Three takeaways as Indiana Pacers blow big lead in road loss to Memphis Grizzlies

The Pacers have lost nine of their last 10 games

The Indiana Pacers have been struggling with slow starts recently, but they fixed that problem on Sunday in their battle with the Memphis Grizzlies. The Pacers conceded just 23 points in the first quarter and were up by nine points after one frame.

The Pacers have also been struggling defensively of late, yet they only gave up 50 first half points. After 24 minutes on Sunday night, it looked like Indiana had overcome its recent issues and was going to cruise to a much-needed win.

That didn't happen. In fact, essentially the opposite happened. In the third quarter, the Pacers were up 68-52 with 10 minutes to go in the frame. Roughly five minutes later, it was 70-68. The Grizzlies went on an 18-2 run to make it a close battle.

Five more minutes later, as the quarter ended, the Grizzlies led 80-79. Over a 10 minute span, the Pacers scored just 11 points while Memphis dropped in 28. The game completely flipped.

"Tonight, this game is going to come down to doing the little things," Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle said before the game. The little things didn't go the Pacers way in the second half.

The Grizzlies never looked back from their third quarter surge. Despite the Pacers trying different defenses, unique lineups, and varied offensive pace, they couldn't mount a comeback. The Grizzlies led the entire fourth quarter and never looked like they didn't have control of the game. They snapped their losing streak while Indiana lost again.

The final score was 112-100. The Grizzlies won the second half 62-38 en route to victory.

The Pacers have now lost nine of their 10 games since star point guard Tyrese Haliburton went down with an injury. They desperately need him and his ability to make the team connected and effective for 48 minutes. Indiana struggled again tonight in his absence.

Despite fixing some of their recent issues, the Pacers still fell. They are 24-28 and sit in 11th place in the Eastern Conference. There is much to take away from a unique loss that pushed the Pacers out of play-in tournament territory.

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The Pacers got crushed in the possession game

The Pacers margin for error without Haliburton is small. They can't afford to give away possessions or play with fewer chances.

Tonight, though, that's exactly how they played. The Pacers coughed up 17 turnovers while the Grizzlies had just seven. Memphis had 15 offensive rebounds while Indiana had 11. In the end, that led to the Grizzlies taking 10 more shots and one more free throw than the Pacers.

For a Pacers team that is less efficient without their star, they can't afford to play that way. Despite shooting a better percentage from long range, the Pacers still lost by more than 10 points.

Indiana had no answers for Ja Morant

Grizzlies star Ja Morant has done well against the Pacers throughout his career. He had 23 points and 10 assists in Indiana earlier this season, and he threw down the dunk of the year that night. He's tough to contain.

Tonight, Morant dominated. He finished with a triple double, posting a stat line of 27 points, 10 rebounds, and 15 assists. He drove into the Pacers defense on seemingly every possession, and once he got into the paint, he made play after play.

Morant finished a +20 in a 12-point win. The Pacers tried various zones, double teams, and coverages to slow him down. None of them worked. Indiana had no answers for Morant.

Bennedict Mathurin kept rolling

One bright spot for the Pacers amid their recent skid has been the performance of rookie guard Bennedict Mathurin. He is currently playing the best basketball of his short career.

Tonight, Mathurin finished with 27 points, tied for his third-best outing ever. He knocked down nine shots and seven free throws, and he paired that with eight rebounds and three assists. He was the Pacers best player for most of the game.

Since moving back to the second unit six games ago, Mathurin is averaging 23.7 points per game. He has played more than 30 minutes in all six of those games — moving to the bench has allowed the sixth overall pick to thrive without sacrificing playing time. He's been great of late, and the Pacers need that to continue.

The Pacers will look to get back on track on Thursday when they host the Los Angeles Lakers. The three days off in between will be vital for the struggling group.

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• Why a contract extension made sense for the Indiana Pacers and Myles Turner. CLICK HERE.
• Tyrese Haliburton says he hopes to return from injury 'to start February' for the Indiana Pacers. CLICK HERE.
• Report: Indiana Pacers were 'finalist' for Rui Hachimura before Los Angeles Lakers trade. CLICK HERE.
• Bennedict Mathurin closes out the Chicago Bulls with an excellent fourth quarter: 'I like adversity a lot.' CLICK HERE.
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