INDIANAPOLIS -- Tyrese Haliburton’s return to his home floor gave the Pacers crowd exactly the kind of moment it had been waiting for. The building was loud, the seats were packed, and the reaction when Haliburton hit half court was as strong as it gets. But the night belonged to Dallas, which walked into Indiana and took control early before cruising to a 121-105 win.
The Mavericks didn’t waste any time setting the tone. Before the crowd could settle in, Dallas was ahead 33-19.
By the end of the first quarter, the gap had stretched to 44-27 after the Mavs shot 70% in the opening frame. Indiana never caught up from there.
The second quarter brought more of the same. The Pacers managed just four points in the first 7 1/2 minutes of the period, and Dallas kept piling on, outscoring Indiana by 17 in the frame to take a 77-43 lead into halftime.
Indiana showed more fight after the break and trimmed the margin to 13 at one point, but the comeback never got close enough to matter. The Pacers never held a lead.
Ball security was another problem for Indiana. After coughing up 13 turnovers in its opening-night win in New Orleans, the Pacers had 13 turnovers by halftime Friday night and finished with 19. The shooting split told the same story: Indiana went 7-for-32 from 3-point range, while Dallas finished 14-for-34.
The atmosphere for Haliburton’s home return was the kind of scene players remember. After a long road back, the crowd let him know it. Haliburton finished with 18 points, seven assists and six rebounds, and he continued to look sharp in the first two games after the layoff, delivering several of the creative passes that have become his trademark.
Even in a loss, Indiana got a spark from a couple of its reserves. Jalen Slawson and Quenton Jackson brought energy, dove for loose balls, defended well and helped stir a crowd that was desperate for something to grab onto. They were the only Pacers players to finish in the plus in the net.
Indiana dropped to 1-1 with the defeat and will try to get back on track Sunday night in Brooklyn.
In Other News...
Cooper Flagg's Early Exit Leaves Mavericks Fans With One Big Fear
Cooper Flaggs night ended early after a hard foul from Aaron Nesmith sent the Mavericks rookie to the floor and briefly turned the game into something more chippy. The collision led to a confrontation, with technical fouls assessed to Nesmith and Naji Marshall before Dallas later ruled Flagg out for the rest of the game because of left shoulder soreness.
For a Mavericks team already trying to manage every early-season concern around its young core, any injury scare involving Flagg is going to draw immediate attention. The club did not offer a fuller diagnosis, leaving plenty of unease about how serious the shoulder issue might be and what it could mean if he is forced to miss more time. [Read more 🡒]
Cooper Flagg Injury Scare Has Mavericks Fans Holding Their Breath
Cooper Flagg gave the Mavericks an uneasy moment against the Indiana Pacers when he went down after a hard foul that was ruled a Flagrant 1, landing awkwardly on his left shoulder in the process. Dallas quickly labeled the injury as left shoulder soreness, which at least pointed away from immediate worst-case concern, but it still left the rookie's status in limbo for the rest of the night.
Flagg did not return after halftime, and the team was still waiting to offer a fuller picture once the game was over. For a Mavericks group already keeping a close eye on its young cornerstone, the early wording offered some encouragement, but not nearly enough to quiet the concern until more information comes in. [Read more 🡒]
Mavericks Finally Got A Win But One Scary Moment Changed Everything
The Mavericks finally broke through for their first win of the season, beating the Pacers 121-105 in a game that brought a little relief after an uneasy start. It also gave Dusty May his first victory as an NBA head coach, and for much of the night there was enough good to go around, from Dallas' pace to the steady presence of Kyrie Irving as the team tried to settle into a rhythm.
Still, the postgame focus shifted quickly to Cooper Flagg after a scary moment changed the feel of the night. He left after injuring his left shoulder on a hard fall following a foul by Aaron Nesmith and was ruled out for the rest of the game, leaving Dallas to wait and see what comes next for one of the team's biggest young pieces while the win itself suddenly felt secondary. [Read more 🡒]