INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Pascal Siakam scored 26 points, Thomas Bryant added a season-high 22 and two-time All-Star Tyrese Haliburton had 16 points and 13 assists in the Indiana Pacers’ 129-113 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night.
Siakam made 11 of 17 shots from the field to help Indiana win its fourth straight, all by 10 or more points. Bryant had eight rebounds as the Pacers continued climbing the Eastern Conference standing with their 10 win in 13 games.
Zach LaVine led the Bulls with 31 points. Coby White had 19 points and five assists as Chicago lost for the first time in three games and just the second time in six.
Indiana led 36-18 early in the second quarter. Chicago never got within single digits again.
The Pacers led by 34 in the third quarter. Chicago cut the deficit to 14 several times in the fourth quarter.
CAVALIERS 129, THUNDER 122
CLEVELAND (AP) — Jarrett Allen scored 25 points, Evan Mobley added 21 and Cleveland ended Oklahoma City’s 15-game winning streak by beating the Thunder in a marquee meeting between the NBA’s top two teams.
The Cavs extended their winning streak to 11, improved the league’s best record to 32-4 — 11-0 against the West — and moved to 19-1 at home. They did it on an off night for leading scorer Donovan Mitchell, who had just 11 points on 3 of 16 shooting.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points and Jalen Williams had 25 for the Thunder in their first loss since Dec. 1.
While it’s only January and there’s a lot of basketball ahead, the game’s intensity had the all vibes of a Finals matchup in June. There were 30 lead changes and neither team led by more than nine.
76ERS 109, WIZARDS 103
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Tyrese Maxey scored the go-ahead basket with 23.7 seconds left and finished with 29 points to lead Philadelphia to a win over Washington.
Guerschon Yabusele scored 21 points and blocked a potential tying layup with 14 seconds left to preserve the win for the Sixers.
Joel Embiid, Paul George, Kyle Lowry and Andre Drummond all sat out for Philadelphia while Washington played without leading scorer Jordan Poole and Malcolm Brogdon.
With so many key starters out and both teams well under .500, there was a preseason vibe at the Wells Fargo Center until the Wizards made a serious run in the fourth.
KNICKS 112, RAPTORS 98
NEW YORK (AP) — Karl-Anthony Towns had 27 points and 13 rebounds, OG Anunoby scored 27 points, and New York beat Toronto.
Josh Hart added 21 points and 11 rebounds while Jalen Brunson had 13 points for the Knicks, who snapped a three-game losing streak that followed nine consecutive victories.
Towns shot 9 for 14 from the field, including 3 for 3 on 3-pointers, in 34 minutes after missing Monday’s loss against Orlando due to patellar tendinopathy in his right knee.
Immanuel Quickley scored 22 points against his former team and Scottie Barnes had 18 for the Raptors, who have lost two straight and 14 of 15.
PISTONS 113, NETS 98
NEW YORK (AP) — Malik Beasley scored 23 points, Cade Cunningham had 13 points, five assists and five rebounds, and Detroit won their fifth straight game, over Brooklyn.
Detroit’s bench outscored Brooklyn’s 50-20, led by reserves Simone Fontecchio with 17 points and Marcus Sasser, who added 15 points. Detroit has won eight of its last nine games to climb above .500 at 19-18.
Noah Clowney finished with a game-high 29 points, and Tyrese Martin scored 12 points and had 10 rebounds for the Nets, who dropped their third straight overall and seventh in a row at Barclays Center.
TRAIL BLAZERS 119, PELICANS 100
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Deni Avdija scored 26 points, Shaedon Sharpe added 21 points and Portland led wire to wire in a victory over struggling New Orleans.
New Orleans played without power forward Zion Williamson, who was held out as a precaution after coming back from a left hamstring strain a night earlier. Brandon Ingram (left ankle) missed his 14th straight game.
Anfernee Simons scored 17 points and Toumani Camara 15 for Portland, which led 75-42 at halftime and cruised from there. Deandre Ayton scored 11 points and grabbed 13 rebounds for the Blazers, who shot 54.5% (48 of 88).
CJ McCollum scored 23 points and Dejounte Murray 20 for New Orleans, which has lost 22 of its last 25 games.
The Associated Press
