Spirited play can't get Pacers past Warriors

OAKLAND, Calif. – By the end, the two coaches wanted to share praise about the performances of their respective teams.

The man leading the home team sat at an elevated stage, victorious for the 13th straight time inside Oracle Arena, and called his Golden State Warriors' 117-102 win one of the biggest in a season already overflowing with big wins.

But the one who slowly walked out of the visitors' locker room to stand in front of a concrete wall, digesting another loss, expressed just as much pride in his team in spite of the result.

"I just like how we're playing," coach Frank Vogel said after the Indiana Pacers (14-23) concluded a 2-2 trip. "The spirit this team is playing with, sharing the basketball, playing hard, physicality (and) defending. I like how we're playing."

Those in Indianapolis who stayed up to watch the Pacers on the West Coast witnessed what Vogel liked so much about Wednesday night.

The starting lineup shifted with the absence of Rodney Stuckey (sore right groin) – also, point guard George Hill (sore left groin) missed his third straight game – and yet, the Pacers led by five after the first quarter.

"We've been dealing with it all year," Vogel said about injuries. "If a guy goes down, everybody else has to step up. It's nothing new to this season."

Before the six-minute mark inside the most difficult arena for an opposing team this year, the Pacers had lost another starter as Roy Hibbert (sprained left ankle) crumbled to the ground, yet his replacement, Lavoy Allen, and Luis Scola helped fill the void with 18 points combined by halftime.

"Everybody on our roster is an NBA player. There's a reason why they're here," said Solomon Hill, who finished with a team-high 21 points

And though Golden State features much more talent throughout its roster, the Pacers increased their advantage to five, then nine and somehow, led 42-31 as Donald Sloan drove through the lane and flipped in a finger roll with 6:06 remaining in the first half.

They're talking championship in the Bay. In Indianapolis – well, besides the weather – they're discussing who's next on the injury list.

And yet, by halftime, the Pacers, down three starters, were locked into a tie with the league's best team.

"We've had the next man up mentality since the beginning of the season," Hill said. "I think everybody's brought into it and really understands it and that shows every game. We all understand that we can play ourselves into any game… it doesn't matter who's on the floor. It's just another test."

However, like those other tests in Portland and San Antonio when the Pacers challenged some of the best teams in the West but couldn't keep up at the end, the Warriors showed just how good they are compared to their daring but debilitated opponent.

Golden State shooting guard Klay Thompson broke the tie three seconds into the third quarter and spent the rest of the half reigning as the best shooting guard in the Western Conference. Though Hill played a strong offensive game, he drew the defensive assignment and couldn't contain Thompson from having an otherworldly offensive night.

Thompson knocked down one of his six 3-pointers to cap a 10-0 run to start the third quarter and though the Pacers would eventually cut the deficit to 69-68, the Warriors made waves of buckets to drown out any rally.

Thompson (14-of-25) finished with 40 points, the most an opponent has scored on the Pacers this season. Stephen Curry played facilitator with 15 assists and still scored 21 points along the way. The Warriors made 12-of-28 shots from the 3-point arc, their fourth straight game with at least a dozen 3s. Overall, Golden State improved to 28-5 on the season.

"A great win," Warriors coach Steve Kerr gushed afterwards. "One of my favorite wins of the year."

As the Pacers move forward to the portion of the schedule heavy on rivals with losing records (Boston, Philadelphia, Minnesota, Detroit and Charlotte), they'll have opportunities to still surge in the Eastern Conference. After the loss in Oakland, the Pacers trail the Miami Heat by two games for the final playoff spot.

"I'm proud of our guys fighting," Vogel said.

INJURY UPDATE

Hibbert, who missed four games this season with problems on the same ankle, said of the current injury: "It's not as bad as the last time."

Hill will be re-evaluated back in Indianapolis and Stuckey has an encouraging prognosis with his sore right groin – he sat out Wednesday to rest it more than anything.

Follow Star reporter Candace Buckner on Twitter: @CandaceDBuckner.