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Pacers Edge Lowly Cavaliers

 T.J. McConnell set an NBA record with nine steals in the first half and posted his second career triple-double with 16 points, 13 assists and a franchise-best 10 steals, leading the Indiana Pacers to a 114-111 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night.

 

McConnell also went 8 of 8 from the field in 36 minutes off the bench as Indiana rallied from a 19-point deficit in the third quarter to end its four-game losing streak. Malcolm Brogdon scored 29 points and Domantas Sabonis had 18 points for the Pacers.

 

The NBA record of 11 steals in a game is shared by New Jersey's Kendall Gill on April 3, 1999, against Miami, and San Antonio's Larry Kenon on Dec. 26, 1976, at Kansas City.

 

McConnell's previous career best was six steals on two occasions, the last on Feb. 12, 2018, against New York, when he had his first triple-double with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists. The sixth-year pro leads the league in steals with 2.0 per game.

 

Collin Sexton had 32 points, 10 assists and three steals, and Jarrett Allen had 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who committed 26 turnovers and had their four-game winning streak snapped. They held an 81-62 lead midway through the third.

 

Indiana went up for good at 108-106 on a 3-pointer by Justin Holiday with 1:18 left. After a Dylan Windler layup pulled Cleveland within 112-111, Brogdon made two free throws with one second left and the Cavaliers were unable to get off a potential game-tying shot.

 

Sexton had 14 points and 10 assists at halftime and became the first Cavaliers player to have double-digit assists in the opening half since LeBron James on Feb. 6, 2017, at Washington.

 

The Pacers host Denver Thursday. Following the All-Star break, Indiana will go on the road for three games beginning March 12 at the Lakers.

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