NBA: Suns, minus four starters, still defeat Pacers
Mikal Bridges #25 of the Phoenix Suns reacts during the second half of the NBA game at Footprint Center on October 25, 2022 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Suns defeated the Warriors 134-105. Christian Petersen/Getty Images/AFP
Dependable Mikal Bridges had 22 points and four steals, Bismack Biyombo and Josh Okogie made surprising contributions and the Phoenix Suns overcame the absence of four starters to defeat the visiting Indiana Pacers 112-107 on Saturday night.
Starting in place of Deandre Ayton, Biyombo anchored a strong defensive effort with a season-high 16 rebounds and combined with Okogie for seven blocked shots as the Suns limited the visitors to 37.5 percent shooting en route to a second straight win to open a five-game homestand.
Bennedict Mathurin had 23 points off the bench and T.J. McConnell a triple-double to pace Indiana, which dropped its seventh in a row and second in two nights.
In a tight affair in which neither team led by more than 10, the Suns, who also were without Chris Paul, Devin Booker and Cam Johnson, appeared to take control when Okogie buried a 3-pointer for a 102-94 lead with 3:47 to play.
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) January 22, 2023
But the Pacers chipped away, getting within 104-101 with 1:56 remaining on a three-point play by Mathurin, then as close as 109-107 when Buddy Hield buried a 3-pointer with seven seconds left.
The Suns left the door to overtime ajar when Saben Lee missed one of two free throws with 5.4 seconds remaining, but Hield misfired on a potential game-tying 27-footer with 2.7 seconds left.
Okogie then iced the win with two free throws with nine-tenths of a second left.
Okogie, who had scored more than 14 points just once all season, finished with a team-high 24 to go with 10 rebounds and four blocks for the Suns, who complete a home back-to-back against the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday night.
Biyombo and his backup, Jock Landale, also completed double-doubles, Biyombo with 12 points and three blocks, Landale with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Damion Lee (16 points) and Lee (12) also scored in double figures for the Suns, who won despite shooting just 41.8 percent.
McConnell’s triple-double, the third of his career, consisted of 18 points and season-highs in assists with 12 and rebounds with 10.
Hield used a game-high five 3-pointers as the foundation for a 22-point night for the Pacers, who were without injured star Tyrese Haliburton.
Indiana also got 16 points and a team-high 12 rebounds from Myles Turner, and 11 points from Jalen Smith.
