Pascal Siakam delivered in the clutch, scoring 21 points and sinking the game-winning 7-foot bank shot with 6.1 seconds remaining as the Indiana Pacers edged the Boston Celtics 98-96 on Monday night for their first three-game winning streak of the season.
After Boston’s Derrick White tied the game at 96 on a driving layup with 28.6 seconds left, Siakam pump-faked, stepped inside the foul line and floated a high-arcing leaner off the glass that proved to be the difference. He also finished with eight rebounds and six assists.
Indiana, which entered the night with the NBA’s worst record, improved to 9-31, moving a half-game ahead of New Orleans. The Pacers played without leading scorer Bennedict Mathurin (17.8 points per game), who missed his fifth straight game with a thumb injury.
Jay Huff added 20 points for Indiana, knocking down four 3-pointers.
Payton Pritchard led Boston with 23 points and eight assists. White finished with 18 points, while Anfernee Simons contributed 16. White had a chance to give the Celtics the lead in the final seconds but missed a contested 3-pointer.
Boston was without leading scorer Jaylen Brown, who sat out with lower back spasms. Earlier Monday, Brown was fined $35,000 for criticizing officials. His 29.5-point scoring average ranks sixth in the NBA.
The loss came in the opener of a four-game road trip for the Celtics, who sit third in the Eastern Conference at 24-15.
The Pacers return to action Wednesday at home against Toronto, while the Celtics continue their trip Thursday at Miami.
