NBA| Pacers win both India friendlies

Mumbai, Oct. 6: With some breathtaking basketball on display, Indiana Pacers maintained their domination as they trounced Sacramento Kings 130-106 in the second pre-season friendly game between the two NBA sides here on Saturday.

The upcoming season of the National Basketball Association (NBA) commences on October 22.

In the NBA debut in India, the Pacers had eked out a 132-131 victory against the Kings on Friday, but on Saturday it was altogether a different ball game and the Pacers had a comfortable outing, as they dominated all the four quarters in the match which was attended by Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju.

The stars for the Pacers were Alize Johnson (17 points), Jakarr Sampson (15 points), Myles Turner (12 points), Jeremy Lamb (11 points) and Edmund Summer and Domantas Sabonis (both 10 points each).

D J Warren started the proceedings with a twopointer for the Pacers and then collected a lone point, but Marwin Bagley’s jump and dump shots put the Kings slightly ahead as he grabbed back to back twopointers.

It was neck-to-neck then with Pacers 15-14 ahead with five minutes left in the opening quarter.

Kings tested the Pacers defence to move 28-23 ahead. And the Kings maintained a slender fivepoint lead — 30-25 — at the end of first quarter.

With a quick-pointer, Sabonis reduced the gap to 27-30 for the Pacers with a cutting dunk shot. Two back-to back three-pointers by Pacers meant that both the teams were leveled at 33-33.

However, from then, there was no looking back for Pacers. It seemed that Aaron Holday, Justin Holiday and Edmon Summer were on song as they kept adding to their points as Pacers maintained 11-point lead at 5544, going into another timeout.

Pacers domnination continued in the third and fourth quarter, and with lay-shots, dunks and jump shots, the Pacers maintained their lead.