Before we begin, please take into consideration the starting lineups for both teams. Check it out below.
So the starting lineup between the #sixers and #pacers tonight….its. Interesting. pic.twitter.com/dXw4jqYt8u
— NBA Courtside (@NBACourtside_) October 29, 2014
Wow. The average NBA fan watching this game is going, “Who?” the whole time. Ok now to the game.
Indiana won its season opener for the fourth consecutive season, but this was the first one in the last four seasons without All-Star swingman Paul George. The Pacers also played without two other starters, power forward David West who has a sprained right ankle and guard George Hill who’s sustained a bruised left knee. Roy Hibbert had 22 points, 8 rebounds and 7 blocks, leading the short-staffed Pacers to a 103-91 victory over the 76ers.
Big Roy scored the first 4 points in a 16-6 third quarter run that gave Indiana a 78-67 lead. Sixers never came within three for the remainder of the night.
Tony Wroten led the 76ers with 22 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists. Sixers forward/center Nerlens Noel had 6 points and 10 rebounds in his NBA debut after missing all of last season.
Most of the Sixers’ problems were ones they could’ve easily avoided and were self-inflected. They were 6 of 21 from beyond the three point line and 17 of 30 from the free throw line. Noel, the sixth pick in the 2013 draft, was just 2 of 11 from the field after missing all of last season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
Hibbert stepped up big in the opener, going 6 of 8 from the field and 10 of 13 from the free-throw line. His presence in the middle also created space for his teammates, who took advantage. Like newly acquired Rodney Stuckey who had 16 points and C.J. Miles who dropped 15 points each made a strong first impression. Donald Sloan had 16 points, 10 rebounds and 6 assists, and Chris Copeland finished with 11 points.
Check out the Highlights from ESPN and NBA
Tony Wroten with a Huge throw down.
