Pacers Score Win over Nets, 140-131

By ESPN

The Indiana Pacers kept promising this revamped team would look completely different.

They only needed one game to prove it.

Eight Pacers scored in double figures, three finished with double-doubles and Indiana produced its highest point total in nearly seven years in a 140-131 season-opening victory Wednesday night over the Brooklyn Nets, who lost Jeremy Lin to an apparent knee injury midway through the fourth quarter.

"It was a great first night and hopefully Pacers fans got a chance to see what we're capable of and what type of basketball team we are," Victor Oladipo said after finishing with 22 points, five rebounds, four steals and four assists in his Indiana debut.

Just two years ago, this was a team that relied on defense and a grind-it-out offense.

Not anymore.

With Paul George and Jeff Teague landing in new places, the Pacers used a balanced offense and a nice blend of old and new faces to get the job done.

Darren Collison wound up with 21 points and 11 assists in his return to Indiana. Newly elected team captain Myles Turner had 21 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks, and former Nets player Thaddeus Young added 17 points and 11 rebounds.

From an offensive standpoint, things couldn't have gone much better. The Pacers scored 140 points for the first time since putting up 144 against Denver on Nov. 9, 2010, and only the third time since 2000.

"I'm very, very happy and excited we got this win," Young said. "It gives us something to piggyback off and we have to go into that film room tomorrow and work on that defense because we gave up way too many points."

D'Angelo Russell had 30 points and five assists in his Brooklyn debut, but Lin limped to the back after a hard landing on a drive to basket. Trevor Booker added 20 points and 10 rebounds off the bench.

But it wasn't enough to avoid a franchise-record fifth consecutive opening-night loss.

"It's not a good night for the Nets," coach Kenny Atkinson said. "We're going to have to piece it together and figure out how we can improve and get ready for the Orlando game."

Both teams had chances to take control but neither really did -- even after the Pacers used a 10-0 third quarter run to break a 65-65 tie. Brooklyn never led again, though it charged back in the closing minutes by trimming a 10-point deficit to 130-126 before the Pacers finally closed it out.

Hayward Likely Out For Rest of Season

This was supposed to be a celebration. TheBoston Celtics' home opener on Wednesday night was supposed to be our first glimpse of the team's two new stars -- Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward -- together in a regular-season game on the TD Garden floor.

But all that got dashed when Hayward landed awkwardly a little more than five minutes into his Celtics debut on Tuesday night in Cleveland. Coming down off balance after leaping for an alley-oop, Hayward crashed to the floor and his left ankle bent awkwardly away from his left leg. Players on the Cleveland bench nearby immediately looked away at the gruesome sight.

Hayward spent Wednesday night four miles southwest of TD Garden at New England Baptist Hospital, where he underwent surgery to repair the fractured tibia and dislocated ankle that will likely cost him the rest of the 2017-18 season, his agent told ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Wednesday, October 18 Scoreboard

Washington 120, Philadelphia 115

Detroit 102, Charlotte 90

Indiana 140, Brooklyn 131

Orlando 116, Miami 109

Milwaukee 108, Boston 100

Memphis 103, New Orleans 91

Atlanta 117,  Dallas 111

Utah 106, Denver 96

San Antonio 107, Minnesota 99

Portland 124, Phoenix 76

Houston 105,  Sacramento 100

Thursday,  October 19 Schedule (All Times Central)

Chicago at Toronto, 6:30 p.m.

New York at Oklahoma City, 7 p.m.

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

Friday, October 20 Schedule (All Times Central)

Cleveland at Milwaukee, 6 p.m.

Atlanta at  Charlotte, 6 p.m.

Portland at Indiana, 6p.m.

Boston at Philadelphia, 6 p.m.

Detroit at Washington, 6 p.m.

Orlando at Brooklyn, 6:30 p.m.

Utah at Minnesota, 7 p.m.

Sacramento at Dallas, 7:309 p.m.

Golden State at New Orleans, 8:30 p.m.

Los Angeles Clippers at Phoenix, 9 p.m.

Saturday, October 21 Schedule (All Times Central)

Philadelphia at Toronto, 6:30 p.m.

Orland at Cleveland, 7 p.m.

Indiana at Miami, 7 p.m.

Detroit at New York, 7 p.m.

San Antonio at Chicago, 7 p.m.

Dallas at Houston, 7 p.m.

Golden State at Memphis, 7 p.m.

Portland at Milwaukee, 7:30 p.m.

Sacramento at Denver, 8 p.m.

Oklahoma  City at Utah, 8 p.m.

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

Sunday, October 22 Schedule (All Times Central)

Atlanta at Brooklyn, 2:30 p.m.

Minnesota at Oklahoma City, 6 p.m.

New Orleans at Los Angeles Lakers, 8:30 p.m.