Pacers commit 19 first-half turnovers in Game 1 of NBA Finals against Thunder

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Indiana Pacers started the NBA Finals by making the wrong type of history.

The Pacers committed 19 turnovers in the first half of Game 1 against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Thursday night. It was the highest number of turnovers by a team before halftime of a postseason game during the league’s digital play-by-play era, which goes back to the 1997 playoffs.

There has not been a 20-turnover first half in any NBA game since Nov. 17, 2007, when the New Jersey Nets — the franchise that now plays in Brooklyn — had that many in the first two quarters of what became a 91-87 loss to the Miami Heat.

The Pacers had nine turnovers in the first quarter, 10 more in the second. But they were only down 57-45 at the half, in part because Oklahoma City had turned the 19 Indiana giveaways into only nine points.

Oklahoma City led the NBA this season in turnovers forced, averaging 17.0 per game in the regular season.