"NBA Recap: Pascal Siakam's Late 3-Pointer Leads Pacers to OT Victory against Celtics"
Pascal Siakam hit a crucial 3-pointer with only 7.3 seconds left in overtime, propelling the Indiana Pacers to a 135-132 victory over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night in Indianapolis.
On Boston's final possession, Jaylen Brown missed a 3-point attempt that would have tied the game. This was the defending NBA champion Celtics' first loss of the season after four consecutive wins.
Siakam had an impressive performance with 29 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists. His teammate Bennedict Mathurin came off the bench and contributed 30 points and 11 rebounds, helping Indiana break a three-game losing streak.
Boston was down by 24 points with only 3:35 remaining in the third quarter and trailed by 21 with 8:55 left in the game. However, they managed to tie the game on Jayson Tatum's 3-pointer with 14.4 seconds left. Tatum scored a game-high 37 points, while Brown added 25. Unfortunately, they struggled from beyond the arc, shooting a combined 6-for-29 from 3-point range.
Cavaliers 134, Lakers 110
Los Angeles rookie Bronny James scored his first NBA basket, but it wasn't enough as Evan Mobley's 25 points and Donovan Mitchell's 24 points and seven assists helped the Cleveland Cavaliers remain undefeated with a 5-0 record this season.
This is Cleveland's best start since the 2016-17 season when LeBron James was playing for the team. Despite committing 26 fouls compared to Los Angeles' seven, the Cavaliers managed to overcome the foul disparity and secure the win. James' father, LeBron James, finished with 26 points, six rebounds, and six turnovers, while his teammate Anthony Davis had 22 points and 13 rebounds.
Knicks 116, Heat 107
Karl-Anthony Towns had an outstanding game with 44 points and 13 rebounds, leading the New York Knicks to a victory over the Miami Heat on their home court.
Towns, who was acquired in an offseason trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves, shot 17-for-25 from the floor, including 4-for-5 from 3-point range, in 39 minutes of play. Jalen Brunson also had a strong performance with 22 points and nine assists and only one turnover for the Knicks.
Tyler Herro led the Heat with 34 points and seven assists, while Terry Rozier added 16 points. Miami was without power forward Kevin Love once again due to personal reasons.
Thunder 105, Spurs 93
Luguentz Dort scored 20 points, helping the Oklahoma City Thunder remain undefeated with a win over the San Antonio Spurs.
The highly anticipated matchup between the Thunder's Chet Holmgren and the Spurs' Victor Wembanyama didn't live up to expectations as Wembanyama was limited due to a foot injury. Holmgren, who was runner-up for rookie of the year last season, finished with 19 points, five rebounds, and two blocks. The Thunder made a season-high 17 3-pointers, including 13 in the first half.
Pistons 105, 76ers 95
Jaden Ivey and Cade Cunningham both had impressive performances, leading the Detroit Pistons to their first win of the season in five games against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Former 76er Tobias Harris had a double-double with 18 points and 14 rebounds for the Pistons. Tyrese Maxey scored 32 points for the 76ers, but they struggled from beyond the arc, shooting only 8-for-28 as a team. Philadelphia was once again without their stars Joel Embiid and Paul George due to knee injuries.
Trail Blazers 106, Clippers 105
Anfernee Simons scored 25 points and Deandre Ayton had 15 points and 12 rebounds, helping the Portland Trail Blazers hold on for a close victory over the Los Angeles Clippers in Inglewood, California.
Scoot Henderson and Deni Avdija also had strong performances for the Blazers with 14 and 13 points, respectively. The Clippers were led by Norman Powell's 30 points and James Harden's 19 points and 10 assists. However, Ivica Zubac was held to only six points after averaging 22.7 points in the first three
