Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James watches from the bench during the first half of the team’s NBA basketball game against the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2016. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Paul George scored 21 points as the Indiana Pacers took full advantage of the absence of LeBron James to defeat the NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers 103-93 on Wednesday.
George also weighed in with 11 rebounds while teammate Jeff Teague added 20 points as the Pacers improved to 6-6 as the Cavaliers suffered only their second defeat of the season to go to 9-2.
NBA Finals MVP James had been rested while J.R. Smith was also missing for the Cavs, nursing a right ankle sprain.
While Kevin Love (27 points) and Kyrie Irving (24) both made double figures for the Cavs, the absence of James’ eventually told as the Pacers delighted the home crowd at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse arena.
The Pacers are 6-1 at home this season and took a decisive lead in the fourth quarter when a 6-0 run completed by a Thaddeus Young layup stretched their advantage to 94-84.
Young eventually finished on 16 points while Myles Turner (12) and CJ Miles (10) also reached double figures for Indiana.
The Pacers twice led by 11 in the first half but turned around at half-time only five points up at 50-45 after Irving and Love combined for 31 points in the opening two quarters.