Indiana Pacers use big fourth quarter to beat Detroit Pistons, start season 1-0

The Pacers kicked off the 2024-25 season on Wednesday

Oct 23, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) shoots on Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (2) in the first half at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images / Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

DETROIT — The Indiana Pacers opened their 2024-25 season on Wednesday night in Detroit. They battled the Pistons in a Central Division matchup — Indiana swept Detroit last year, but things were going to be much tougher this season.

“They’re not potentially a tougher team to beat, they are a tougher team to beat," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said of the Pistons. He respects their defense and what they showed in the preseason under new head coach J. B. Bickerstaff.

The Pacers starting five was substandard in the preseason, so the opening minutes of the game were going to be critical. Here's what went down in Little Caesars Arena.

First Quarter

• Tobias Harris addressed the home crowd before the action started. Tim Hardaway Jr. hit a three for the Pistons to kick off the scoring.
• Andrew Nembhard scored first for Indiana with a mid-range shot from his favorite spot.
• Detroit looked good early. They took 10 shots in the first four minutes while Indiana only took five. Turnovers and offensive rebounds helped the hosts, and it was 12-4 at the time.
• Pascal Siakam scored on consecutive possessions for the Pacers to keep the score close.
• Aaron Nesmith followed that up with five-straight points for Indiana to tie the game at 12. The Pistons took a timeout.
• James Wiseman came in for Myles Turner, which marked the Pacers first substitution of the game.
• Siakam hit a three to give Indiana their first lead of the season.
• With primarily bench lineups on the floor, the Pistons got the lead back at 22-21.
• Wiseman was playing well on both ends for Indiana, but had to leave the game with an injury.
• Detroit closed the period on a 7-0 run.

Score after one period: Pistons 31, Pacers 25

Second Quarter

• Wiseman's injury was announced as a left calf injury, and he was ruled out for the night. Bennedict Mathurin started the second quarter scoring for Indiana with a three-point shot.
• Both teams traded buckets early in the second quarter, but the Pacers were slightly better and cut their deficit down to one at 35-34.
• With Wiseman hurt and Isaiah Jackson sidelined, Enrique Freeman entered the game as the emergency center for Indiana.
• Detroit found some rhythm and climbed ahead 43-37. The Pacers were struggling to create the shots that they liked.
• Star guard Tyrese Haliburton scored his first points of the game midway through the second quarter. Indiana needed him to get going.
• The Pacers defense was effective enough, but they couldn't find their offensive level from last season.
• Nesmith picked up a third foul with just under three minutes left until halftime. He was replaced by Mathurin.
• The Pistons had an answer after just about every Pacers run in the second quarter.
• Detroit went on a lengthy 15-6 run to extend their lead to double digits just before halftime.

Score after two frames: Pistons 58, Pacers 49. Siakam led Indiana with eight points.

Third Quarter

• The Pistons opened the second-half scoring thanks to a Hardaway Jr. three-point shot.
• Turner hit a trio of threes early in the third quarter to spark a Pacers run. They cut the deficit to 68-63 after less than three minutes of play, prompting a Detroit timeout.
• Cunningham was heating up for the Pistons and kept scoring. That kept the Pacers away.
• Haliburton dunked the ball with about five minutes to go in the period. It was the most burst he had shown all night.
• Not long after, Haliburton hit Siakam in the lane for a basket plus a foul. Suddenly, it was a one possession game.
• Haliburton gave the Pacers the lead with a jumper. It was 76-75.
• Freeman scored his first NBA points at the foul line to extend Indiana's edge a few possessions later. He was battling despite his size disadvantage inside.
• Cunningham was still on fire and reached 21 points as the Pistons grabbed the lead again with about two minutes left in the third quarter.
• Ben Sheppard entered the game for the first time at around that moment.
• The Pistons went on a small run to close the third quarter, which was capped off by a Cunningham three just before the buzzer.

Score after three quarters: Pistons 90, Pacers 82.

Fourth Quarter

• Mathurin earned a free point at the free throw line as Ron Holland II got a technical foul at the end of the third quarter.
• T.J. McConnell was attacking the rim and finished early in the fourth quarter. Two layups cut the Pistons edge to four, and Detroit took a timeout.
• Holland II stepped on the court again, which landed him a second technical foul. The Pacers were down 98-97 at the time. Haliburton gave the Pacers the lead on the next possession.
• The Pistons answered immediately with a basket to climb back in front.
• Indiana scored to take a 101-100 lead, and that edge was maintained for a lengthy stretch. Both groups were struggling to put the ball through the net.
• Consecutive baskets from Siakam and Mathurin pushed Indiana's lead to four. They were getting stops when it mattered, though they were getting a bit lucky.
• Indiana got a key set of free throws from Mathruin late. They were up six with about one minute to go.
• With 20 seconds left, Haliburton hit a three to put his team up six. It was the dagger they needed.
• The Pacers outscored the Pistons 33-19 in the fourth quarter.

The final score was 115-109. Turner led the way in scoring with 20 points. The Pacers play their next game on Friday when they take on the Knicks in New York.

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• A full training camp has Pascal Siakam more prepared for first full season with the Indiana Pacers. CLICK HERE.
• Obi Toppin being true to himself will make him as effective as possible for the Indiana Pacers. CLICK HERE.
• Indiana Pacers center Isaiah Jackson entering season without contract extension. CLICK HERE.
• Indiana Pacers fight back for overtime win over Charlotte Hornets to close preseason. CLICK HERE.
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