Pacers handle their business, beat Suns in strange game

This wasn’t your typical NBA game. First, the Phoenix Suns (13-27) are accumulating wins faster than Indy is getting snow. They’ve dropped 11 of 12 and the end isn’t in sight.

Tuesday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse they were without their point guards, so they turned to second-year guard Archie Goowin, one of four Suns from the University of Kentucky, to start the game.

The Pacers (22-16) scored the game’s first 12 points as the Suns’ start missed their first nine attempts and they turned it over four times. You could say the game went as expected, until…

At the 4:32 mark of the second quarter, the power suddenly went out. Poof. Indianapolis Power & Light had an issue that caused outages citywide. Power was restored and the action resumed 22 minutes later. The Pacers, who then trailed by two, outscored the Suns 18-6 to halftime, where they took a 10-point lead into the break.

Their lead was just four points through three quarters and then they ultimately pulled away in the final stanza, outscoring the Suns 36-21.

“Our guys just imposed their will on the opponent in a game at home that we should win,” said Pacers coach Frank Vogel.

Five Pacers reached double figures, led by 21 & 7 from Paul George. George Hill buried 4-of-8 tries from outside and scored 20 points in the win.

Rookie Devin Booker, the 13th overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, impressed. He scored 19 points in 29 minutes.

“He’s spectacular,” Vogel said. “He had a great game tonight. We were very high on him, not just because he went to Kentucky, which is why I like him. [smirks] He’s in the mold of Klay Thompson and Bradley Beal and those types of guys. He’s a big-time shooter but can really do some things off the bounce. Really knows how to reads screens well. He’s just a terrific young talent.”

This was a game the Pacers had to win, especially after faltering in so many game over the last two weeks. They need the wins to pile up.

The Pacers complete the back end of this back-to-back in Boston Wednesday night against a Celtics team that also played Tuesday evening, losing 120-114 in New York. Rodney Stuckey is day-to-day with a sore right foot. He played just 4 minutes and 26 seconds on Tuesday and was then in the locker room for the rest of the game.

“It’s a concern,” Vogel said. “He’s just battling some soreness and we’ll see how he feels tomorrow night.”

Then, after the Pacers’ home game Friday against the Wizards, they head out west for a four-game road trip.