DETROIT (Michigan News Source) – It must be the magic of playing the Pacers as for the second time this season Detroit has broken a losing streak against Indianapolis. Jaden Ivey played in front of family and friends on Friday night in Indiana producing 29 points and nine assists as Detroit ended their 11-game losing streak, 122-115.
“I felt all the nerves, the happiness, the energy. It’s always fun to come back to your home state. I have a lot of memories here so it’s great and I’m glad we got the win,” said Ivey.
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Also back from injury was Marvin Bagley III adding 14 points while Killian Hayes scored a career-high 28 points. Jalen Duren gave the team a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Detroit lead in the first two quarters of the game for a 73-57 lead at the half. They would need that 15-point lead as Indiana crept back into the game. By the end of the third period Indiana pulled to within nine, 96-87. With 10:05 left in the game, Indiana came within four, 99-95, but R.J. Hampton hit a short shot to put the lead back at six, 101-95. That started an 8-2 run over a minute and a half as Detroit took a 10-point lead, 107-97 as Bagley III hit a three-pointer for the double-digit lead. The lead was down to six, 112-106, with 5:03 remaining but Detroit scored the next four points in the next minute and a half making it a 10-point lead, again, on a Hayes jumper. Ivey made one free throw with 2:07 left pushing the lead to 11, 120-109, and then Hayes connected on Detroit’s final points of the night with a jumper at 1:07 making it 122-111. Indiana made a push in the final minute but came up short by seven points, 122-115.
Ivey finished with, “It’s big. This is why you play the game – to win.”
Detroit finishes the season on Sunday at Chicago.
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