After completing 22-point comeback, Pacers happy with 'a great team win'

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Pacers overcame a horrific first quarter, a 22-point deficit, and captured another emotional win Friday night.

The fact it came against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the defending Eastern Conference champions who swept the Pacers out of the playoffs last year, made it even more satisfying. Beating Cleveland for the third time this season, the Pacers gutted out a 97-95 victory before a boisterous sellout crowd of 17,923 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. It matched the largest comeback of the season for the Pacers, who overcame another 22-point deficit earlier in the season to defeat the Detroit Pistons.

Pacers guard Lance Stephenson was the catalyst with a superb performance (16 points, 11 rebounds), igniting the Pacers, and getting under the skin of LeBron James (27 points, 11 assists, eight rebounds), who drew a technical foul for pushing Stephenson in frustration. 

"Overall it was just a great team win," said Pacers guard Victor Oladipo, who finished with 19 points, putting the Pacers ahead for good with his final basket. "We did some great things down the stretch. They got into us early, and we just did a great job of showing resiliency."

It was a pulsating game that came down to the final possession. With the Pacers leading 96-95 with 5.5 seconds to play, Pacers point guard Darren Collison made a huge defensive play after a Cavaliers timeout. James took the inbounds pass and drove baseline on Collison, but he held his ground as James attacked the basket, and James stepped out of bounds with 1.4 seconds to play. What was Collison's mindset defending James?

"Really just hope, see what happens after that," Collison said chuckling.

"Defensive player of the year," said Oladipo, yelling across the locker room at Collison.

Collison was fouled intentionally after the Pacers inbounded and made just one of two free throws. The Cavaliers inbounded at midcourt to James, who spun and hoisted a 35-footer that nearly went in, bouncing off the back rim as the final horn sounded. The Pacers (22-20) breathed a sign of relief and left with an important win. They now face a five-game trip West that begins Sunday in Phoenix.

Collison led the Pacers with 22 points, while Lance Stephenson (16 points, 11 rebounds) was superb off the bench. Domantas Sabonis (12 points, 15 rebounds), had a strong game starting at center in place of Myles Turner (elbow injury). James led the Cavaliers with 27 points and eight rebounds, while Kevin Love added 21 points and 10 rebounds. 

Victor Oladipo (19 points) put the Pacers ahead for good, drilling a three-pointer to give the Pacers a 96-95 lead with two minutes to play. From that point, neither team could buy a basket. In the final minute, Oladipo drove to the basket, but James rotated over and rejected Oladipo's shot. James had a chance to put the Cavaliers back in front, but he missed on a jumper. Than on the Pacers' next possession, Oladipo missed a jumper, and the Cavaliers called timeout with 5.5 seconds to play, setting up the final sequence.

Here are three takeways from an impressive Pacers victory:

1. Stephenson was a spark the Pacers needed.

By the time Stephenson entered the game in the first quarter,  the Pacers trailed 26-6.
"Be a spark," a fan yelled toward Stephenson. The Pacers needed more than a spark. They needed a bonfire. Stephenson provided it. The Pacers scored only 12 points in the first quarter, their low quarter for the season. But thanks to Stephenson and others, they were able to overcome. Stephenson did not blow in James' ear Friday night, but he got under James' skin. James got his technical foul for pushing Stephenson after they bumped and exchanged glares in the fourth quarter, and Stephenson guarded James for long stretches down the stretch. Stephenson loves competing against James. On this occasion, Stephenson got the last laugh,

"He's an outstanding player, you can't just play him soft and regular," said Stephenson of James. "I told myself tonight I was going to get into him, play him hard, make him make tough baskets."

Asked if James said anything to him, Stephenson said, "Nah. I wish he would. He don't never say nothing."

Asked if he thought he got under James' skin, Stephenson said, "It looked like I did today. This is the first time he reacted to me." 

2. You cannot question the Pacers' resiliency.

The Pacers have won six games after trailing by at least 10 points, and four games after trailing by 19 or more. Trailing by 22 points early in the second quarter in this game., and without Turner in the lineup, the Pacers did not fold. They regrouped. They have done that repeatedly this season, and their ability to come back from huge deficits has been one of their defining characteristics.

When the Pacers don't reach 100 points, it usually equals defeat. They  are 2-12 when they fail to reach that mark. Their 12-point output in the first quarter Friday was their lowest-scoring quarter this season. Yet they turned the game around.

3. When Collison looks for his offense, good things happen for the Pacers.

Collison was aggressive in this game, attacking the basket and looking for scoring opportunities. He is a pass-first, shoot-second point guard, which works well for his teammates. But with the Pacers missing Turner, and only scoring 12 points in the first quarter, this was a perfect night for Collison to assert himself. Opponents focus so much on containing Oladipo, and there will be games when his teammates will be called upon to pick up the slack. The Cavaliers are not a good defensive team, often slow to rotate if you move the ball well against them. Collison took advantage of almost every open look that he got. 

Follow IndyStar sports writer Clifton Brown on Twitter @CliftonGBrown