RAPTORS-PACERS PREGAME NOTES

GAME #20 – TORONTO RAPTORS (9-10) vs. INDIANA PACERS (8-12)
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2021 – 8 P.M. (ET) – GAINBRIDGE FIELDHOUSE
TV: TSN – RADIO: SPORTSNET 590 THE FAN

• The Toronto Raptors (9-10) finish a six-game road trip (Nov. 15-26) Friday night against the Indiana Pacers (8-12) at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Raptors are 2-3 on the trip and 7-4 on the road overall. Toronto has won the first two meetings with the Pacers this season. Fred VanVleet is averaging 21.0 points and 8.0 rebounds vs. Indiana this year. The Raptors have won six of the last eight meetings with the Pacers.
• Following Friday’s game at Indiana, Toronto begins a season-long seven-game homestand (Nov. 28—Dec. 13) Sunday night vs. Boston. The Raptors end the month of November with two home games and will play 10-of-13 games at Scotiabank Arena in December.
• The Raptors scored a season-high 126 points, made a season-best 47 field goals and shot a season-best .528 (47-89) from the field in Wednesday’s comeback victory at Memphis. The Grizzlies led 71-59 at the half. All five starters scored 17+ points in the win for Toronto. The starting five combined for 100 points and shot .544 (37-68) from the floor.
• The Raptors committed just 10 turnovers in Wednesday’s victory at Memphis. Toronto has now recorded fewer turnovers (or same) than its opponent in 15-of-19 games this season. The Raptors rank fourth in the
league in turnovers (12.9) and tied for second forcing opponents into 16.7 turnovers per game.
• Gary Trent Jr. scored 17 of his game-high 26 points in the fourth quarter Nov. 24 at Memphis. Trent Jr. has now scored 20+ points in five of the last seven games (Nov. 11-24), averaging 21.7 points. He is shooting .466 (54-116) from the field, .435 (27-62) from beyond the arc and a perfect 17-for-17 at the free
throw line during this stretch. The Raptors are 5-2 this season when Trent Jr. scores at least 20 points.
• Rookie Scottie Barnes recorded 17 points and a team-high nine rebounds Wednesday against the Grizzlies. Barnes leads all rookies in scoring (14.8), rebounds (8.4) and minutes (35.1), and ranks third with a .486 field goal percentage (105-216). He has led the Raptors in scoring five times, rebounds on seven occasions and scored 20+ points in four games.
Gary Trent Jr. (76) and Fred VanVleet (68) rank first and third respectively, in the NBA in deflections.
Trent Jr. also ranks fifth in the NBA in steals (2.05) and has tied his single-game career high with five steals three times. VanVleet has led the league in deflections per game each of the past two seasons.
Toronto currently leads the NBA in steals (9.9) and deflections (20.2) per game.
OG Anunoby missed his fourth straight game (Nov. 18-24) Nov. 24 at Memphis with a left hip pointer. He sustained the injury during practice Nov. 17 in Portland. Anunoby is averaging a team-high 20.1 points and
has scored 20+ points eight times in 15 games played this season.


PROBABLE STARTERS
F – SCOTTIE BARNES #
4

MIN: 35.1 REB: 8.4 AST: 3.3 STL: 1.0 TO: 2.1 BLK: 0.5 PTS: 14.8
• Recorded 17 points, a team-high nine rebounds and three assists in 39 minutes Nov. 24 at Memphis.
• Tied with Precious Achiuwa for the team lead with three double-doubles.
• Leads all rookies in scoring (14.8), rebounds (8.4) and minutes (35.1), and ranks third in field goal % (.486).


F – PASCAL SIAKAM #43


MIN: 32.2 REB: 6.6 AST: 3.4 STL: 1.0 TO: 2.1 BLK: 0.8 PTS: 17.8

• Tallied 17 points, seven rebounds and two assists in 33 minutes of action Nov. 24 at Memphis.
• Needs five rebounds for 2,000 in his career; will become the 10th player in franchise history to reach milestone.
• Missed the first 10 games (Oct. 20 – Nov. 5) of the regular season recovering from left shoulder surgery.
.
C – PRECIOUS ACHIUWA #5

MIN: 24.5 REB: 8.1 AST: 1.6 STL: 0.6 TO: 1.0 BLK: 0.6 PTS: 8.3
• Finished with 17 points, four rebounds and two assists in 29 minutes Nov. 24 at Memphis.
• Has scored in double figures in consecutive games (Nov. 21-24), averaging 14.5 points.
• Averaging 8.2 points, 8.3 rebounds and 24.1 minutes in 12 games as a starter.


G – GARY TRENT JR. #33

MIN: 34.5 REB: 3.2 AST: 1.7 STL: 2.1 TO: 1.0 BLK: 0.4 PTS: 17.5
• Scored a team-high 26 points Nov. 24 at Memphis; added a season high-tying four assists in 39 minutes.
• Ranks fifth in the NBA in steals per game (2.05); has recorded multiple steals in 11 games.
• Averaging 19.8 points, and is shooting .392 (38-97) from three-point range, in November (12 games).


G – FRED VANVLEET #23


MIN: 38.0 REB: 4.9 AST: 6.8 STL: 1.7 TO: 3.1 BLK: 0.7 PTS: 19.4
• Contributed 23 points, six rebounds and a team-high seven assists in 37 minutes Nov. 24 at Memphis.
• In nine wins this season, averaging 21.1 points and is shooting .441 (30-68) from beyond the arc.
• Leads the NBA in minutes per game (38.0), and tied for 12th in both assists (6.8) and steals (1.65) per game.


INJURY REPORT
OG Anunoby (Left Hip; Pointer) – Questionable
Khem Birch (Right Knee; Swelling) – Out

2021-22 RECORDS
W-L EAST WEST
OVERALL 9-10 7-6 2-4
HOME 2-6 2-5 0-1
AWAY 7-4 5-1 2-3
OVERTIME 0-0 0-0 0-0

NEXT GAME DETAILS
Opponent: Boston Celtics
Date: Sunday, November 28
Tip-Off: 6 p.m. (ET)
Venue: Scotiabank Arena
Television: Sportsnet
Radio: TSN 1050 Toronto

PACERS PROBABLE STARTERS
PLAYER / 2021-22 REGULAR SEASON AVERAGES NOTES

8 Justin Holiday

SF • 6-6 • 181 • Washington/USA • 9th Season
GP/GS PPG RPG APG SPG BPG MPG
20/12 10.0 3.0 1.6 0.5 0.2 28.1
Posted his highest scoring total in his three seasons with Indiana
with 27 points as he shot 9-for-11 from the field (6-8 3FG) in the win
over Philadelphia, 11/13…Holiday was the only Pacers player to
appear in every game over the past two seasons…He has played in
246 consecutive games, which is the longest active streak in the
NBA, including 164 in a Pacers uniform.

11 Domantas Sabonis

PF • 6-11 • 240 • Gonzaga/Lithuania • 6th Season
GP/GS PPG RPG APG SPG BPG MPG
20/20 17.8 11.2 3.8 1.3 0.4 34.0
Currently tied for second in the NBA this season with 12 doubledoubles…Entered the 2021-22 season as Indiana’s career franchise
leader in field goal percentage (.552), rebounding average (10.2),
and triple-doubles (10)…Recorded six triple-doubles last season –
most in a season in team history.

33 Myles Turner

C • 6-11 • 250 • Texas/USA • 7th Season
GP/GS PPG RPG APG SPG BPG MPG
20/20 12.7 7.5 1.1 0.7 3.0 28.6
Leads the NBA in blocked shots this season with 58 (3.1 per
game)…Set a new career high with 40 points and matched his
previous high with five 3-pointers in the second game of 2021-22, at
Washington, 10/22…Led the NBA in blocks for the second time in his
career with 3.4 per game in 2020-21…Has led the NBA in blocks in
two of the last four seasons, and has ranked in the NBA’s top five in
each of the last five years.

22 Caris LeVert

SG • 6-6 • 205 • Michigan/USA • 6th Season
GP/GS PPG RPG APG SPG BPG MPG
12/12 13.8 2.8 3.0 0.8 0.6 25.3
Made his season debut, earned the start and finished with 15 points
in 16 minutes against the Raptors, 10/30…Set new career highs as
he averaged 20.2 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.2 assists and 1.4 steals
over 47 games with the Brooklyn Nets (12) and Indiana Pacers (35).

7 Malcolm Brogdon

PG • 6-5 • 229 • Virginia/USA • 6th Season
GP/GS PPG RPG APG SPG BPG MPG
15/15 21.3 6.1 5.8 0.7 0.7 35.0
Recorded the second triple-double of his NBA career and his first
since his rookie season as he finished with 13 points, 10 rebounds
and 10 assists in the win over Philadelphia, 11/13…Scored 20 or
more points a career-high 34 times in 2020-21 with four games of
30+ points, a feat he had accomplished only three times over his
previous four NBA seasons.


2021-22 REGULAR SEASON PACERS RECORDS
RECORD HOME ROAD OT
OVERALL 8-12 5-3 3-9 1-2
WESTERN 4-3 2-1 2-2 0-1
EASTERN 4-9 3-2 1-7 1-1
CENTRAL 1-2 0-1 1-1 —


Lakers’ Anthony Davis misses Indiana game with fever — Press Enterprise

INDIANAPOLIS — On Tuesday night, Anthony Davis waited impatiently for his fever to break, then arrived at Madison Square Garden less than an hour before the opening tip-off. 586 more words

Lakers’ Anthony Davis misses Indiana game with fever — Press Enterprise

LeBron James rallies Lakers past Pacers in OT with dazzling 39-point effort — Daily Bulletin

INDIANAPOLIS — LeBron James was humbled for a fleeting moment in the second quarter, when he was reminded of what he can’t quite do anymore. Grabbing an outlet pass, he took off from the side of the lane while barreling down in transition. He cocked his arm back like a hammer, preparing to throw down…

LeBron James rallies Lakers past Pacers in OT with dazzling 39-point effort — Daily Bulletin

RAPTORS-PACERS PREGAME NOTES


NBA.com/Stats@nbastats
·

Scottie Barnes is the second rookie in @Raptors history to reach 100 points through his first six games. The first was Damon Stoudamire, the 1995-96 Rookie of the Year.

• The Toronto Raptors play the first game of a three-game road trip (Oct. 30 – Nov. 3), and the second game of a back-to-back set, Saturday night against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The Raptors defeated
Indiana 118-100 earlier this week in Toronto. Fred VanVleet had a season-high 26 points and a career-best 10 rebounds in the victory. Toronto has won five of the last seven meetings with the Pacers. The Raptors play at New York on Monday before wrapping up the trip Wednesday in Washington.
Fred VanVleet (28) and Gary Trent Jr. (26) rank first and second, respectively, in the NBA in deflections this
season. VanVleet (199) finished tied for fifth in deflections last season despite missing 20 games. Trent Jr. currently ranks fourth in the league in steals per game (2.67) and has recorded multiple steals in four of the first six
games, inlcuding a career high-tying five steals twice.
• Rookie Scottie Barnes led the Raptors in points and rebounds in the same game for the first time with 21 points and nine rebounds in Friday’s victory over Orlando. According to @nbastats, Barnes (106) is just the second
rookie in Raptors history to score 100 points through his first six games. The first was Damon Stoudamire who scored 100 points. Stoudamire was the 1995-96 Rookie of the Year.
• Toronto committed a season-low eight turnovers Friday night against the Magic. Through the first six games, the Raptors now have a +25 (84-to-109) turnover differential. The Raptors forced Indiana into 23 turnovers Wednesday which led to 31 points for Toronto.
• Rookie Dalano Banton has led the bench in scoring with 10 points in back-to-back games (Oct. 27-29). He is shooting .615 (8-for-13) from the field over the last two games. A native of Toronto, Banton became the first Canadian picked by the Raptors when he was selected 46th overall in the 2021 NBA Draft.
• The Raptors (14.8) currently rank second in the NBA in offensive rebounds per game, behind only Memphis (15.0), and fifth in second-chance points per game (16.8). Toronto finished last season ranked 20th in the league
in offensive rebounds (9.4). Scottie Barnes leads the Raptors with 18 offensive rebounds this season.
OG Anunoby has scored 16+ points in four straight games (Oct. 23-29), averaging a team-high 21.5 points. Anunoby is shooting .458 (33-72) from the floor, including .429 (15-35) from beyond the arc, during this stretch.
• Toronto shot a season-high .500 (43-86) from the field, including .684 (13-19) in the fourth, in Friday’s victory vs.
Orlando. The Raptors are shooting 48 percent (129-269) from the floor over the last three games (Oct. 25-29)
after shooting .376 (106-282) from the field in their first three games of the season (Oct. 20-23).

• The Raptors have exercised the third-year team option on the rookie scale
contracts of Precious Achiuwa and Malachi Flynn. Both players are now
signed through the 2022-23 season. Achiuwa averaged 5.0 points, 3.4 rebounds and 12.1 minutes in 61 games as a rookie last season with Miami.
For his efforts, he was named to the World Team roster for the 2021 NBA
Rising Stars. Flynn averaged 7.5 points, 2.9 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 19.7
minutes in 47 appearances, and was named Eastern Conference Rookie of
the Month for April.
• The Raptors have added Nate Bjorkgren, Trevor Gleeson, Nathaniel
Mitchell and Earl Watson
as assistant coaches to Head Coach Nick
Nurse’s staff. Eric Khoury will also return to the team as an assistant
coach after two seasons with Raptors 905, Toronto’s G League affiliate.
Lead assistant Adrian Griffin will return to the Toronto bench for a fourth
season, along with assistant coaches John Corbacio, Jon Goodwillie,
Jim Sann, and player development consultant Jamaal Magloire.
• The Toronto Raptors acquired guard Goran Dragic and forward Precious
Achiuwa
from Miami as part of a sign-and-trade for six-time All-Star Kyle
Lowry
. Lowry is Toronto’s all-time leader in assists (4,277), steals (873),
three-pointers made (1,518) and triple-doubles (16). In nine seasons, he
accumulated 365 regular season wins and 44 playoff victories also making
him the winningest player in franchise history. He helped the Raptors to
seven consecutive playoff appearances (2014-20), six Atlantic Division
titles, five 50-win seasons and the NBA championship in 2019.
• The Raptors ended last with a 27-45 (.375) record, missing the playoffs for
the first time since the 2012-13 season. Toronto started the season 1-6 but
clawed back to .500 (17-17) after going 9-5 in February. However, COVID19 protocols affected the team in March, and the Raptors went 1-13 during
the month to fall out of playoff contention.
• OG Anunoby, Kyle Lowry, Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet combined
to miss 91 games last season. As a result, Toronto used a franchise-record
38 different starting lineups and set an NBA-record with 10 different 30-
point scorers. Siakam (21.4 ppg) led the team in scoring, while VanVleet
(19.6 ppg) and Anunoby (15.9 ppg) both averaged career highs in points


DUARTE’S DEBUT
Chris Duarte not only made his NBA debut at Charlotte Oct. 20, he became the first Pacers player since Jamaal Tinsley in 2001 to start the team’s season’s opener. Duarte scored the most points (27) and made the most 3-pointers (six) by any Pacers rookie making his debut. He finished the game shooting 9-for-15 from the field, 6-for-9 from 3-point range and 3-for-3 from the free throw line.
MYLES-STONE
Myles Turner turned in a career performance in the second game of the 2021-22 season as he finished with 40 points to go with 10 rebounds in an overtime road loss at Washington. Turner finished with a career-best scoring total and his first game with 30+ points since the season opener of the 2016-17 season in which he scored 30 points in an overtime win over Dal- las Oct. 26, 2016.
He posted the ninth game in Pacers NBA franchise history with 40+ points and 10+ rebounds, and the first since Danny Granger finished with 41 points and 11 rebounds on Dec. 17, 2008.
PRESEASON WRAP-UP
Indiana wrapped up its 2021 preseason schedule with a 2-2 record. The Pacers won back-to-back contests as they earned a road victory at Cleveland on Oct. 8 and a home win over Memphis on Oct. 13. The Pacers had several key contributors miss time in the preseason due to injury, but received a boost from several young players. Rookie Chris Duarte, the Pacers’ first selection in the 2021 Draft, led the team in total scoring with 55 points for an average of 13.8 per game.

HOME COURT HIJINX
Indiana is looking to bounce back in 2021-22 after ending a streak of five consecutive seasons
with a playoff appearance last year.
The Pacers endured an uncharacteristically down year on their home court in 2020-21. Indiana finished 13-23 at home last season, ending the regular season with a losing record at
home for the first time since the 1989-90 season (20-21). Their 31-season streak with a
winning record at home was tied for the third-longest in NBA history.
The Pacers have reached the postseason nine times in the last 12 seasons (dating back
to 2010-11) and 27 times overall in NBA franchise history.
Indiana has appeared in the playoffs 25 times since the 1989-90 season, which is the
most playoff appearances in the Eastern Conference over that span and second in the NBA behind the San Antonio Spurs.
Since the 1993-94 season, the Pacers have made eight Eastern Conference Finals appearances, which is the most by any team in the East over that span.
ROAD WARRIORS
Indiana finished with the best road record in the Eastern Conference at 21-15 in 2020-21.
The Pacers finished with their third-best winning percentage (.589) on the road in NBA franchise
history.
The Pacers posted a winning record on the road for the second straight season, the third time
over the last five years and for only the eighth time in NBA franchise history. Indiana posted back-to-back winning seasons on the road for the first time since the 1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons.
The Pacers have never recorded a winning record on the road in three straight seasons in their NBA history.
YOUTH MOVEMENT
The Pacers’ roster already features a relatively young core as each of their projected five start- ers are 28 years of age or younger entering Opening Night. However, Indiana’s roster will feature
four rookies to begin the season, including two players selected in the first round who are ex- pected to play key roles.
Indiana drafted in the lottery for the first time since 2015 and selected Oregon’s Chris Duarte with the 13th overall pick in 2021. Duarte led the Pacers in scoring during the preseason and earned the Jerry West Award, awarded to the nation’s top shooting guard in college, after his senior year at Oregon.
Foward Isaiah Jackson was selected 22nd overall and was acquired via a draft-night trade. He led the Southeastern Conference in blocked shots as a freshman last season at Kentucky. At 19-years old, he was the fifth-youngest player in the 2021 Draft.

THE CARLISLE FILE
The Pacers turned to a familiar voice to fill their coaching vacancy following the 2020-21 season as Rick Carlisle was named head coach on June 30.
Carlisle returns for his third tenure in Indiana, including his second as head coach. He guided the Pacers to a 181-147 (.552) record during four seasons from 2003-07. In his first season as Pacers head coach in 2003-04, Carlisle led Indiana to a franchise-record 61 wins, posted the best record in the NBA, won a Central Division title and reached the 2004 Eastern Conference Finals.
He also served as an assistant coach for the Pacers under head coach Larry Bird from 1997-2000. Carlisle helped lead the team to three straight Eastern Conference Finals appearances, including the franchise’s first appearance in the NBA Finals in 2000. Entering the 2021-22 campaign, Carlisle’s 181 wins stands as the fourth-most by a head coach in NBA franchise history. He ranks third among active NBA head coaches in career coaching victories behind San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich and Philadelphia’s Doc Rivers.
H

RAPTORS 118, PACERS 100 POSTGAME NOTES

FINAL SCORE: TORONTO RAPTORS 118, INDIANA PACERS 100

DATE: OCTOBER 27, 2021 ATTENDANCE: 19,800 (Sellout)

 FINAL SCORERECORDHIGH POINTSHIGH REBOUNDSHIGH ASSISTS
Indiana1001-4Brogdon – 18Sabonis – 8Brogdon- 5
Toronto1182-3VanVleet – 26VanVleet – 10Barnes – 7
KEY RUN

The Raptors went on a 14-6 run in the last 2:26 of the third quarter to take a 16-point lead (87-71) into the fourth … Toronto led by double-digits for the rest of the game … The Raptors largest lead of the night was 23 points in the final minute.

KEY STAT

Toronto forced the Pacers into 23 turnovers leading to 31 points … The Raptors finished with just 12 turnovers … OG Anunoby (5) and Gary Trent Jr. (5) combined for 10 of Toronto’s season-high 18 steals.

RAPTORS NOTES:

  • With the win, Toronto improves to 2-3 this season and 1-3 at home … The Raptors have won 14 consecutive games against the Pacers at Scotiabank Arena, though Indiana did defeat Toronto last season in Tampa … The Raptors will complete this four-game homestand (Oct. 23-29) Friday night against Orlando.
  • Fred VanVleet scored a season-high 26 points and grabbed a career-best 10 rebounds for his second double-double of the season.
  • OG Anunoby tallied a season-best 25 points on the night … Anunoby has now scored 20+ points in three consecutive games … He has finished in double digits in all five of the Raptors contests this season.
  • The Raptors shot .460 (46-for-100) from the field and scored a season-high 118 points in the win … Toronto made a season-high 14 three-point field goals and shot .467 (14-for-30) from behind the arc.
  • Scottie Barnes finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and a season and game-high seven assists … Barnes had five assists in the first four games of the season combined.
  • Gary Trent Jr. tied a career-high with five steals on the night … Trent Jr. also had five steals Oct. 22 at Boston.

PACERS NOTES:

  • With the loss Indiana falls to 1-4, including 0-3 on the road … The Pacers will play the Nets in Brooklyn on Friday before returning home for a rematch against the Raptors on Saturday.
  • Malcolm Brogdon tallied team highs of 18 points (7-13 FG) and five assists … Brogdon added five rebounds in 21 minutes of action before leaving at the 8:54 mark of the third quarter with a sore left hamstring.
  • Chris Duarte scored 14 points and went 6-for-15 from the field … Duarte entered the night ranked first among rookies in scoring this season.

=

Report: T.J. Warren requested trade from Pacers when they hired Nate Bjorkgren — ProBasketballTalk | NBC Sports

Nate Bjorkgren’s tenure with the Pacers is headed south. Fast.

Report: T.J. Warren requested trade from Pacers when they hired Nate Bjorkgren — ProBasketballTalk | NBC Sports

Minus injured Mitchell, Jazz rally to beat Pacers 119-111 — WTTV CBS4Indy

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — Donovan Mitchell scored 22 points before leaving the game with a sprained ankle in the third quarter, and the NBA-leading Utah Jazz beat the Indiana Pacers 119-111 on Friday. Bojan Bogdanovic had 24 points and Rudy Gobert added 13 points, 23 rebounds and four blocks for the Jazz. Jordan Clarkson […]

Minus injured Mitchell, Jazz rally to beat Pacers 119-111 — WTTV CBS4Indy

George Dominates Pacers, Leads Clippers To 6th Straight Win — CBS Los Angeles

Paul George continued to dominate his former team by scoring 36 points on Tuesday night, leading the Los Angeles Clippers to a 126-115 victory at Indiana.

George Dominates Pacers, Leads Clippers To 6th Straight Win — CBS Los Angeles

Rockets-Pacers game postponed because of Texas storm — The China Post, Taiwan

HOUSTON (AP) — The game between the Houston Rockets and the Indiana Pacers on Saturday night was postponed because of continued utility shortages in the area from this week’s winter storm.It’s the second straight home postponement for the Rockets. Friday’s game against Dallas was called off on Thursday. The team said the decision was made after discussions with Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner and the NBA. No makeup date for either game has been set. ___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Rockets-Pacers game postponed because of Texas storm — The China Post, Taiwan

Pacers snap 4-game skid with 111-95 win over Pistons — The China Post, Taiwan

DETROIT (AP) — Domantas Sabonis had 26 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, and the Indiana Pacers snapped a four-game losing streak with a 111-95 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Thursday night.Malcolm Brogdon added 18 points and Jeremy Lamb scored 17 for the Pacers, who posted a season-low 94 points in a loss to Brooklyn on Wednesday. One night later, it was Detroit that struggled offensively, shooting 5 of 28 from 3-point range.“I thought we guarded the ball better tonight,” Pacers coach Nate Bjorkgren said. “We were disruptive. I thought we were pressed up to their shooters on the catch.”Josh Jackson led Detroit with 18 points, and rookie Isaiah Stewart added 17 in his first start at center. Mason Plumlee missed the game for the last-place Pistons because of a right elbow issue.Detroit missed its first eight shots from beyond the arc, but the Pistons were effective enough inside that the game was tied 52-all at halftime. Then the Pacers outscored Detroit 30-18 in the third quarter. Brogdon had 10 points and Myles Turner added nine in that period for Indiana.The Pacers went on a 13-1 run during the third quarter to take a 70-59 lead. Sabonis, Brogdon and Turner did all the scoring during that stretch for Indiana.“I think for us, all it comes down to is defense and getting stops,” guard T.J. McConnell said. “When we’re really connected defensively, like we were tonight, we’re tough to beat.”Jerami Grant, coming off big games against the Lakers and Nets, shot 4 of 17 from the field and scored only nine points for the Pistons.“We’re getting bumped and hit and we didn’t respond in the proper way,” Detroit coach Dwane Casey said. “They played last night. I just didn’t think we had the proper disposition in the second half.”TIP-INSPacers: Turner had 14 points and eight rebounds. … Indiana went 14 of 31 from 3-point range and shot 51% overall from the field. … McConnell had seven points, seven assists and six rebounds.Pistons: Dennis Smith Jr. played his first game for Detroit since being acquired in a trade with the New York Knicks. He scored four points in a reserve role. … Stewart made his first six shots from the field. … Blake Griffin scored 16 points.SNAPPEDGrant set a franchise record with 23 straight games with at least two 3-pointers. That streak ended Thursday when the Detroit forward went 1 of 6 from 3-point range. Griffin and Wayne Ellington were 1 of 6 as well.UP NEXTPacers: Visit the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night. Indiana went 2-1 against Atlanta in the 2019-20 regular season.Pistons: Visit the Boston Celtics on Friday night. The teams have split their first two games this season.___Follow Noah Trister at https://twitter.com/noahtrister___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Pacers snap 4-game skid with 111-95 win over Pistons — The China Post, Taiwan