Pacers Rally For Win Over Lakers

By ESPN

Scoring isn't an issue for Indiana. The Pacers can put up points.

It's the struggles on the defensive end of the floor that cost them two losses in their first three games, and almost once more on Tuesday night. And their All-Star is very aware.

"I know what a good defensive team is. I know what it looks like. We're nowhere close to that," Paul George said.

George scored 30 points, including Indiana's final 12 of the game to rally the Pacers to a 115-108 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Lakers trailed by as many as 16 points, but rallied and had their final lead at 108-107 before George put it away.

"We were searching for players to go to," Pacers coach Nate McMillan said. "Paul hit his first shot and he looked like he wanted the ball, and we milked it. All-Stars like (Paul), you expect them to make plays like that. That's what makes them great players."

George made consecutive 18-foot jumpers for a 111-108 lead, then followed through on the opposite end of the floor with the biggest defensive rebound of the game. The Lakers' Jordan Clarkson missed an almost uncontested layup, and it was George who came down with the rebound, sending him to the free throw line to close out the contest.

"He's really good and I mean that's what great players do," Lakers coach Luke Walton said. "We did a phenomenal job of coming back in the second half and we started playing with the effort and energy that we need to play the full game with, and at the end of the game anything came happen."

Monta Ellis had 17 points and CJ Miles scored 16 for the Pacers. Thaddeus Young finished with 14.

The Pacers' most impressive moment on defense came in the second quarter, when second-year big man Myles Turner denied Tarik Black's attempted slam dunk with authority. For the majority of the game, though, the defense was nowhere to be found.

Lou Williams scored 19 points for the Lakers and Clarkson had 15.

Tuesday, November 1 Scoreboard

Cleveland 128, Houston 120

Orland 103, Philadelphia 101

Indianapolis 115, Los Angeles Lakers 108

Miami 108, Sacramento 96 (OT)

Detroit 102, New York 89

Milwaukee 117, New Orleans 113

Minnesota 116, Memphis 80

Utah, 106, San Antonio 91

Golden State 127, Portland 104

Wednesday, November 2 Schedule (All Times Central)

Toronto at Washington, 6 p.m.

Philadelphia at Charlotte, 6 p.m.

Detriot at Brooklyn, 6:30 p.m.

Houston at New York, 6:30 p.m.

Los Angeles Lakers at Atlanta, 6:30 p.m.

New Orleans at Memphis, 7 p.m.

Chicago at Boston, 7 p.m.

Dallas at Utah, 8 p.m.

Portland at Phoenix, 9 p.m.

Oklahoma City at Los Angeles, 9:30 p.m.