INDIANAPOLIS -- Because he spent seven years with the Indiana Pacers, Rick Carlisle said it's always special to come back and play in Indianapolis.
Unfortunately for the Mavs, there was nothing special about the way they played Friday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
The Pacers used a torrid second-half surge to run past the Mavs, 103-83, before a crowd of 15,110. It was the Mavs' fourth loss in the last five games and squared their record at 5-5.
The Mavs end this two-game road trip when they play the Cavaliers in Cleveland tonight at 6:30 before opening a three-game home stand Monday against Golden State.
The game got out of hand for the Mavs in the third quarter. A basket by Darren Collison put Dallas ahead, 51-48, with 10:29 remaining in the third period.
But the Pacers shifted into another gear and eventually took a 76-67 lead into the fourth quarter. Lance Stephenson was the biggest headache for the Mavs as he tallied 10 of his points in the third period.
The Pacers stretched their lead to 87-69 with 8:21 left in the game on a basket by Sam Young.
OJ Mayo led the Mavs with 19 points, Vince Carter scored 10, and in his first visit to Indianapolis since he was traded to the Mavs in July, point guard Darren Collison finished with 10 points and four assists and was 3-of-10 from the field in 32 minutes.
Shawn Marion started after missing the previous five games with a sprained left medial collateral ligament. The 14-year veteran wound up with two points (1-of-4 shooting), seven rebounds and three assists in 21 minutes.
Indiana placed six players in double-figure scoring, led by 15 points apiece from George Hill and David West.
-- Dwain Price
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