Pacers' Coach Reachs 500th Career Victory

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Published on January 19 2017 6:14 am
Last Updated on January 19 2017 6:14 am

By ESPN

Tightly clutching the game ball in the locker room, Indiana Pacers coach Nate McMillan was all smiles for a variety of reasons.

Paul George scored 24 points, Jeff Teague had 22 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds, and the Pacers used a big second half to beat the Sacramento Kings 106-100 on Wednesday for McMillan's 500th career victory.

The veteran coach is 29th on the wins list for NBA coaches. Only three other active coaches -- Gregg Popovich, Doc Rivers and Rick Carlisle -- have 500 or more victories.

Indiana's impressive rally on the road made it one sweet night for the 52-year-old McMillan, who is in his first season with the Pacers. McMillan's team trailed by as many as 22 points in the first half, and then outscored Sacramento 65-40 in the final two quarters to win for the seventh time in eight games.

"When I started coaching, I started as an assistant coach, I never really thought about being a head coach," McMillan said. "To be a part of this league this long and to win 500 games I the NBA is a blessing."

George presented McMillan with the game ball in the locker room after helping the Pacers outscore the Kings 35-21 in the fourth.

"We came out flat again on the road, we had a bad approach in the first half," George said. "But we hung in there and played as a group after that and kept chipping away at the lead. We don't like being in that position. We need to start games on the road with more focus."

DeMarcus Cousins had 25 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for Sacramento, which lost Rudy Gay to a suspected torn left Achilles tendon in the third quarter. It was Cousins' fifth career triple-double.

The Kings closed out a 1-6 homestand and have dropped eight of 10 overall.


Wednesday, January 18 Scoreboard

Philadelphia 94, Toronto 89

Washington 104,  Memphis 101

Charlotte 107, Portland 85

New York 117, Boston 106

New Orleans 118, Orlando 98

Houston 111, Milwaukee 92

Detroit 118, Atlanta 95

Golden State 121, Oklahoma City 100

Indiana 106, Sacramento 100


Thursday, January 19 Schedule (All Times Central)

Phoenix at Cleveland, 6 p.m.

Dallas at Miami, 6:30 p.m.

Washington at New York, 7 p.m.

Denver at San Antonio, 7:30 p.m.

Minnesota at Los Angeles Clippers, 9:30 p.m.


Friday, January 20 Schedule (All Times Central)

Portland at Philadelphia, 6 p.m.

Toronto at Charlotte, 6 p.m.

Milwaukee at Orlando, 6 p.m.

Sacramento at Memphis, 7 p.m.

Brooklyn at New Orleans, 7 p.m.

Golden State at Houston, 7 p.m.

Chicago at Atlanta, 7 p.m.

Utah at Dallas, 7:30 p.m.

Indiana at Los Angeles Lakers, 9:30 p.m.


Saturday, January 21 Schedule (All Times Central)

Portland at Boston, 4 p.m.

Washington at Detroit, 5 p.m.

Brooklyn at Charlotte, 6 p.m.

Philadelphia at Atlanta, 6 p.m.

Phoenix at New York, 6:30 p.m.

Milwaukee at Miami, 6:30 p.m.

Houston at Memphis, 7 p.m.

San Antonio at Cleveland, 7:30 p.m.

Los Angeles Clippers at Denver, 8 p.m.

Indiana at Utah, 8 p.m.

Sacramento at Chicago, 8 p.m.


Sunday, January 22 Schedule (All Times Central)

Golden State at Orlando, 11 a.m.

Los Angeles Lakers at Dallas, 2:30 p.m.

Phoenix at Toronto, 5 p.m.

Denver at Minnesota, 6 p.m.