The Kings took advantage of a Pacers team that was on their second night of a back-to-back, had their star player Tyreese Haliburton on a minutes restriction, and were without centers Myles Turner and Jalen Smith. The game, however, started shakier than you’d expect with TJ McConnell continuing his trend against the King of stealing souls and dominating in the rim.
Initially, the Pacers exploited the Kings’ weak rim defense, scoring 14 of their first 16 points in the paint. Domantas Sabonis gave the Kings a strong start by scoring 6 of the first 8 points against a undermanned Pacers team. However, he quickly picked up his second foul in the first quarter, which posed an early challenge. In response, Coach Mike Brown decided to play small, with Trey Lyles stepping in as the backup five. His strategy paid off as Lyles, motivated by his pop’s presence in the crowd, made significant contributions. He scored 13 points on 4-5 shooting and played impactful defense, including an early charge. Another significant contribution came from Malik Monk, who came off the bench and immediately shook off his recent slump. He scored eight points in his first three minutes, helping the Kings narrow the gap to just one point by the end of the first quarter.
Entering the second quarter, the Kings intensified their defense, leading to 15 steals in the game, six courtesy of De’Aaron Fox, who tied his career high in that department. This game also marked the second matchup between these teams this season, following one of the more polarizing trades in the last few years, Domas for Haliburton. This is also hot on the heels of Fox and Sabonis both being overlooked for All-Star selection while Haliburton secured a starting spot — the Kings held their ground admirably. Adding another layer to the drama was Pascal Sakiam’s move to the Pacers after being linked with the Kings in trade discussions. He managed to rack up an impressive 22 points, keeping Domas in foul trouble throughout the game.
Fox was cooking from all over the court wrapping up the game with 25 points from an efficient 11-21 field goal attempts. However, his free throw woes persisted as he could only convert 2 out of 6 attempts. The Kings, as a team, also struggled from the free-throw line, making 18 of 28 attempts in contrast to the Pacers’ 20-24. I must admit, I was shaking in my proverbial boots down the stretch, fearing that free throws might cost the Kings the game.
The beginning of the second half set the pace for the remainder of the game as the Kings maintained their defensive momentum, kicking off with a promising 7-0 run. Malik continued to be a major factor with his relentless energy, primarily dominating in the paint and setting up his teammates, culminating in 23 points and 6 assists.
Despite early foul issues, Domas was omnipresent in the latter half, setting monster picks and creating open opportunities for Huerter from downtown. He secured his 30th consecutive double-double, leaving him just one short of tying Oscar Robertson’s single-season franchise record of 31. With a 9-14 efficiency and a notable 8-9 from the free-throw line, Domas finished with 26 points.
The second half also marked a change for the Pacers as Tyrese Haliburton got the start, but Fox’s robust defense seemed to affect him, as the league’s top assist provider managed only one assist and five turnovers. Former King Buddy Hield ended the game with 17 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. Ben Mathurin was the standout Pacer, scoring an impressive 31 points on 14 shots.
In the end, the Kings essentially dominated the game, maintaining a double-digit lead and always having a response for any Pacers’ comeback attempt. The Kings’ depth, particularly the contributions from Lyles and Monk off the bench, coupled with consistent support from Barnes and Huerter, proved to be too much for the short-handed Pacers. The Kings will face the Chicago Bulls in their next back-to-back game tomorrow night. Will they secure their sixth win in the last seven games?
