It wasn’t a matter of if Oklahoma City would make a run at the Indiana Pacers, but when it would happen.
The question was if the Pacers could withstand the run from one of the league’s best teams.
The Kevin Durant-led Thunder came hard with everything they had, but the Pacers managed to stand their ground and add to their list of impressive victories this season - 103-98 â€" in front of their fifth sellout of the season at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Friday.
The Pacers host the Boston Celtics Saturday night at the fieldhouse.
The victory over the Thunder goes in the same category as wins over teams like Chicago, Orlando, Boston, Atlanta, the Lakers, the Clippers and Miami this season for the Pacers.
The victory, in which the Pacers led by as many as 24 points, didn’t come without some suspense at the end.
Durant’s three-point play with 1:08 remaining brought the Thunders to within five, 96-91.
The Thunder made it a four-point game on a Kendrick Perkins reverse before Darren Collison’s 20-foot jumper with 16.8 seconds left put the Pacers back up six.
Durant was clearly the best player on the court - 44 points â€" but the Pacers were the better team.
Danny Granger led the Pacers with 26 points. Roy Hibbert had 21 points and 12 rebounds. Paul George grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds.
The Pacers used that type of team basketball to close the first quarter on a 9-0 run to go up 12 points.
The Pacers went into the half with a 15-point lead and increased it to 24 â€" 72-48 â€" on a Granger 16-foot jumper with 5:40 left in the third quarter.
Call Star reporter Mike Wells at (317) 444-6053.
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