Indiana Pacers make NBA history

Domantas Sabonis (YouTube)

The Indiana Pacers made National Basketball Association history on Tuesday. According to ESPN, they became only the second team in NBA history to lose a game by 35 points or more and then win a game by 35 points or more in their next outing.

Indiana initially got hammered on Sunday in Toronto when they were blasted 127-81 by the Toronto Raptors at the Scotiabank Arena. In the Raptors’ 46 point win, six Raptors reached double digits in scoring, with power forward Pascal Siakam of Douala, Cameroon leading the way with 21 points. Serge Ibaka, the Raptors center from Brazzaville, Congo also had a memorable game as he had 15 points and 15 rebounds for a double double.

The Pacers however were able to “rebound” nicely as a team on Tuesday. Back home at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, the Pacers clobbered the Charlotte Hornets by 39 points. Like the Raptors in their game against Indiana, the Pacers had six players in double digits in scoring in their 119-80 win over the Charlotte Hornets. The leading scorer for the Pacers was Domantas Sabonis, who had 21 points. He also had a double double, as he had 15 rebounds.

The only other team to lose by 35 points or more and come back to win by 35 points or more were the 1966-67 Los Angeles Lakers. On November 11, 1966, the Lakers got hammered by a score of 132-93 to the San Francisco Warriors. The Warriors were led by Rick Barry of Elizabeth, New Jersey and Nate Thurmond of Akron, Ohio. Barry had 27 points and 10 rebounds, and Thurmond had 23 points and 26 rebounds. Then on November 12, 1966, the Lakers destroyed the Detroit Pistons 144-88 at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena. Jerry West of Chelyan, West Virginia, was the Lakers star on this night as he had 35 points and 11 assists.

With the win, Tuesday, the Pacers improved to 34 wins and 24 losses. They are currently sixth in the Eastern Conference.