Two of the prevailing issues in the Indiana Pacers’ two one-point losses to start the season has been in their defensive struggles and their lack of bench production. So for both to come up big tonight was a huge boost in lifting them to a home opener win over the Miami Heat.
In their first two games, the Pacers had allowed 30+ points in six of eight of quarters and amassed a total of 32 bench points, with no one scoring in double figures. Tonight, however, Miami never scored above 24 in a quarter and the bench poured in 37, including double figure nights from Oshae Brissett and Jeremy Lamb.