Can the Pacers' Paint Dominance Overcome Nuggets' Efficiency?
In a closely contested game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, the Indiana Pacers fell just short against the Denver Nuggets, with a final score of 114-109. The Pacers now hold a 24-20 record for the season, while the Nuggets improved to 31-14.
The home team showcased their ability to control the paint, outscoring their opponents with an impressive 60 points in that area compared to the Nuggets' 50. Despite this advantage and leading for exactly as long as Denver at 22:22 minutes of game time, Indiana couldn't capitalize on their dominance inside. The Pacers also had a higher two-point field goal percentage at 58 percent with 38 made shots from within the arc.
Indiana's bench contributed significantly with 40 bench points, demonstrating depth in their roster. However, they struggled beyond the arc, converting only five out of twenty-one three-point attempts which amounted to a mere 24 percent success rate from distance. This was in stark contrast to Denver's more balanced attack which saw them make eleven three-pointers at a rate of one-third successful attempts.
The game was not without its drama; an ejection and two technical fouls were called against Indiana's coaching staff. Meanwhile, on defense, they managed only one block compared to nine by Denver and recorded four steals while giving up five turnovers due to steals by Denver.
Despite these setbacks and ending up on the wrong side of lead changes twelve times throughout this encounter that also saw nine ties between both teams – indicating how competitive it was – Indiana showed resilience and kept fighting until the end but ultimately could not overcome Denver's efficiency across various aspects of play including fast break points where they scored just four against eighteen by their opponents.
Looking ahead after this hard-fought battle where every possession counted as evidenced by both teams having nearly identical possessions (99 for Indiana and approximately 96 for Denver), fans can catch The Indiana Pacers back in action when they host Philadelphia 76ers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on January 25th at around seven o'clock in Indianapolis time zone. This upcoming matchup will be available for viewing on BSIN channel number six hundred seventy-one dash four or NBCS-PH depending on your location.