The Pacers just dropped to a rough 3-7 record after falling 114-102 to the Denver Nuggets in Mexico City, a game where they battled back from a monstrous 27-point first-half deficit but couldn’t quite seal the deal at Arena CDMX. It’s a tough pill to swallow when you show that kind of fight, but a loss is still a loss, and the record keeps sinking. The Nuggets, on the other hand, pushed their record to a healthier 5-3.
Buried by the First Half Avalanche
Let’s be real, this game was almost over before it began. The Pacers’ first half performance was absolutely brutal, digging a hole so deep it was almost impossible to climb out of. They trailed by as many as 27 points, heading into halftime down a staggering 64-41. You can’t win in this league shooting like that: a paltry 16 of 48 from the field (33.3%) and a dismal 5 of 23 from beyond the arc (21.7%). To make matters worse, they got outscored 30-16 in the paint, and while they only turned it over six times, the Nuggets played a perfect half with zero turnovers. Nikola Jokic was doing Nikola Jokic things for Denver, leading his squad with 19 points, 13 rebounds, and eight assists. Forward Cam Johnson chipped in with 18 points. When you give a team like that such a huge head start, you’re asking for trouble.
A Second Half Surge That Wasn’t Enough
Credit where credit is due: the Pacers didn’t roll over. The second half was a completely different story, a dramatic improvement across the board. They nearly matched their entire first-half offensive production in the third quarter alone, pouring in 37 points on an incredible 15 of 23 shooting, including a red-hot 7 of 12 from three-point range. By the end, they were shooting 56.8% from the floor in the second half, hitting 10 total three-pointers, and scoring 28 points in the paint. Pascal Siakam led the charge with 23 points, eclipsing the 17,000 career points mark, which is a cool milestone even in a loss. Larry Nance Jr. drained five three-pointers for 15 points, trying to spark the comeback. And talk about a bounce-back, Ivica Zubac was a completely different player from his last outing against Memphis. After one point on 0-of-5 shooting, four rebounds, and a brutal minus-22 in 18 minutes, he came alive against the Nuggets. He showed excellent touch and muscle, finishing with 10 points on 4 of 5 shooting, 12 rebounds, and five assists. They cut the lead to single digits in the fourth quarter, but the Nuggets, with Jokic and Jamal Murray closing things out, made sure they never got closer than seven points.
So, a gritty second-half push isn’t enough when you’re digging that deep a hole early. The 3-7 start is clearly not where anyone wants to be, especially after showing flashes of what this team can do. Can they figure out how to put together a full 48 minutes and avoid these early game nightmares? The clock is ticking on turning this early season form around.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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