INDIANAPOLIS — Monta Ellis scored 26 points, including 21 in the second half, and the Indiana Pacers defeated the San Antonio Spurs 99-91 on Monday night.
The Spurs (53-10) had an eight-game winning streak snapped and were without coach Gregg Popovich, who was home with an ailing family member.
Paul George added 23 points for the Pacers (34-30), including two free throws with 15.7 seconds remaining to give Indiana a 97-91 lead.
Rodney Stuckey scored 12 for Indiana, and Ian Mahinmi had 11 points and nine rebounds. The Pacers shot 41 percent from the field (32 of 78) and outscored the Spurs 28-19 from the free-throw line.
Forwards Kawhi Leonard and LaMarcus Aldridge each scored 23 for San Antonio, and Patty Mills came off the bench for 17. The Spurs shot a season-low 35.4 percent (34 of 96).
San Antonio scored the first six points of the third quarter and continued to apply the pressure, but two George free throws and an Ellis steal and dunk gave Indiana a 71-59 lead with 44 seconds left in the period. The Spurs got a David West putback at the buzzer to pull to within 73-62 with 12 minutes remaining.
The Spurs scored the first two field goals of the fourth quarter to slice the deficit to 73-66, but Indiana answered with a 9-0 run that included two Jordan Hill baskets, a Solomon Hill 3-pointer and two Myles Turner free throws for an 82-66 lead with 9:33 remaining.
In the first half, Indiana took advantage of the Spurs’ 4-of-24 start from the field to lead 45-32 through 24 minutes. San Antonio led 4-0, then Indiana countered with a 14-0 run.
The Spurs made only 13 of 50 first-half field-goal attempts (26 percent), including 1 of 14 from 3-point range. Leonard was 5 of 11 in the opening half, but his teammates were a collective 8 of 39. Leonard finished the half with 11 points.
Indiana shot only 40.5 percent (15 of 37) but was 11 of 13 from the free-throw line while the Spurs were 5 of 6. Stuckey came off the bench to lead the Pacers with 12 first-half points.
NOTES: The Pacers officially added free agent G Ty Lawson to their active roster on Monday. … Indiana G/F C.J, Miles (strained left calf) and G Rodney Stuckey (illness) continue to be at less than 100 percent. … The Spurs entered having won eight in a row and are 9-1 in their past 10. … The Pacers are coming off a Saturday night victory at Washington but are only 5-5 in their last 10. … San Antonio leads the NBA in opponents points per game, field goal percentage, opponents field goal percentage, opponent 3-point field goal percentage and opponent rebounds per game. … Indiana ranks fourth in steals per game. … San Antonio has won seven consecutive regular season games against Indiana in Bankers Life Fieldhouse. … The Paces have not beaten the Spurs in Indianapolis since April 1, 2007. … San Antonio is 15-1 in its 16 most recent games against Indiana.