INDIANAPOLIS -- The Sixers came out of halftime on fire Wednesday night but the flame burned out quickly, as they opened a four-game road trip with a 91-75 loss to the Pacers.
The Sixers (9-62) shook off a poor-shooting first half to get as close as 55-53 midway through the third quarter. They missed their next five shots, however, and never got as close the rest of the game.
Isaiah Canaan and Hollis Thompson each had 15 points to lead the Sixers.
Turning point
The Sixers cut a 47-36 halftime deficit to 55-53 after starting the third quarter 7 for 8 from the field, but missed their next five shots. Indiana, meanwhile, went on an 8-0 run and finished the third up 65-56. The Sixers, who scored just three points in the final seven minutes of the third, never seriously threatened the rest of the night.
Inside the box score
• Canaan scored 13 of his 15 in the second half and had 11 of the Sixers’ 20 in the third quarter.
• Jerami Grant added 14 points and guard Ish Smith grabbed a team-best nine rebounds and had three steals.
NBA
• All five Indiana starters finished in double figures, led by Paul George (15 points). Monta Ellis added 13, George Hill and Ian Mahinmi (10 rebounds) had 12 each and Myles Turner finished with 10.
• The Sixers had 16 turnovers that produced 16 Pacers points. They coughed the ball up 31 times in the teams’ first meeting.
Another slow start
A day after a 5 for 26 opening quarter against Boston, the Sixers were just 8 for 19 from the floor in the first quarter and trailed 25-18. It got worse in the second quarter, when they had seven field goals, dropped to 34 percent from the field and went to intermission down 47-36.
The Sixers finished the game 31 for 80 (39 percent).
Not so much ...
The Sixers were burned by Indiana’s George in a Nov. 18 meeting when he finished with 34 points and eight rebounds in a 112-85 Pacers' victory, but he was a little quieter the second time around.
The All-Star forward led the Pacers with 15 points on 4 for 16 shooting.
The teams finish the three-game season series April 2 at the Wells Fargo Center.
Night-after blues
Wednesday’s loss dropped the Sixers to 1-15 this season in the second game of back-to-back sets. Their lone next-game victory came Feb. 6 when they topped visiting Brooklyn a night after falling at Washington.
They have three more two-game clusters this season, including the finale of the current road swing, when they visit Portland and Golden State on consecutive nights.
Injury report
Robert Covington (concussion) missed his sixth straight game but the Sixers expect him to be ready Wednesday when the road trip continues in Denver. The club also hopes to have Richaun Holmes in the lineup the same night. He missed his sixth consecutive contest with a right Achilles tendon strain.
Up next
The road trip heads farther west Wednesday to Denver, where the Sixers will try to salvage a split of the season series. The Nuggets were 108-105 winners Dec. 5 at the Wells Fargo Center.
The game tips at 9 p.m. on CSN.