Tyrese Haliburton scored 34 points and provided 13 assists, helping the Indiana Pacers hold off the New Orleans Pelicans 114-110 on Monday night in Indianapolis.
Myles Turner added 17 points, Pascal Siakam scored 14, and Bennedict Mathurin and Quenton Jackson each contributed 12 points for the Pacers. Turner and Mathurin also grabbed nine rebounds each.
Elfrid Payton recorded 21 assists, the most by any player this season, and scored 14 points for the Pelicans. Rookie Yves Missi had 16 points and 13 rebounds, Trey Murphy III scored 24 points, and CJ McCollum, returning from a 13-game absence due to a strained adductor, added 23 points. New Orleans lost its fifth straight game.
Murphy and McCollum started the third quarter by hitting consecutive baskets, tying the game at 61.
Haliburton responded with a three-pointer to break the tie. Missi then made two dunks, which led to six lead changes in the quarter.
Indiana gained a seven-point lead, but Brandon Boston Jr. hit a three-pointer to bring New Orleans within 87-83 at the end of the third.
Jeremiah Robinson-Earl opened the fourth quarter with a three-pointer, and Payton added two baskets and two assists, giving the Pelicans a 95-93 lead.
Turner made a three-point play, and Jackson and Haliburton hit back-to-back three-pointers to put the Pacers ahead 102-95 with 5:28 left.
McCollum scored five straight points to tie the game at 104, but Haliburton responded with a go-ahead three-pointer with 3:08 remaining. The Pelicans got within one point twice but couldn’t catch up.
Siakam scored the final five points of an 8-0 run that gave the Pacers an 18-8 lead in the first quarter. Daniel Theis’ field goal ended the run before Indiana scored six straight to take a 14-point lead.
Murphy scored five points during a 15-5 run that brought New Orleans within 29-25 by the end of the first quarter.
Siakam hit a three-pointer to begin the second quarter, and he added two assists as the Pacers built a 39-31 lead. The Pacers extended the margin to 55-38 as the Pelicans made only three field goals in a span of more than five minutes.
Murphy scored nine points, and New Orleans ended the half with a 19-4 run to close the gap to 59-57 at halftime.
