The meeting started badly for the Pacers, overwhelmed by the efficiency of the pick-and-roll between Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis, the European duo scoring 18 points in the first quarter. Despite 7 points and energy to spare, Domantas Sabonis can not prevent his team, clumsy (36%), from being behind at the end of the first act (26-22).
Fortunately, the Pacers quickly find their way back to the basket and start again: a 9/9 on shots to start the second quarter and here they are in front of the score (44/36) 6 minutes from halftime!
Despite 14 more points from the Doncic – Porzingis duo, and 16 more from the substitute duo Jalen Brunson – Tim Hardaway Jr, the Mavericks fail to regain the advantage of the score and conclude the first half in the rearview mirror of the Pacers, authors a second quarter with 55% success on shots (56-54).
The twelve minutes which follow the return of the locker room do not help in any way to decide between the two teams: 26 points scored on each side, with 50% of success on the shootings for Dallas against 52% for Indiana. The gap remains minimal (82-80) before the finish. But too dependent and spectators of the offensive exploits of Luka Doncic (2/7 on shots), Jason Kidd’s men will very badly manage this last quarter, scoring only 9 points scored in 8 minutes, allowing the Pacers to make a first break (98-93) 2 minutes from the final buzzer.
A break that Malcolm Brogdon then Caris LeVert, each with an award-winning shot, will turn into a match point, definitively burying the hopes of victory of the Mavericks, who surrender and bow, too rough offensively to hope to win.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
– L’absence de Rick Carlisle. Positive for Covid-19, the Pacers coach is in isolation for the next few days and he therefore missed the reunion with his former team. It is Lloyd Pierce, the former coach of the Hawks, who is acting.
– The Mavericks’ exterior awkwardness. 4/29 behind the arc, or 13.8% success. Very, very difficult to win a match when the offshore skill is so poor. Jason Kidd’s squad relied on the offensive genius of Luka Doncic to try to energize his attack, completely amorphous. But even the brilliant Slovenian couldn’t do anything.
TOPS/FLOPS
✅The Mavs bench. Despite the defeat, the Dallas substitutes did the job, providing solutions (38 points) to a stammering attack as soon as Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis were not on the floor.
Wound Doncic. Slightly injured in the ankle in the third quarter, lonely in the fourth, “Luka Magic” faced various obstacles during the meeting. Despite everything, he came close to the triple-double and signed 27 points (11/25 on shots), 9 rebounds and 9 assists.
✅ Le duo LeVert/Sabonis. With respectively 26 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists for the first, and 24 points and 10 rebounds for the second, Caris LeVert and Domantas Sabonis carried their team. Recalling, in the aftermath of reconstruction rumors hovering in Indiana, that the Pacers need them to win games.
⛔ The holders of Dallas. 0 points for Reggie Bullock, 2 for Dwight Powell, 4 for Dorian Finney-Smith. A total, between them, of 6 points for 6 shots attempted. The Doncic / Porzingis tandem lacked support.
THE FOLLOWING
Dallas (12-13) : Sunday, ideal trip to OKC to relaunch
Indiana (12-16) : Monday, perilous reception of the Warriors
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