The Denver Nuggets (16-25) defeated the Indiana Pacers (22-19) 129-126 in an offensive exhibition on Sunday.
The Pacers pulled off an extremely rare feat tonight, by losing in a game where they shot nearly 60 percent from the field. The defense from both teams was just terrible, as Denver shot over 50 percent on their end. The key for Denver was their rebounding, as they snatched down 42 boards to the Pacers 33. The fourth quarter was also huge for the Nuggets, as they outscored Indiana by 10 and scored a whopping 45 points.
Indiana really should have won this game, if they would have played just a little bit of defense. The Pacers bench was fantastic in this game, as they scored 62 points between the five players. Myles Turner set a career-high with 25 points and also grabbed six rebounds in a fantastic performance off the bench. Monta Ellis also had a nice game, as he scored 24 points to go along with five assists. Joe Young also had the best game of his young career, as he tallied 15 points and seven assists in just 18 minutes of action. Indiana will look to bounce back on Tuesday, when they take on the Phoenix Suns in their next game.
Denver didn’t make it easy on Sunday, but they ended up winning their third game in their last four in a current eight-game homestand. The Nuggets went 6-for-9 from three-point range in the final quarter and dropped an incredible 45 points to win the game. All five starters scored in double-figures, with Danilo Gallinari scoring a team-high 23 before fouling out with three minutes left. Will Barton has been struggling recently, but a haircut might have been the trick, as he came up big here totaling 21 points, six rebounds and three assists off the bench with his new do. Up next in the homestand is a date against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday.
