PACERS DEFEAT ROCKETS
Pascal Siakam fuels third-quarter charge to lead Pacers past Rockets
Feb 7, 2024, 9:51 am
Rockets fall to Pacers, 132-129. Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images.
Pascal Siakam relied on his scoring punch, T.J. McConnell added the energy and the Indiana Pacers defense turned up the pressure in the second half Tuesday.
It was exactly what they needed.
Siakam finished with 29 points and teamed up with McConnell to score 17 during a third-quarter rally that propelled the Pacers past the Houston Rockets 132-129.
“The third quarter, we just kind of sat down, get down into the bodies and pressured more,” Siakam said. “That's how we've got to be, that's how we've got to play defense to continue to evolve, which I think is an area that can make us a special team.”
The defense has been Indiana's biggest weakness most of this season. But with the addition of Siakam through a mid-January trade with Toronto and the savviness of McConnell, things could be changing.
McConnell had 17 points and four assists as the Pacers allowed 54 second-half points just two days after holding their first opponent to less than 100.
The result: Indiana won its second straight overall and for the ninth time in the series.
But Houston sure made it tough.
Jalen Green had 30 points in the Rockets' second straight loss while Dillon Brooks added 23. Rookie Amen Thompson finished with 13 points, 13 rebounds and six assists as Houston played without starting guard Fred VanVleet, who coach Ime Udoka said isn't likely to return until closer to the All-Star break.
And yet, Houston still seemed to be in control when it extended a 75-68 halftime lead to 85-75 early in the third. Then, over the final 9:53 of the quarter, everything changed.
“We defended well for two quarters, second and fourth,” Udoka said. “We didn't feel like we had to take any contested shots tonight, just continuing to penetrate and kick, make easy reads. We didn't really duplicate it as well in the second half.”
The difference showed. While Indiana's defense allowed just 14 points during that long third-quarter stretch, Siakam and McConnell fueled the comeback. Indiana used that closing 31-17 flurry to take a 106-99 lead.
Houston never fully recovered as Indiana quickly extended the margin to 14 early in the fourth and the Rockets couldn't get closer than seven until Alperen Sengun's tip-in made it 129-124 with 1:13 to go.
Green's 3 with 46 seconds to play cut the deficit to 130-127.
But two-time All-Star Tyrese Haliburton answered with a layup to seal the victory despite continuing to play on a minutes restriction as he continues to rehab from a left hamstring injury. He had 18 points, seven assists and one giant smile.
“There's a little bit of service after the game, but in the game, I feel good after a little while so that's a positive,” he said. “To be able to start games, finish games and play close to my traditional minutes, I'm just happy to be more healthy.”
UP NEXT
Rockets: Continue their four-game road trip Friday night at Toronto.
Pacers: Host Golden State on Thursday night.
Sunday night matchups don't get much exciting than this, as the Houston Texans host the Detroit Lions in prime-time at NRG.
The Lions come into this game on a six-game winning streak looking every bit of the best team in football. Houston on the other hand has lost two of their last three games with a struggling offense unable to protect their quarterback.
CJ Stroud has only one passing touchdown over this span, and is clearly having trouble adjusting to life without Stefon Diggs and Nico Collins.
If Houston is going to come away with an upset victory, they will need big performances from Tank Dell and Joe Mixon. After catching 4 passes against the Colts two weeks ago, Mixon not only failed to catch a single pass against the Jets, but he wasn't even targeted.
Considering the Texans' offensive line issues, choosing not to use Mixon as a pass catcher is hard to fathom. Especially since he and Dell are the team's top 2 playmakers.
What's working in the Texans' favor?
They play this game at home, where they are undefeated this season. A lot of the team's protection issues have popped up on the road, so communication should be easier for the offense on their home turf.
Bulls on Parade
We have good news and bad news about the defense this week. On the positive side, Azeez Al-Shaair and Jimmy Ward have returned to practice. If they're able to contribute on Sunday night, that would give the defense a lift.
And now for the bad news. Will Anderson has yet to practice this week after rolling his ankle in the Jets game. If he is unable to practice on Friday, it's hard to imagine he'll be active against Detroit.
X-factors
The Texans have to show some improvement on the offensive line this week.
Houston must lean on Joe Mixon again, as Nico Collins isn't expected to play.
Lions' Amon-Ra St. Brown is one of the best receivers in the league, and he does most of his damage from the slot. If the Texans continue to deploy Jalen Pitre against premier receivers in man coverage, St. Brown is going to light up the scoreboard.
What would a win over the Lions mean to Houston?
The Texans are no longer considered a true championship contender because of their losses to the Packers, Vikings, and Jets. In fact, the Bills are the only team with a winning record that the Texans have beaten.
An upset win over the streaking Lions would change that narrative.
What does Vegas think?
The Lions are currently favored by 3.5 and the total is set at 49 points.
Don't miss the full preview of Texans-Lions in the video above!
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