Defeat! Durant with 25+7+7, Haliburton shooting 8 of 19, Beal in an awkward position, the No. 11 in the West changes hands
On January 5, 2025, Beijing time, the Pacers with a record of 17 wins and 18 losses hosted the Suns with a record of 15 wins and 17 losses. The Suns are currently ranked 11th in the West, having lost 6 out of their last 7 games. They urgently need to bounce back, but the Pacers have a strong lineup. Can the Suns defeat the Pacers away from home? The Pacers' starting lineup is Haliburton + Nemhard + Maserin + Siakam + Turner, while the Suns are missing Jones and Nuki, with their starting lineup being Beal + Booker + Dunn + Durant + Plumlee.
In the first quarter, Maserin and Turner scored 7-0, followed by Beal's layup. Haliburton responded with a floater, making it 9-2 for the Pacers. Beal, Booker, and Dunn scored for the Suns, to which Haliburton and Siakam responded, maintaining a 6-point lead. Durant and Booker narrowed the gap to 1 point, but Haliburton and Turner extended it again. Durant tried to close the gap, leaving it at 2 points. Toping made 4 out of 4 free throws, while Durant and Morris scored consecutively, allowing the Suns to take a 1-point lead. After a timeout, Haliburton and Toping scored, and Plumlee and Durant responded, keeping the Suns ahead by 1 point. McConnell hit a mid-range shot, ending the first quarter with the Pacers leading 30-29.
In the second quarter, Walker scored a layup, giving the Pacers a 3-point lead. Morris and Allen scored for the Suns, but Tob and Shepherd responded with three-pointers, extending the lead to 4 points. Booker, Pol, and Okogie then took the lead by 2 points. After another timeout, Siakam regained the lead by 3 points. Pol and Durant scored, to which Nemhard, Shepherd, and Toping responded, maintaining a 5-point lead for the Pacers. Beal, Durant, and Dunn then took the lead by 2 points, but Turner and Maserin quickly regained it. Okogie's mid-range shot tied the score, ending the half with both teams at 56-56.
In the third quarter, Maserin and Nemhard scored, giving the Pacers a 5-point lead. Booker and Dunn scored for the Suns, but Turner, Haliburton, and Maserin hit consecutive three-pointers, extending the lead to 8 points. Dunn hit a three-pointer, but Haliburton and Turner responded, keeping the lead at 10 points. After a timeout, Booker and Durant scored, but Maserin and Turner maintained the 10-point lead. Durant and Allen scored, to which Turner, Toping, and Shepherd responded, increasing the lead to 13 points. Allen and Morris scored, but Siakam, Maserin, and McConnell responded, extending the lead to 14 points. Plumlee made 2 out of 2 free throws, ending the third quarter with the Pacers leading 96-84.
In the fourth quarter, Shepherd made 2 out of 2 free throws, maintaining a 14-point lead for the Pacers. Morris, Dunn, and Okogie narrowed the gap to 8 points. Walker dunked, and Allen hit a three-pointer, reducing the lead to 7 points. McConnell and Siakam scored, while Booker and Allen tried to catch up, leaving the lead at 6 points. Walker, Haliburton, and Nemhard extended the lead to 13 points. Durant and Morris scored, but Turner and Haliburton responded, keeping the lead at 12 points. After a timeout, Haliburton hit a three-pointer, increasing the lead to 15 points. Booker scored a layup, but Siakam and Haliburton responded, extending the lead to 18 points with over a minute left in the game. The Suns then withdrew their main players, and the Pacers ultimately won 126-108.
Durant scored 25 points with 7 rebounds and 7 assists on 9 of 14 shooting. Booker had 20 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists on 7 of 15 shooting. Beal struggled, scoring only 8 points with 3 rebounds and 3 assists on 3 of 12 shooting. Dunn had 13 points and 4 rebounds, while Allen contributed 13 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists. Morris scored 12 points.
Haliburton scored 27 points with 5 rebounds and 8 assists on 8 of 19 shooting. Turner had 20 points and 6 rebounds, while Siakam contributed 15 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists. Maserin had 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists, and Toping scored 12 points with 3 rebounds.
After the loss, the Suns were surpassed by the Kings in the rankings, dropping to 12th in the West, while the Kings moved up to 11th. Despite the trio of stars playing together, the Suns suffered a crushing defeat. The Suns' management must recognize the reality that this combination cannot succeed and needs to make significant trades.