Pacers Overcome Deficit, Beat Kings in OT

Jan 24, 2014; Sacramento, CA, USA; Sacramento Kings guard Isaiah Thomas (22) shoots over Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert (55) in the first half of their NBA basketball game at Sleep Train Arena. Mandatory Credit: Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports.

For the third straight game the Indiana Pacers‘ opponent got off to a hot start, but unlike the loss to the Phoenix Suns, the Pacers were able to overcome the Sacramento Kings scorching shooting and win in overtime, 116-111.

Paul George, who was recently announced as an NBA All-Star stater, finished off the comeback by hitting a four-point play with 15 seconds remaining in regulation. George took a pass from David West, pulled up for a three-pointer and was fouled by Derrick Williams. Unfortunately the description of the shot doesn’t do it justice, so watch the replay below.

In overtime, George scored eight of his 36 points and closed out the game by stealing the ball from Kings’ Isaiah Thomas.

The game started off very similar to the Pacers’ previous two games, against the Golden State Warriors and Phoenix Suns. Sacramento shot lights-out in the first quarter thanks to Marcus Thornton and Thomas. Thornton scored 22 points and Thomas had nine in the first quarter.

Sacramento’s hot start gave them a 37-26 lead at the end of the first, but the Pacers began trimming away over the next two quarters. Indiana trailed 60-50 at half and 84-79 at the end of the third. They finally tied the game at 95 with 3:13 left on a Paul George dunk.

West would hit a 13-foot jumper to give the Pacers their first lead, 97-95, since the 5:26 mark of the first quarter. The teams traded points, until the Pacers had to start fouling to get the ball back with under a minute to go. Leading 103-99, it appeared the Kings were on their way to a big upset, but George decided the game wasn’t over yet.

Thornton finished with a game and career-tying high 42 points, Thomas also had a career-tying high 38 points and the next closest Kings player was Williams with seven.

Indiana’s starters all finished in double-digits and three finished in triple-double territory. George Hill was close to possibly the quietest triple-double in history (10 points, eight assists and eight rebounds), Lance Stephenson put on another All-Star audition (24 points, 10 rebounds and six assists), Roy Hibbert helped shut down the lane (10 points, 11 rebounds and five blocks) and West turned his anger into a typical Hulk West performance (22 points and six rebounds).

Losing to a depleted Kings team would have given the Pacers their second straight, but instead the win gave the Pacers a 2-1 record so far on their five-game West Coast trip and kept them atop the league-wide standings.

As always, don’t forget to follow us on Twitter, @InkonIndy, “Like” us on Facebook and follow me on Twitter, @MMuncy.