Pascal Siakam scored 21 points, while Aaron Nesmith contributed 17 as the Indiana Pacers secured their ninth win in 14 games with a 126-112 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night.
Despite Pacers’ All-Star Tyrese Haliburton only scoring eight points, he managed 11 assists. Haliburton broke the Pacers’ single-season assist record with his 11th assist in the fourth quarter, surpassing Mark Jackson’s record set in 1997-98.
“T.J. McConnell and Myles Turner each added 16 points,” said Indiana coach Rick Carlisle. “Our bench has a strong identity. I’m proud of our group. We’re eager for the playoffs.”
The Thunder, striving for the top spot in the Western Conference, faced challenges with injuries to All-Star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams, their second-leading scorer. “We’re monitoring their recovery,” said Thunder coach Mark Daigneault. “We’ll wait for them to heal.”
Kenrich Williams led the Thunder with 18 points and eight rebounds. Josh Giddey contributed 14 points, 12 assists, and nine rebounds.
“Offensively, we were solid,” Williams said. “Defensively, we allowed some easy transition baskets. We need to prevent those and tighten up on defense.”
Indiana shot 52% from the field and made 15 3-pointers, compared to Oklahoma City’s eight. The Pacers’ strong fourth-quarter performance extended their lead to 18 points. Haliburton’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer in the third quarter energized the Pacers, giving them a 100-89 lead.
After trailing by 10 points in the first quarter, the Pacers rallied to close the gap, ending the period 32-31. They continued their momentum into the second quarter, going on a 25-5 run, capped by Jalen Smith’s dunk, to lead 47-37.
