Pascal Siakam scores 26 in the Pacers’ win over Bulls
Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin (1) shoots over Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey (3) during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
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.
NUGGETS 126, CLIPPERS 103
DENVER (AP) — Jamal Murray had 21 points and nine assists, Russell Westbrook added 19 points and eight assists and Denver beat Los Angeles in a matchup of short-handed teams.
Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard was not available after he flew back to Los Angeles before the game to help his family deal with the wildfires.
Nuggets center Nikola Jokic was out for the second straight game due to an illness. Denver is 2-3 without him this season.
Norman Powell scored 30 points to finish with a 27.6 average in the Clippers’ four games against the Nuggets. James Harden had 16 points and Ivica Zubac added 10.
BUCKS 121, SPURS 105
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Damian Lillard had 26 points and eight assists, Giannis Antetokounmpo had 25 points, 16 rebounds and eight assists, and Milwaukee beat San Antonio.
Brook Lopez scored 22 points, including 17 in the first half, and AJ Green and Gary Trent each added 14 as the Bucks won their second consecutive game after losing four of five.
Keldon Johnson scored 24 points to lead the Spurs. Chris Paul added 18 points, Harrison Barnes had 14 and Devin Vassell 11. Victor Wembanyama had 10 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks
With the score tied at 33 early in the second quarter, the Bucks went on a 32-13 run to close the first half, led by the 3-point shooting of Green, Lopez and Lillard. The Spurs opened the second half on a 16-5 run to pull within 10 and Paul’s third 3-pointer of the quarter pulled San Antonio within eight. However, Milwaukee pushed the lead back to 13 by the end of the third quarter.
The Bucks led by 26 in the fourth.
Milwaukee shot 19 for 42 on 3s.