Jimmy Butler III led all scorers with 21 points, Al Horford made his biggest all-around contribution of the season and the Golden State Warriors, playing without Stephen Curry, broke free from a third-quarter deadlock to thrash the short-handed Indiana Pacers 114-83 in San Francisco on Sunday night.
Horford, who had missed 15 of 16 3-point attempts over Golden State’s last eight games, connected on 4-of-6 from deep during a 12-point performance off the bench in just 18 minutes.
The offseason free-agent signing missed his season high for points and rebounds (4) by one apiece, but recorded season-best totals in 3-pointers and blocked shots (3).
One of Horford’s 3-pointers came in a 14-0 run that bridged the third and fourth quarters after the Pacers had drawn even 65-all on a three-point play by Jarace Walker with 3:31 left in the third period.
Moses Moody contributed a four-point play to cap the third-quarter portion of the run, during which the Warriors scored the final 10 points of the period. When Will Richard added a layup and Butler a dunk on Golden State’s first two possessions of the fourth quarter, the lead had mushroomed to 14 and the Pacers were never a serious threat again.
The 2024-25 Eastern Conference champions were playing without the injured Tyrese Haliburton, Ben Mathurin, Obi Toppin and T.J. McConnell and chose to rest Pascal Siakam and Aaron Nesmith.
Playing the second time on a four-game trip, Indiana scored just 18 points in the final 15:31.
Winning for the first time in Curry’s illness-related three-game absence, the Warriors took advantage of a 26-8 scoring advantage at the free-throw line. Richard had seven of his 15 points on eight visits to the stripe.
Butler converted 10-for-15 from the field for the Warriors while also finding time for nine rebounds, seven assists and two steals. Quinten Post and Brandin Podziemski finished with 14 points apiece, while Moody added 13.
Andrew Nembhard paced the Pacers with 14 points and a game-high nine assists. Jeremiah Robinson-Earl and Jay Huff were the game’s leading rebounders with 12 and 11, respectively. Huff recorded a double-double with 12 points and three blocks.
Walker and Isaiah Jackson also scored 12 points for the Pacers, whose lone win in 10 games this season came Nov. 1 at home against Golden State.
–Field Level Media
