Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert (55) looks to shoot the ball against Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez (11) during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Brooklyn Nets, Saturday, Nov. 9, 2013, at the Barclays Center in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
NEW YORK — Paul George scored 24 points and the Indiana Pacers improved the NBA’s only undefeated record and the best start in franchise history to 7-0 by beating the Brooklyn Nets 96-91 Saturday night.
David West added 18 points and hit the clinching free throws for the Pacers, who had won their first six games in 1970-71, when they played in the ABA. They have the longest winning streak to open an NBA season since both the Lakers and New Orleans were 8-0 in 2010-11, according to STATS.
Roy Hibbert finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds, and Lance Stephenson also scored 15 points.
Deron Williams and Joe Johnson each had 17 points for the Nets, who fell to 2-4 and lost at home for the first time this season. Brook Lopez scored 16 and Paul Pierce had 15.
Brooklyn trailed by 10 midway through the fourth quarter but got a 3-pointer from Pierce that bounced on the rim at least four times during a spurt that cut it to 94-91, and they got the ball back after George threw away a pass with 20 seconds left. But Johnson was just long on a 3-point attempt with about 11 seconds to go and West grabbed the rebound and hit both free throws after being fouled.
Pacers coach Frank Vogel said the team wants the best record in the Eastern Conference after falling a game short of the NBA Finals last season when it lost Game 7 on the road in Miami.
Keep this up, and the Pacers will have the best record in the whole league.
The Pacers opened an early nine-point lead that the Nets wiped away thanks to a strong performance by their reserves. Brooklyn already had nine players score midway through the second quarter and took a 46-44 lead into halftime after Lopez’s jumper with 11 seconds left.
Indiana, which has trailed at halftime in six of its seven games, then outscored Brooklyn 28-21 in the third quarter.