National Basketball Association
Indiana 102, Memphis 92
When: 7:00 PM ET, Friday, February 24, 2017
Where: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, Indiana
Officials: #41 Ken Mauer, #39 Tyler Ford, #6 Tony Brown
Attendance: 17923

INDIANAPOLIS -- With the Thursday buzz of a possible trade of All-Star Paul George behind them, the Indiana Pacers focused on a drive to the NBA playoffs during a 102-92 victory on Friday night over the Memphis Grizzlies.

C.J. Miles scored 17 points, Monta Ellis added 16 and Indiana snapped a six-game losing streak. For Indiana (30-28), it was its first victory since beating Oklahoma City 93-90 on Feb. 6.

George made only 3 of 12 shots from the floor, finished with nine points and nine rebounds and left the game in the fourth quarter with right-leg cramps.

But the second unit, led by Ellis, Lavoy Allen, Rodney Stuckey, Glenn Robinson III and Rakeem Christmas, helped Indiana pull away, combining for 44 points.

"The first unit was good early, but then that second group came in and really established themselves," Indiana coach Nate McMillan said. "Monta, Stuckey and Glenn were really good."

Memphis, which received 13 points from Troy Daniels, lost its second in a row and fell to 34-25. The Grizzlies had beaten the Pacers five consecutive times before Friday night.

"We played like it was a preseason game, quite honestly," Memphis coach David Fizdale said. "We had too many stretches in which we played like it didn't matter. Just when you think your team is looking good and feeling good, stuff like this happens. We're all in the same boat, and Indiana played better basketball."

Indiana, which shot 51.3 percent from the field, received 12 points from Myles Turner and 10 each from Thaddeus Young, Jeff Teague and Allen.

Young returned after missing eight games and three weeks with a sprained wrist, and was solid at both ends.

"It felt great to be back," Young said. "I tried to bring a lot of energy, but it actually was that second unit that got us the lead."

Memphis got 12 points from Marc Gasol and 11 each from Tony Allen, Vince Carter and Zach Randolph. The Grizzlies shot 41.7 percent from the field.

"It's disappointing because it started with our transition defense," Gasol said. "We gave up way too many easy looks and too many straight line drives which put pressure on our weak-side defense. Every game is important. You have to prepare like it is your last game."

Lavoy Allen's offensive rebound basket with 2:27 left in the third quarter gave Indiana an 87-60 lead, prompting Memphis' second timeout of the quarter. Through 36 minutes, Indiana led 89-68.

During the middle quarters, Indiana outscored Memphis 64-42.

"Having Thad back in the lineup helped us have our chemistry back," George said. "I think Monta having fresh legs really helped that second unit do a great job. With me, my right leg cramped up, but the trainers rubbed it out and I feel a whole lot better now."

With the victory, Indiana improved to 21-10 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, securing a winning record on their home court for a 28th consecutive season, the longest current streak in the NBA.

The Pacers extended their halftime lead to 76-53 with 7:34 remaining in the third quarter on Miles' 3-pointer after three free throws from Teague and a 3-pointer. At that point, Indiana was shooting 64 percent from the field.

Thanks to an 11-0 run in the second quarter and a 36-12 advantage in points scored by non-starters, Indiana erased a 26-25 deficit after one quarter and built a 61-49 halftime lead.

Ellis had 14 first-half points off the bench, Lavoy Allen had eight on 4-of-4 shooting and Robinson III and Stuckey each scored five.

Indiana shot 62.5 percent from the field (25 of 40) during the opening two quarters, including 7 of 12 from 3-point range, and outrebounded Memphis 27-13.

Gasol and Conley each scored 10 first-half points for the Grizzlies, who shot 45.5 percent from the field (20 of 44). Tony Allen added nine first-half points for Memphis.

NOTES: After missing eight games with a badly sprained left wrist suffered in a Feb. 3 victory at Brooklyn, Indiana F Thaddeus Young (11.5 points, 6.1 rebounds) returned to action and was in the starting lineup. ... The Pacers were 2-6 in the eight games that Young missed. ... The game was a homecoming for Memphis G Mike Conley and F Zach Randolph, who are from Indianapolis and Marion, respectively. ... After playing the Grizzlies, Indiana has only 10 remaining home games and will play its next five on the road, including trips to Miami, San Antonio and Houston. ... Randolph leads the NBA in double-doubles coming off the bench with 14. ... Memphis F Vince Carter celebrated his 40th birthday on Jan. 26 and is the NBA's oldest active player.
Top Game Performances
 
Memphis   Indiana
Troy Daniels 13 Scoring CJ Miles 17
Mike Conley 7 Assists Jeff Teague 10
Zach Randolph 8 Rebounds Lavoy Allen 10
Vince Carter 3 Free Throws Made Jeff Teague 5
Tony Allen 5 Steals Myles Turner 3
Vince Carter 1 Blocks CJ Miles 2
Team Stats Summary
 
Team Points FG% 3PM-3PA FTM-FTA Assists Rebounds Blocks Steals Turnovers
Memphis 92 41.7 9-27 13-23 20 39 5 11 11
Indiana 102 51.3 11-26 11-11 23 50 7 8 17
Upcoming Games
  • Indiana will play their next game on the road against Miami. The Pacers have a W/L % of .517 after a win and .517 after a loss.
  • Memphis will play their next game on the road against Denver. The Grizzlies have a W/L % of .500 after a win and .680 after a loss.
?>