Myles Turner had 37 points to lead six Indiana scorers in double figures and added 12 rebounds as the host Pacers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 129-122 on Monday night in Indianapolis.
Tyrese Haliburton added 20 points and 13 assists, Buddy Hield scored 20, Jalen Smith had 15 points and 11 rebounds, Andrew Nembhard scored 15 and T.J. McConnell had 10 off the bench. The Pacers made 22 of 48 3-pointers (45.8 percent).
Brandon Ingram scored 29, Zion Williamson added 26, Herbert Jones scored 16, Jonas Valanciunas had 14 and Devonte’ Graham and Trey Murphy III had 11 each to lead the Pelicans.
The Pelicans trailed by three at halftime and twice got within one early in the third quarter but couldn’t pull even.
Haliburton made three 3-pointers and Turner and Hield made one each as the Pacers opened an 85-72 lead.
Ingram answered with a basket and added another that got New Orleans within seven.
Haliburton, Mathurin and Turner each made a 3-pointer as Indiana increased the lead to 100-91 at the end of the third quarter.
McConnell started the fourth-quarter scoring with consecutive baskets that increased the lead to 13.
New Orleans twice got within seven points, the second time on a 3-pointer by Ingram with 1:12 remaining, but Nembhard answered with a 3-pointer.
The Pacers scored the first nine points of the game before Williamson’s basket ended the Pelicans’ scoring drought nearly four minutes in.
Indiana took a 10-point lead before New Orleans started making 3-pointers. Ingram made two, CJ McCollum, Murphy and Graham made one each and Williamson added his first of the season as the Pelicans got within 32-30 at the end of the first quarter.
New Orleans tied the score at 36 on a 3-pointer by McCollum and took its first lead at 44-42 on a dunk by Williamson.
Graham’s 3-pointer gave the Pelicans their biggest lead of the half, 51-47, before the Pacers took a seven-point lead that shrunk to 58-55 at halftime.
–Field Level Media