NEW YORK -- A 19-point lead completely erased and a struggle to put away an inferior opponent on the road down the stretch.

If what unfolded Friday night occurred in November, the outcome might have turned out differently for the Indiana Pacers.

Instead the Pacers are in the "winning time" portion of their season and are making the necessary plays.

It was evident when Paul George and Jeff Teague scored 24 points apiece and Indiana executed on both ends in the final minutes to record a 106-97 victory over the Brooklyn Nets.

Indiana matched a season high with its fifth straight win, won for the 12th time in 16 games and more notably won its season-high third straight road game. The Pacers did it in a location where they were outscored 31-15 in the fourth quarter of a 103-94 loss on Oct. 30.

"We would probably would have had a lot of possessions where guys broke plays off, where guys rushed shots where guys turned the ball over playing fast," George said of the difference from earlier in the season to now. "We had a lot of moments when guys did all of that but I thought in the last six minutes we really slowed it down. We played together defensively for sure and offensively the guys that made shots and shot-makers we allowed those shots to come to us."

The Pacers appeared to be cruising towards an easy double-digit victory when Teague scored seven straight points in an 11-0 spurt that pushed the lead to 67-48 early in the third. Instead they struggled to expand the lead and faced a pair of two-point deficits.

The Pacers never trailed after C.J. Miles hit a corner 3-pointer with 7:37 remaining for an 88-87 lead but expanding the lead was difficult. The lead was 90-89 when Brook Lopez hit a fadeway jumper with 6:29 remaining but the Pacers closed it out with a 17-7 run featuring clutch plays by George and Teague.

George hit a pair of mid-range jumpers to push the lead to 96-91 while Teague converted a layup and two free throws to expand the margin to 105-97 in the final minute. Teague's last points occurred after he intercepted a pass by Sean Kilpatrick.

"It's on us, it's on me for sure," George said. "Jeff is just as scrappy, just as good defensively at sniffing plays out and getting his hands on the ball, making good plays defensively. It's winning time as we like to call it, it's what Indiana's used to."

George referred to briefly losing the lead as a "reality check" and said it brought back reminders of three months ago. Instead the defense forced the Nets to miss 10 of its last 13 shots and commit four turnovers.

"It was a game very similar to our first game here, where we had control of the game," Indiana coach Nate McMillan said. "The second half they came back fighting as they did and were able to win that game. Tonight our guys showed road toughness and this is what we talked about."

"I think it's just a sense of urgency in this group right now," Teague said. "We know going into the All-Star break, we wanted to be playing well."

While George and Teague led a productive starting lineup for Indiana, Lopez was the only starter in double figures for the Nets. Lopez scored 23 points but the rest of Brooklyn's 22nd starting five of the season combined for 15 points on 3-of-21 shooting.

The inability to get more than a one-point lead and complete the comeback eventually led to Brooklyn's eighth straight loss and 10th consecutive home defeat.

"I just think our decision making, we need to improve," Nets coach Kenny Atkinson said. "Especially I feel like a lot of transition, decision making, just making a simpler play, getting our spacing a little better."

Kilpatrick added 18 points and Joe Harris contributed 15 for the Nets, who shot 37 percent and committed 19 turnovers.

NOTES: Brooklyn F Bojan Bogdanovic was rested for the first time this season. Bogdanovic was the only member of the Nets to appear in each game before Friday. ... Indiana F Thaddeus Young exited in the fourth quarter with a left wrist injury. X-rays were negative, Young is day-to-day and will undergo an MRI before Saturday's game against Detroit. ... Pacers reserve G Rodney Stuckey (right ankle sprain) missed his 31st game, albeit his first due to an ankle injury. Stuckey injured his ankle Wednesday when he stepped on Orlando G Elfrid Payton's foot. ... Nets G Jeremy Lin (strained left hamstring) continued taking shots in pregame warmups but the team did not issue an update on when he will be re-evaluated.