Pacers can't out-tank Nets, win by 29 in season's final road game

Obi Toppin posted 26 points, nine rebounds and three assists to lead the Pacers to a 123-94 win over the Nets in Thursday night's matchup of teams with two of the three worst records in the NBA. It was the Pacers' second biggest margin of victory in this season in which they have already posted their second-highest loss total in franchise history.

For draft lottery purposes, the Nets needed to lose more than the Pacers did and operated in kind. The Pacers improved to 19-61 and have the second-worst record in the NBA. The Nets fell to 20-60 and have the third-worst. Lottery odds are flat for the three-worst teams in the NBA, and the Kings and Jazz are tied for the fourth-worst record with 21 wins.

Center Micah Potter added 18 points and 14 rebounds for the Pacers, who had seven of their nine available players score in double figures. Guard Ethan Thompson had 15 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Forward Jarace Walker had 14 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Center Jay Huff had 14 points, seven rebounds and three assists. Guard Quenton Jackson had 12 points, six rebounds and seven assists and forward Jalen Slawson had 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists.

Short-handed Nets can't handle short-handed Pacers' size inside

Both the Pacers and Nets entered Thursday's game more in need of losses than wins, but the Nets were more in need of a loss and operated in kind. The Pacers were missing nine players, but the Nets had 10 sit out and perhaps most notably they were missing all of their big men. Brooklyn didn't have a player available taller than 6-8. Meanwhile the Pacers had two healthy centers in the 7-foot Jay Huff and the 6-9 Micah Potter plus 6-9 combo big man Obi Toppin. The Pacers took advantage by taking the ball to the rim mercilessly and getting it to their bigs in post-up situations.

The Pacers scored 80 points in the paint on 40 of 60 shooting in the lane, surpassing their previous season high of 72. Toppin went for 26 points on 11 of 14 shooting, Potter had 18 points on 8 of 15 shooting and Huff had 14 points on 6 of 6 shooting. Forwards Jarace Walker and Jalen Slawson were also dominant around the rim, combining for 26 points. Meanwhile, the Pacers also dominated the glass, winning the rebound battle 66-43 and scoring 11 second-chance points to Brooklyn's seven. Potter led the Pacers with 14 rebounds and Toppin and Walker added nine each.

The Nets, meanwhile shot just 38.5% from the floor. They scored 56 points in the paint in part because the Pacers' defense lagged in the second half, but in the first half the Pacers won the paint battle 44-20 and held Brooklyn to 10 of 23 shooting in the lane and 14 of 45 from the floor overall.

Pacers' flow game, ball movement superior to Brooklyn's

Thursday night's game was another example of what playing time has done for the Pacers' end-of-bench players in terms of their ability to understand the team's system of randomized movement. Both the Pacers and Nets were leaning on two-way contract players and others who would've gotten very little playing time had their teams been healthy and contenders, but it was clear the Pacers have turned that group into a much more finely-tuned operation.

Paint dominance certainly helped, but the Pacers also had excellent spacing and ball movement that was reminiscent of what they had during two playoff runs with a more talented group of players. They dished out 43 assists on 51 field goals and shot 51 of 98 from the floor. They were just 8 of 13 from 3-point range, but they posted 1.17 points per possession. Seven of the nine players who were active scored in double figures and eight of the nine scored at least eight points.

Obi Toppin shows out close to home

Obi Toppin grew up a Knicks fan and started his NBA career playing across the river in Manhattan, but he was born and Brooklyn and he always feels like home whenever he's in any of the five boroughs. The Nets didn't have any answer for him so he went out and had one of the best outputs of his season.

He played just 18 minutes and 35 seconds as he's still getting his feet under him after missing four months with a stress fracture in his right foot, but in that time he scored 26 points on 11 of 14 shooting. He had a number of spectacular dunks among those 11 field goals with all 11 of them coming within 7 feet of the basket. He had nine rebounds and also dished out three assists including one that teed up Quenton Jackson for a spectacular dunk.

Toppin didn't commit a foul or a turnover and the Pacers were +24 in his minutes.

Dustin Dopirak covers the Pacers all season. Get more coverage on IndyStarTV and with the Pacers Insider newsletter.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Obi Toppin leads Pacers' blowout win over tanking Nets in Brooklyn