Insider: Kyle O'Quinn comes up big in middle as Pacers start 3-game trip

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Pacers at Timberwolves, 8 p.m. Monday, FSI

INDIANAPOLIS — Kyle O'Quinn is a self-motivator. He's his own hype man. He bares all.

O'Quinn stood near the sideline during a timeout in the fourth quarter, challenging himself to stay focused and keep his head in the game. The Indiana Pacers had led by as much as 29 and had long beaten the fight out of the Brooklyn Nets. He finished with 16 points on 7-for-12 shooting in his most significant minutes of the season.

"He's been so reluctant to shoot the ball. He just wouldn't shoot it in practice," Myles Turner said. "We know he's a great player, a great shooter, makes good plays.

"Walks around the locker room naked for some reason. It's weird. Other than that, he's a good teammate."

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The third center in coach Nate McMillan's rotation, O'Quinn is similar to Domantas Sabonis (right knee bruise) who sat out Saturday's 132-112 victory.

Both are true low-post options. Both prefer to shoot inside the 3-point arc.

Sabonis is listed as questionable for Monday's game at the Minnesota Timberwolves. T.J. Leaf (left ankle sprain) hasn't played since logging one minute in the opener. He's questionable, too. The Pacers also will play at San Antonio and at Cleveland on this trip.

The Pacers had trouble shedding the Nets for most of three quarters, but that changed when O'Quinn got into a rhythm with a second unit that dominated.

It went from 95-85 entering the fourth quarter to a rout. O'Quinn made 6 of 7 shots and played nine of the 12 minutes.

"This is what we brought him here for," McMillan said. "There are going to be nights where we're going to need him."

McMillan called a timeout with 8:03 left and there was an assumption that he'd put back in his starters. He stuck with O'Quinn, three other backups and Victor Oladipo.

"When you come out of that huddle and coach still has that same lineup out there, he must see something. You don't question him," O'Quinn said. "'I'm still in? Let's get it.'"

Cory Joseph pitched it to Oladipo. Doug McDermott ran a ghost screen, a decoy to occupy Oladipo's man who was defending him on the dribble up top. Then Oladipo put his head down, got the edge and a drive to the rim. Nets center Jarrett Allen helped at the rim to force the miss but O'Quinn got the putback.

That bucket put him in double figures.

"Having him right there ready to play and at a high level is a good example for the young guys and it shows why he's such a great pro," said Oladipo, who was briefly a teammate with O'Quinn when he played for the Orlando Magic. "I've known Kyle since I was a rookie. We've known each other for six years now. He's more than just a teammate to me. He'll tell you the same thing. It's great to see your brother play well."

McDermott spent time as O'Quinn's teammate with the New York Knicks.

"Kyle is just a professional. We always had a great connection. One of my favorite teammates that I've played with because he brings energy regardless if he scores zero points or 15 points," McDermott said. "You're going to feel him out there. He's just an ultimate professional and with Domas going down, he just stepped right in, did his job. He'll always be ready. That's why Kyle does."

O'Quinn hadn't played more than four minutes in any game. When he set an angled screen for Oladipo to run into a 3, it was unofficially curtains for the Nets.

"Being dependable, that's one of the things I hold myself into account for. Coach doesn't put the pressure on me that I've got to go 6-for-6 from the 3-point line," he said. "That's the beauty of my job."

The only thing he lacks, according to Turner, is a towel.