career. "When I came into the NBA I didn't have goals like this. I just try to be consistent and work on my craft and try to get going."

James said Korver gets a lot of his looks off the game plan.

"Korver was in a league of his own," James said. "When he's open you got to get to him."

Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue said when Korver arrived in Cleveland, the coaches told him take whatever shot he has.

"With LeBron and Kyrie getting into the paint and causing so much confusion, he's going to be open," Lue said. "You either give LeBron and Kyrie a layup or you give Kyle a 3. And (Wednesday) they decided to give him a 3, which was not very good for them."

Kevin Love chipped in with 14 points and 10 rebounds for Cleveland.

Trailing 63-57 at halftime, the Cavaliers blew open the game by outscoring the Pacers 40-18 In the third quarter to take a 97-81 lead. Cleveland drilled 13 of 20 shots (65 percent) and all 10 free throws in the third quarter. In contrast, the Pacers were 8 of 23 from the field in the quarter.

"At the start of the third quarter, you can't come out not focused and ready to go as we did," Pacers coach Nate McMillan said. "You've got to be calm in games like this. We got rattled. I think we separated and momentum went to the other side of the floor."

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Cavaliers forward Kyle Korver (26) drives to the basket against Indiana Pacers forward Glenn Robinson III (40) at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Cleveland defeated Indiana 132-117. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

The Pacers closed the deficit to 114-107 on a layup by Jeff Teague with 4:32 to go. But the Pacers could get no closer. Korver hit two 3-pointers as the Cavaliers rebuilt the lead to 124-108 with 2:22 to go.

C.J. Miles led the Pacers with 23 points, hitting 6 of 9 3-pointers. Paul George and Teague each had 22 points.

Miles scored 15 points in first half as the Pacers were hot early.

The Pacers sank 14 of 23 shots, including 5 of 8 from 3-point range, to take a 36-25 lead after the first quarter. Indiana's biggest lead in the first quarter was 33-18. For the half, the Pacers made 22 of 40 shots while Cleveland hit 20 of 42. Indiana held a 25-14 rebounding edge at halftime. The Cavs turned that around taking a 39-38 rebounding edge for the game.

NOTES: Cavaliers F Kevin Love is the only Eastern Conference player averaging at least 20 points and 10 rebounds. ... Indiana F Thaddeus Young missed his third consecutive game with a sprained left wrist. Lavoy Allen, who started in Young's absence, scored 18 points in his first start against Detroit, the most he scored in his four years with the Pacers. ... After sitting out for rest the last two visits to Indiana, Nov. 16 this season and last April, LeBron James opted to play Wednesday. ... The Pacers are the only team in the NBA this season to overcome a deficit of 20 or more points and come back to win more than once.

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