12-20-2019, 07:43 AM
MILWAUKEE -- When Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel benched his starters for the entire game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night, it meant extended playing time for the teams reserves. Chris Copeland made sure to take advantage. Copeland scored a season-high 18 points and made a difficult driving layup with 1.2 seconds remaining, giving the Pacers a hard-fought 104-102 that moved them back into first place in the Eastern Conference. "Its big for our confidence, the second unit," said Copeland, who came in averaging three points. "Just to get the opportunity out there. A lot of us have been waiting for that all year. So it was very cool for us to get out there and get a win and show the starters that weve got their backs when they need rest." Copeland also tied a career high with four 3-pointers and matched a season high with 17 minutes of playing time. Following a pair of timeouts, the Pacers inbounded the ball to Copeland, who drove hard to the basket for the winning shot. "I tried to rip through to the basket and tried to use my size," Copeland said. "I saw help coming, so I shot it." Copelands shot came after Milwaukees Khris Middleton had tied the game at 102 after making three free throws. Middleton drew a foul while attempting a shot near the 3-point arc with 4.9 seconds remaining that referees initially ruled a 2-point attempt. After a review, the call was reversed, sending Middleton to the line for three shots. Luis Scola also recorded a season high with 24 points and Evan Turner added 23 for Indiana. Vogel made the unusual move to keep all of his regular first-team players on the bench after saying his team appeared tired following a 107-88 home loss to Atlanta on Sunday, when the Pacers were held to a franchise-low 23 points in the first half. "It was a great win for our guys, a great team effort," Vogel said. "We had a lot of good contributors." Even without the starters, Indiana moved a half-game ahead of the Heat heading into Fridays matchup in Miami. After leading the East most of the season, the Pacers had lost five of six games coming into the matchup with the Bucks. Still, the Pacers came in just a half-game behind Miami, which lost at Memphis. The Bucks, who had only eight players available due to injuries, have lost six in a row and were on the losing end of all four games with the Pacers this season. Brandon Knight had 25 points and Ramon Sessions 20 for Milwaukee. Jeff Adrien pulled down a career-high 17 rebounds. The game featured 23 lead changes. Usual Indiana starters Paul George, David West, George Hill and Lance Stephenson dressed but didnt play. Another starter, Roy Hibbert, was inactive for the game. All five are expected to start against the Heat. Vogel insisted that the move would allow the starters to get some minor injuries healed and for his reserves to play extended minutes. The Pacers starting lineup consisted of Scola, Turner, Rasual Butler, Ian Mahinmi and Donald Sloan. The five had a combined scoring average of 21.7 points, equal to Georges per-game average. "It was great for us starting guys to sit out and get some rest as well as our bench rotation guys to get some rhythm going late into the season," George said. "Its tough to be a spectator. But I had to be a good teammate." Adrien wasnt pleased with the benching of the Pacers starters. "It was kind of like a smack in our face," he said. Sessions also was surprised to see Indianas entire starting lineup on the bench. "They are fighting for something so it was a little surprising to see those guys sit," he said. The Pacers built a nine-point lead in the fourth before the Bucks late rally. Indiana held a 53-50 lead at the half, paced by Scolas 16 points and 14 from Turner. Sessions and Knight each had 11 first-half points for the Bucks. The game was tied at 25 after the first quarter. Scola tallied 12 points in the period for Indiana. Notes: Indiana guard C.J. Watson returned after missing 13 consecutive games with a hamstring injury. ... Milwaukee centre Larry Sanders was activated and began serving his five-game suspension for failed drug tests. ... New Marquette University mens basketball coach Steve Wojciechowski attended the game. Air Jordan 24 Sale . With the win, the Marlies complete a three-game series sweep of the Admirals and move on to the second round of the Calder Cup playoffs. T.J. Brennan added an empty netter with less than 25 seconds remaining for his second of the playoffs. Air Jordan 18 Sale . The 49ers announced the deal Thursday. San Francisco selected Kilgore in the fifth round of the 2011 draft out of Appalachian State. He has played in 33 regular-season games, plus all six playoff games the last two seasons. https://www.wholesaleshoesforcheap.com/vans-shoes-sale/. The Sochi organizing committee said in Fridays statement that the torch relay reached the North Pole on Oct. 19. Russian Polar explorer Artur Chilingarov, who led the mission, lit a special bowl at the North Pole sign. Nike Air Scream Sale . The league announced Thursday that Tom Higgins is leaving that post effective immediately. Air Max 720 Sale .com) - Graeme McDowell opened up with a first- round, 5-under 67 on Thursday and he holds a 2-shot lead at the WGC - HSBC Champions.PHILADELPHIA - Running back LeSean McCoy has regained his 2013 form.All is well with the Eagles offence, coming off a 33-10 win over the Dallas Cowboys which moved the Eagles into sole possession of first place in the NFC East.And the offensive line is a big reason for the improvement.After using seven different combinations, due to suspension, injury and poor play through the first 10 games, it appears the Eagles have settled on their five linemen for the rest of the season.Jason Peters, the only player to start all 12 games, is the left tackle. Evan Mathis, who missed seven games with a knee injury, is the left guard.Jason Kelce, who missed four games with a sports hernia, is the centre. Andrew Gardner, who played two games early at right tackle, is the fourth, and the Eagles hope final, right guard. And Lane Johnson, who was suspended the first four games for violating the NFLs policy on performance-enhancing substance, is the right tackle.I just think theres a continuity, Eagles coach Chip Kelly said Monday. The same guys are playing next to the same guys and communication has been better. As a group, theyve gotten the chance to line up next to each other for a few weeks and thats one of the reasons and also, Jason (Kelce) is healthier and Evan (Mathis) is healthier, so that helps.From the start of the season when Johnson was suspended, the Eagles have never been able to put their five preferred linemen on the field.That would have been Peters, Mathis, Kelce, Todd Herremans and Johnson.Not only that, but even the backups got hurt.Allen Barbre, the teams sixth man went down in the season opener, as he filled in for Johnson at right tackle, with a season-ending broken ankle.Thats the same game MMathis injured his knee.ddddddddddddWeve been through a lot of changes, Peters said. Guys up, guys down, its not easy. But the other guys played hard and we won games. Now, were getting most everyone back and theres that sense of continuity again.In 2013, Kellys first year as head coach, he had all five linemen start all 16 games and the playoff game against New Orleans.This year hes used seven different combinations and 10 different linemen, with Gardner, Herremans, Dennis Kelly and Matt Tobin all playing two different positions.Now, as the team reaches its stretch drive to repeat as division champions and advance in the playoffs, the line is starting to get that feel back.I feel pre-injury healthy, Mathis said after the win over Dallas. My conditioning is up to par. ... I think were just getting better and better at hitting the blocks, playing as a team more so and more so every week. Were blocking better up front as five offensive linemen, with the tight ends, the wide receivers and the backs are hitting the holes. Were just trying to grow each week as a team.NOTES: Kelly confirmed Monday that quarterback Nick Foles had a CT scan on his broken left collarbone. It is healing as expected, but he was not cleared to return because the bone is not fully healed. Kelly did not know when Foles would get checked again. ... Kelly also brushed off an on-field argument between quarterback Mark Sanchez and wide receiver Riley Cooper. They were talking about what they were going to have for Thanksgiving dinner, Kelly said. Really, its no big deal. Guys argue all the time during a game. You should put on my headset.___AP NFL websites: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '