San Antonio struggled when Indiana turned up the strain late.
Then the Spurs made one defensive cease to keep away from a second straight embarrassing outcome.
After almost blowing a double-digit lead within the closing minutes, Josh Richardson pressured rookie Bennedict Mathurin into an airball because the buzzer sounded to protect a 137-134 victory at Indiana on Friday evening.
“We’re not exactly ready for full-court pressure this early in the season,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich mentioned. “The last four or five minutes when we were going one-on-one were pretty terrible, but it’s always sweet to get a win on the road.”
Richardson didn’t simply make the defensive play of the sport. He scored 27 factors and Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson every had 23. Jakob Poeltl completed with 21 factors, eight rebounds and 5 assists.
Indiana was led by Tyrese Haliburton’s 27 factors and 12 assists. Mathurin scored 26 factors. The Pacers haven’t led in both of their video games this season after ending final season with 10 consecutive losses. Their final win got here March 20.
The sport featured two of the NBA’s most profitable coaches — Popovich and Rick Carlisle, who began the evening with a mixed 2,205 profession wins. But with two of the league’s youngest groups, it wasn’t fairly.
San Antonio, which by no means trailed, led by double figures a lot of the sport after taking an early 36-26 lead and appeared to be cruising after they led 128-115 with 3:28 left within the sport.
Instead, a collection of miscues within the last minute of regulation allowed Indiana to make it a one-possession sport. Haliburton made three free throws with 23.5 seconds to go after which Indiana pressured a turnover on the Spurs’ ensuing possession. But slightly than passing for a 3-pointer on the quick break, Haliburton drove to the basket for a layup to make it 135-134 with 3.8 seconds left.
San Antonio closed it out with two free throws and the defensive cease.
“We’ve got to play harder,” Haliburton mentioned. “We’re not going to press for the whole game like that. We can’t do that, so we’ve just got to play harder.”
TIP-INS
Spurs: San Antonio shot 54.3% from the sphere. … Since Popovich took over as coach early within the 1996-97 season, the Spurs have misplaced their first two video games in a season as soon as — after they began 0-3 in 2008-09. They completed 54-28. … Nineteen-year-old Josh Primo had seven assists.
Pacers: Isaiah Jackson had 16 factors and 6 rebounds, and Buddy Hield had 13 factors. … Myles Turner missed his second straight sport with a sprained left ankle. Turner is anticipated to miss not less than every week. … Rookie Andrew Nembhard, a second-round decide, scored 14 factors in his debut.
CARLISLE’S CONDOLENCES
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle took a couple of minutes earlier than the sport to provide condolences to the household of former referee Tony Brown, who died Thursday. Carlisle mentioned he was one in every of many individuals from the league who spoke with Brown as he battled pancreatic most cancers.
“He was a wonderful human being and a terrific referee,” Carlisle mentioned. “Any time you talked to him you could just tell he had a smile on his face. Our hearts go out to his wife, Tina, and their three children. I just want to urge anyone that’s interested in supporting the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network … I’ve been a supporter since 2009.”
3-POINT CLINIC
The Spurs placed on a 3-point capturing clinic Friday. They topped the 60% mark within the first half and wound up 17 of 31 from past the arc. Six gamers made 3s, led by Richardson with six. Vassell and Johnson every had 4 3s.
“When they started the game, it seemed like every shot they took went in,” Haliburton mentioned, explaining how the Pacers can get off to higher begins.
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