Pacers are winless no more away from home
Indiana snaps its road drought with a complete effort in Chicago, led by a season-high from Siakam and newcomer Ethan Thompson shining. Plus: RayJ Dennis signs elsewhere, Toppin's upcoming HOF honor.
The Pacers got the monkey off their back Friday night.
In Chicago to face the Bulls for the second time in a week, the Pacers earned their first road victory of the season, 120-105, after an 0-10 start. They were the only team without a road win.
They scored at least 28 points in all four quarters and got a season-high 36 points from Pascal Siakam and 28 points from Bennedict Mathurin, including six 3s, en route to the win.
It’s been a busy and important last week for Indiana. One week ago, they entered their annual game after Thanksgiving with just two wins — a 2-16 start to the season. Dreadful.
They beat the Wizards that night, and have since won three of their last five games, improving to 5-18.
This one felt different in many ways, but it was familiar because just as one player returned from injury (Johnny Furphy), another player was ruled out (Ben Sheppard).
Sheppard was added to the injury report on Thursday with a left calf strain, an injury he first suffered in the preseason. However, he played in each of the first 22 games and started in half of them.
His absence (and others) left a void in the starting lineup, so the coaching staff turned to Garrison Matthews, who was just signed to a second 10-day contract this week. But it didn’t take very long for the newest member of the team to stand out.
Ethan Thompson is having a week to remember.
He signed a two-way contract on Sunday, made his NBA debut on Monday, and played a key role in their 15-point win over the Bulls on Friday.
The 26-year-old guard finished with 11 points, two rebounds, and three assists in more than 34 minutes. He played the second-most minutes, only behind Mathurin.
“With Shep out, we need that other guy,” Rick Carlisle told reporters postgame. “He was just very steady and played a very good all-around game. … I’m happy for the kid. We’re just getting to know him.”
Carlisle shared that he called one of his former Mavericks players, J.J. Barea, who was familiar with Thompson from the Puerto Rican National Team.
“He stepped in, he was pretty confident,” Mathurin said. “So this is what we need from him, just to go out there and give us a boost. I’m super happy for him.”
It was a sharp-shooting night for the Pacers as they went 53.6% from the field and 46.2% from range. They buried 18 3s despite opening the game 1 of 9. Point guard Andrew Nembhard was crucial early on, dependable at both ends — as usual. Then, Siakam and Mathurin elevated their play.
They also limited Josh Giddey, the Bulls’ leading scorer in each of the last four games, to nine points on 2-of-9 shooting. That was part of the winning formula.
“Andrew Nembhard’s one of the best defenders in the world,” Carlisle said. “It’s as simple as that. Whether you’re talking about on the ball or off the ball.”
But more than that, what stood out was this team’s fight. Nembhard dove on at least two loose balls; Isaiah Jackson forced a pair of turnovers while defending a pick-and-roll. That level of fight and defense is especially critical in a season like this one, with six players on the injury report.
As Carlisle said, “everything is on the table.”
That included playing 10 guys in the first half, starting Thompson (over Matthews) in the second half, and Walker — their first sub into the game — only getting garbage time minutes in the final half.
It was also interesting that guard Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, signed to a rest-of-season deal, was the only Pacer not to play in this one. He logged just three minutes on Wednesday after averaging more than 18 minutes per game. Again, something to watch.
Meanwhile, the Bulls have gone 3-12 after their eye-catching 6-1 start. Friday’s loss was their sixth straight.
The Pacers can now enjoy a rare Saturday-Sunday off. They host the Sacramento Kings on Monday.
A Special 24 Hours For Tim Sinclair
How’s this for a double-header: Tim Sinclair, the former Pacers public address announcer, has held the same role for the Bulls for six seasons. So he was on the microphone at the United Center Friday night, then got in his car at 10:37 p.m. ET to drive the three-plus hours south to Indy — to be the voice inside Lucas Oil Stadium at the Big Ten football championship game.
No. 1 Ohio State v No. 2 Indiana. 8 p.m. on Fox.
Both teams are undefeated.
Before then on Saturday, the IU men’s basketball team faces Louisville — both are top-25 teams — at 2:22 p.m. ET inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse (CBS). It’ll make for a fun day downtown —and I’m credentialed to both games, so you expect coverage here and on my social media channels.
Dennis Lands Back With Clippers
It didn’t take long for RayJ Dennis to find a landing spot. After being waived by the Pacers on Sunday, Dennis reached agreement with the LA Clippers on a two-way deal Wednesday.
The 6-foot-2 guard had been on a two-way contract each of the last two seasons in Indiana. He appeared in 13 games this season and was well-liked by his teammates.
So much so that at least two Pacers, point guards Tyrese Haliburton and T.J. McConnell, posted Instagram stories within hours of Dennis’ new deal becoming public Wednesday evening, after their home game against the Nuggets.
To my knowledge, not one Pacer posted any congrats or well wishes to Myles Turner after he got paid by the Milwaukee Bucks and elected to move on. I know it’s different circumstances (and much different contracts), but it still shows how tense and impactful that decision was back in July — and how abrupt the change was after Turner was drafted by the Pacers in 2015.
Before the Pacers signed Dennis to a two-way last season, he was playing for the G League’s San Diego Clippers. His return out west came on the same day the LA Clippers moved on from veteran point guard Chris Paul, opening up an opportunity for Dennis to provide depth.
Dennis joined LA in Memphis for Friday’s game, but he did not play.
The Other Nembhard Turning Heads
Rookie Ryan Nembhard, Andrew’s brother, is starting for the Dallas Mavericks. I told you about him last spring at the NBA Draft Combine, and he signed a two-way deal with the Mavs after somehow going undrafted.
He’s now started in five of 11 games and has caught attention across the league for his productivity.
In a win over the Nuggets on Monday, he had 28 points, 10 assists, and 0 turnovers in 35 minutes. He followed that with 15 points, 13 assists, and one turnover in 34 minutes against the Heat.
“I don’t want to hear from (Gonzaga coach) Mark Few any more about any of the Nembhards,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said with a smile. They were assistants together with Team USA. “I’ve been hearing about the Nembhards forever, pounding me to get one of them on my team. He’s a Gonzaga guy and you’ve got to love those competitive guys.”
Ryan is the first undrafted rookie in the modern era (since 1967) to record 15+ points and 10+ assists in consecutive games, per Elias Sports Bureau.
Toppin Entering Dayton Athletic Hall of Fame Dec. 13
Fittingly, on University of Dayton hat night on Wednesday, Carlisle wanted to make sure everyone was aware pregame that Obi Toppin would be celebrated by the Flyers next week.
Toppin, along with Kelley Austria (basketball), Doug Hauschild (administration), Chris Lemon (cross country), will be inducted into the Dayton Athletic Hall of Fame. The four will be celebrated on Dec. 13 — at halftime of Dayton’s men’s basketball game against North Florida at UD Arena.
From Dayton’s announcement:
The 2020 consensus National Player of the Year in men’s basketball, Obi Toppin was Dayton’s first consensus All-American. He led UD to a 29-2 record and a final No. 3 national ranking in the Covid-shortened 2019-20 season.
Toppin was the only player in the country who averaged 20.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and shot over 60% from the field that season, with final numbers of 20.0 points, 7.5 rebounds a game, and.633 (245-387) from the field, (along with .390 (32-82) from 3-pt. range and .702 (99-141) from the line. He was fifth nationally in field goal percentage, even though he took more than double the number of three-pointers the rest of the top 10 combined.
He led the nation in dunks in 2019-20, with a school-record 107. His 190 career dunks are also a Dayton record. While on the subject of dunks, the last five field goals of his college career were dunks (after the first two FG’s of his career were also dunks)
Toppin is the Dayton record holder for career field goal percentage by a scant .0004. His .6473 (446-689) edged Sean Finn’s previous record of .6469 (414-640).
Toppin is sidelined until at least February after having surgery on his right foot in late October.
