Nate Taylor

IndyStar

The Indiana Pacers spent most of their time after Saturday’s win over the Detroit Pistons marveling at Paul George’s fourth-quarter performance. George’s 21 consecutive points to end the game overshadowed how the Pacers’ defense allowed Indiana to stay in the contest despite its star struggling through the first three quarters.

Sunday's film session was a reminder of how effective the Pacers can be on defense.

“When we defend, we’re pretty good,” coach Frank Vogel said. “We’ve got to keep committing to that end of the floor.”

Ahead of the Pacers is a four-game trip that starts Monday against the Miami Heat (7:30 p.m., FSI). The Pacers will also face the Orlando Magic, New Orleans Pelicans and Houston Rockets.

What the Pacers hope to accomplish during their week-long trip is maintain that level of defensive intensity.

“It’s just focus, especially when you’re on the road and you’re in other people’s gyms,” C.J. Miles said of what will be the biggest reason the Pacers execute on defense. “Winning on the road is a lot of about focusing and how you take care of your body and prepare for the game. It’s a lot more mental than anything.”

Before Saturday’s game, Vogel changed the team’s shootaround by focusing almost solely on the defensive principles, responsibilities and adjustments necessary to beat the Pistons. The Pacers responded by holding the Pistons to 35 percent shooting and scored 17 points off of the 10 turnovers they created.

George catches fire late, leads Pacers to win over Pistons

At home, the Pacers have been an exceptional team on defense. On the road, their defense has been average.

In their 16 road games, the Pacers’ defensive rating is 100.4, which is 3.3 points higher than when they play inside Bankers Life Fieldhouse. They won just two road games in December and allowed opponents to score more than 100 points in five of the team’s eight road games during the month.

In order to have a successful start in 2016, Vogel knows that trend will have to change. The Pacers will play nine road games – their most of any month – in January.

“We kind of targeted December and January as the two hardest months of the season,” Vogel said. “We didn’t do well enough with a tough schedule (in December), so we know we’ve got a lot of road games and we’ll have to be road warriors.”

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One player Vogel has relied on in the past four games to provide energy and toughness on defense is Solomon Hill. In Saturday’s win, Hill played exceptional defense, collected five rebounds, blocked Stanley Johnson’s shot twice on the same possession and recorded a steal.

The past four games have been close ones for the Pacers and Hill has been on the floor in the fourth quarter of each to provide a spark on defense.

“That’s one of my gifts and it’s one thing that’s been programmed in my head since I’ve been here,” Hill said. “We’re known as a defensive team. Of course we’re trying to switch the offense, but we’ve got to get back to our roots.”

Hill said it is more fun to play on the road, to get a critical stop in the fourth quarter that quiets the home crowd. He knows the Pacers can build on their chemistry if they execute in those moments to secure victories on the road.

“I think that should be the stuff that we live for,” Hill said of shushing the crowd on the road. “Hopefully we can get it going on this road trip. I don’t see a reason why we can’t win them all. At this point, the East is very competitive. One or two games can be the difference between the two seed to the 11th seed.”

Vogel reminds players to stay calm

A day after the Pacers and Pistons engaged in an altercation after the final buzzer, Vogel told his players to not shove opposing players or throw punches in the heat of an argument on the court.

In the game’s final seconds, George slapped the ball out of the hands of Detroit’s Marcus Morris. The two exchanged words as time expired and both benches cleared when Morris shoved George. Fortunate for Vogel, he and Monta Ellis were able to separate George from Morris and other Pistons.

“There’s going to be altercations every year with every team,” Vogel said. “I just wanted to make sure everyone knew that my stance is that we should never approach an opposing player. You should go in there, if you’re on the court, to go and pull your guys out. That’s what I did with Paul and that’s what I think Monta was doing.”

Call Star reporter Nate Taylor at (317) 444-6484. Follow him on Twitter: @ByNateTaylor.

INDIANA at MIAMI

Tipoff: 7:30 p.m. Monday, AmericanAirlines Arena.

TV: FSI.

Radio: WFNI-AM (1070), -FM (93.5).

PACERS (19-14)

Tipoff: 7:30 p.m. Monday, AmericanAirlines Arena.

TV, radio: FSI, WFNI-AM (1070), -FM (93.5).

PACERS (19-14)



Pos. Player PPG Key stat

PG George Hill 12.4 4.0 rpg

SG Monta Ellis 13.1 4.5 apg

SF C.J. Miles 14.5 39.5 3pt%

PF Paul George 24.5 7.7 rpg

C Ian Mahinmi 8.0 7.0 rpg

6th Jordan Hill 9.9 7.6 rpg

HEAT (19-13)*

Pos. Player PPG Keystat

PG Goran Dragic 11.7 5.3 apg

SG Dwyane Wade 18.6 4.6 apg

SF Luol Deng 10.2 4.3 rpg

PF Chris Bosh 18.4 8.1 rpg

C Hassan Whiteside 12.8 11.2 rpg

6th Gerald Green 11.4 34.6 3pt%

* – Heat records and statistics entering Sunday

STORYLINES

HEAT VULNERABLE AT HOME OF LATE: The Miami Heat, much like the Pacers, have gone on winning streaks but have also suffered a three-game losing streak this season. In their past eight home games, the Heat are just 4-4. Two of those losses came against the Brooklyn Nets and the Washington Wizards, teams with losing records.

PACERS HAVE HEALTHY FRONT LINE: Saturday’s win over the Detroit Pistons was the first time the Pacers had each of their four frontcourt players healthy since early November. Coach Frank Vogel said Ian Mahinmi felt fine during Sunday’s practice. Mahinmi returned to the court against the Pistons after having a sore left knee. Rookie Myles Turner has also averaged 6.7 points and six rebounds in his three back since returning from a chip fracture in his left thumb.

HE SAID WHAT?!: “They’re a good basketball team. Dwyane Wade is still playing well. Everybody talks about how many years he’s played and his body, but he came back this year and proved that he can still play as well as anybody at his position. They have dangerous guys. Bosh is dangerous, shoots the ball inside and out. Dragic is dangerous as a one-man fast break. Gerald Green can get hot, as we know. It’s about going in there and knowing them on their home floor. They get it hype in there. We’ve got to be ready to withstand that surge they’re going to come out with to start the game and provide our own energy.” – C.J. Miles on the challenges of facing the Heat in Miami.

PREDICTION: The Pacers are a healthy team and have handled the Heat well in the two previous games this season at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Heat will be entering the game on the second night of a back-to-back. Pacers 101, Heat 95.

— Nate Taylor