With a 105-101 score, which featured 22 points from Roy Hibbert, Indiana was able to overcome an impressive performance from Jazz power forward Derrick Favors, who poured in 27 points in the losing effort.
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They blew a 15-point first-quarter lead and trailed by nine with less than 2 minutes to go in the third quarter before rallying.
After a disappointing night like last night in The Grindhouse, the ebbs and flows of Twitter were even more severe than usual tonight as the Grizzlies started like gangbusters, only to see the Pacers claw their way back into the game in the second quarter. Gasol, who chipped in with 3.8 assists per game last season, did not set up any baskets in 30 minutes against Cleveland. “When our defense is clicking, offensively, things get much better”. The Grizzlies had their worst home loss since 2008, with Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph combining for 24 points and 13 rebounds.
When the shot is there, he should take it. Last season, the Grizzlies consistently won when Lee was a major part of the offense.
Ellis is already showing signs of being that guy, the one who doesn’t run back on defense when it’s more self-serving to preen for the crowd about the foul that wasn’t called as he missed a shot. The Grizzlies owned the Pacers inside, outscoring them in the lane 48-26. All three reached double figures – 13, 10, and 11, respectively – and played key roles in the Memphis win.
Guard George Hill led Indiana with 20 points, and forward Paul George and guard C.J. Miles each added 18 for the Pacers, whose five game-game winning streak in home openers was snapped. Maybe because of the previously unreported surgical procedure he underwent on his right knee – his good knee, allegedly – a news item broken Sunday by The Indianapolis Star’s Candace Buckner.
George was fined $10,000 on Thursday after complaining publicly about the officiating in Wednesday’s loss at Toronto. There was a blip where George Hill scored four straight before Paul George drilled a three to restore the lead, but it was short lived.
George must work harder to mask his frustration. None more than when rookie first-round pick, Myles Turner made his National Basketball Association debut late in the first quarter.
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The Pacers’ frustration seemed to boil over in the second half, when Toronto erased a 16-point deficit by scoring 69 points. Forward Kyle O’Quinn contributed 10 points and 10 boards. So when they play against the Pacers on Saturday, it will be a second night of a back-to-back on the road for Utah, while the Pacers will have one day’s rest between games.
