Pacers Rally in Second Half to Dominate Jazz, Boost Playoff Hopes

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Pacers staged a dramatic comeback against the Utah Jazz on Friday night, outscoring the Jazz 83-53 in the second half for a resounding victory that improved their record to 46-31.

After falling behind by as many as 13 points in the first half, the Pacers found their momentum in the latter half of the game, dominating with a 42-18 fourth quarter. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle acknowledged the stark difference in performance, stating, “The first half wasn’t very good. Second half was very good.” He added simply, “Edge,” when asked about the game’s dichotomy.

The victory not only solidifies the Pacers’ position within the top six seeds of the Eastern Conference, but also ensures they maintain a three-game lead over the fifth-place Detroit Pistons, who also won on Friday. With five games remaining in the regular season, the Pacers aim to secure home-court advantage in the playoffs.

Meanwhile, the Jazz continued to struggle, recording their eighth consecutive loss and falling to 16-62, the worst record in the NBA. The Jazz, missing key players Lauri Markkanen, John Collins, and Walker Kessler, are now in a position for a favorable draft lottery as they pursue a future star.

Pacers center Myles Turner noted the team’s ability to shift focus, saying, “I think that once we flipped our mindset, we knew what we were playing for. We had some spirited talks and we got where we needed to be.” This shift played a crucial role in how they exploited their size advantage in the paint, as the Jazz struggled defensively.

In the first half, the Pacers were outscored in the paint 24-22, but in the second half, they took command, scoring 40 points in the paint and finishing with 62 total. Turner finished the game with 26 points, while Pascal Siakam contributed 22 points, with 13 coming during the critical second half surge.

During this pivotal half, the Pacers shot an impressive 67.4% from the field, converting 29 of 43 attempts, and went to the free-throw line 26 times, making 19. They also showcased a strong defensive performance, blocking a season-high 17 shots, with Turner contributing six blocks.

Siakam joked about their defensive achievements, saying, “Come on man, it’s Myles, Jermaine O’Neal, Rik Smits, me. I’m winning. I’m coming for the record, Myles.” His four blocks in the game were a personal best this season and vital to the Pacers’ defense.

Despite the victory, Siakam acknowledged the need for improvement ahead of their next game against the Denver Nuggets. “We gotta continue to work, and we’ve gotta peak at the right time. There are going to be some quarters that might not look like it, but as long as we go out there and continue to work together as a team, I think we can fix it,” he said.

The Pacers are poised to make a strong push as the playoffs approach, with their ability to adapt and perform under pressure becoming increasingly important.