The Pacers’ season is on life support and they know it.
Belief, though, has never lacked for any Frank Vogel coached team, and the mindset he’s reiterated to this group is to just stay with it.
Back at home, in front of the 11th sellout crowd of the season, they came out hungry for a win after letting two in a row get away. The Pacers clamped down on defense and outscored the Charlotte Hornets 48-22 over the middle two quarters on way to a 93-74 victory Friday night.
The win was the 200th (200-143) of Vogel’s five-year career.
“It obviously means a lot,” he said of the milestone. “I don’t want to say it doesn’t mean anything. It’s tough to just absorb that right now. We’re focusing on staying in the fight but I’m obviously very fortunate to of been the coach here long enough to achieve something like that.”
The Hornets, who’ve now lost seven of their last 11 games, , managed just nine points in the third — the fewest points allowed in any quarter this season. They missed 19 of 21 field goal attempts in the period, including the last 15.
It was one of those nights for the Pacers, one they desperately needed.
They held the Hornets to 35 percent shooting, and no player to more than 12 points (Gerald Henderson). The Pacers, meanwhile, had three players reach double figures and Rodney Stuckey paced the way with 15 points off the bench.
“We got to keep working, keep pushing, take one game at a time and see,” said Ian Mahinmi. “You never know what could happen. As you can see, we’re watching the Brooklyn game but all we can do is what we can control.”
Once the Pacers got up 21, 68-47, late in the third, Hornets coach Steve Clifford turned down his bench and sent in ex-Pacer Lance Stephenson for the first time in three games. About 90 minutes before the game, Clifford noted that he intended to stick with the plan that he used the last two games.
Stephenson heard boos — which was ridiculous — every time he touched the ball, but he said postgame that he understands it comes with being on the other bench.
“It’s just because I’m on a different team,” he said. “I know they have love for me and I’m not mad at them. They are cheering for their team and I’m on a different team now.”
Stephenson sad in second return to Indy, misses being able to play freely
Stephenson and the Hornets are in a bad marriage where both sides need to make improvements. After the final buzzer sounded, he walked towards his old bench to say hello to former teammates. George Hill, Paul George, David West, and Ian Mahinmi had an extended conversation with him, offering words of encouragement.
“They’re like family, like brothers,” said Stephenson, who finished with 10 points and an assists in 14 minutes. “They just told me to hold my head (up), keep working hard, keep focused. They’ve always been there to encourage me.”
PHOTO: Lance Stephenson watches Paul George shoot
Back to the current Pacers (33-43), who recognize their dire situation.
The win leapfrogs them over the Hornets (32-43) in 10th, and two games behind Boston (34-42), who lost to Milwaukee Friday. (Boston holds the tiebreaker.) All of Indiana’s remaining games are critical, especially so on Sunday against Miami (34-41), who currently holds the eighth and final playoff spot.
“When you put one game to bed, you move on to the next game,” Vogel said. “You talk about where you’re at, and what things look like. It’s easy to feel after those two losses that are chances have slipped away, but they haven’t. Those teams have got to play six or seven games. There’s a chance they could take some losses, and if they we’re going to capitalize. But it’s not going to happen if we don’t take care of our business.
“Every game matters. It’s reasonable to believe that we could go on a strong run to finish the season and that’s how we are approaching it.”
With the Final Four in town, Indianapolis is basketball heaven this weekend … more so than usual. The Pacers and Heat tip-off Sunday at 6:00 p.m.
“It’s the same thing,” Solomon Hill said. “It’s staying with it on defense and just finding continuity on offense.”