The Hawks erased an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit.
And then lost by 19 points.
The Pacers used a late fourth-quarter run to send the Hawks to a 111-92 defeat Thursday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
The Hawks (27-21) have lost two straight and four of the past five games.
After going on a 15-6 run, the Hawks led 90-88 with 5:52 remaining. Then it was the Pacers’ turn. They ran off 12 straight points and ended on a 23-2 run to regain control and win going away.
The Pacers (24-22) snapped a three-game losing streak and won for the second time in the past eight games. They have won both games against the Hawks in Indianapolis this season.
Here are the key players and five observations on the game:
Three key players
Monta Ellis: The Pacers guard finished with a game-high 25 points, including five 3-pointers.
Myles Turner: The Pacers forward got his first start of the season and scored 20 points.
Thabo Sefolosha: The Hawks wing scored 13 points off the bench, 12 in the second half.
Five observations
1. Millsap sprains ankle
The Hawks got a scare in the second quarter when Paul Millsap suffered a left ankle sprain. After pulling down a rebound with 2:54 left, Millsap called a timeout and headed straight to the locker room. The Hawks announced his return was probable. However, after taking part in second-half warmups, it was announced he would not return. Tiago Splitter started in place of Millsap, who was named an Eastern Conference All-Star reserve earlier in the day. Millsap finished with four points and five rebounds.
2. No stopping Ellis
The Pacers shooting guard was the difference for the second straight game between the teams. He scored 26 points in the Pacers’ victory in December. In the two games this season he has a total of 51 points.
3. Pacers make run
The Pacers led by as many as 10 points in the first half and took a 51-44 lead into intermission. The Hawks rallied in the third quarter and tied the game at 63. However, the Pacers closed the quarter on a 19-12 run as Ellis scored eight points and Turner scored seven. It gave the Pacers a seven-point advantage heading into the final quarter. They increased their lead to 11 points with the first two baskets of the final quarter.
4. Checking PG
The Hawks stymied Pacers All-Star Paul George in the first half. The forward, who started at small forward as the Pacers inserted Turner into the lineup, had zero points, one rebound, one assist and three fouls in the first half. He picked up a third foul with 3:45 left in the second quarter and did not return. George scored his first basket three minutes into the third quarter and had eight in the quarter. He finished with 11 points, seven from the free-throw line.
5. Teague starts fast
Jeff Teague was effective for the Hawks from the start. The point guard scored nine of the Hawks’ first 14 points before exiting with 4:47 left in the first quarter. Teague finished with 11 points in the first half and a team-high 20 for the game.
