Tyrese Haliburton had 33 points and 15 assists, Obi Toppin added 27 points and the Indiana Pacers defeated the host Philadelphia 76ers 132-126 in the NBA in-season tournament on Tuesday.
Myles Turner scored 15 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter and Bruce Brown had 14 and T.J. McConnell 11.
Turner hit a 3-pointer as the shot clock expired for a 122-116 lead with 3:03 remaining. Haliburton then sealed the victory with his seventh trey for a 127-118 advantage with 1:03 left.
Joel Embiid led the Sixers with 39 points and 12 rebounds while hitting all 17 of his free throws. De’Anthony Melton added 30 points and Tyrese Maxey had 27. Tobias Harris also scored 22.
The Sixers, who closed within four twice in the final 30 seconds, had their eight-game winning streak snapped.
Harris and Brown collided with 10:40 left in the fourth and Harris appeared to strain his neck. But after a quick trip to the locker room with trainer Kevin Johnson, Harris returned a few minutes later.
Maxey made a 3-pointer with 9:06 remaining to give the 76ers a 103-101 lead.
But the Pacers kept pace and Toppin threw down an alley-oop dunk with 5:17 to go and the Pacers led 115-111.
Haliburton dropped in a deep 3-pointer, his sixth of the half, with 4:02 left in the second for a 59-48 Pacers lead.
Embiid continued to attack the rim and hit a pair of free throws with 59.3 seconds remaining to close the Sixers within 62-54.
The Pacers led 63-54 at halftime thanks in large part to Haliburton’s 20 points.
Indiana shot 11 of 25 from 3-point territory.
Embiid led the Sixers with 18 on 3-of-10 shooting but he knocked down all 12 of his free throws.
Sixers head coach Nick Nurse was assessed a technical foul with 10:08 to go in the third as his team fell behind 72-59.
Philadelphia responded with a 6-0 run capped by Harris’ dunk with 8:58 left.
Embiid hit a tough left-handed shot off the glass with 3:04 left and the Sixers trailed 85-82.
McConnell snapped that 7-0 spurt with a jump stop and short jumper in the lane for the Pacers.
Indiana led 95-94 at the end of the third.
Melton kept the Sixers close with 15 points in the third.
–Field Level Media
