PASCAL Siakam delivered in the closing moments as Indiana Pacers edged Boston Celtics, 98-96, in the 2025-26 NBA Regular Season on Monday night (Tuesday in the Philippines) in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Siakam sealed the victory with a 7-foot bank shot off a pump fake with 6.1 seconds remaining to end up with 21 points, eight rebounds and six assists as the Pacers secured their first three-game winning streak of the season.
Jay Huff added 20 points, knocking down four three-pointers, for Indiana, which moved a half-game ahead of the New Orleans Pelicans at 9-31 after entering the game with the NBA’s worst record.
Derrick White earlier tied the game at 96-all for Boston with a driving layup with 28.6 seconds left. He had a chance to respond to respond to Siakam’s go-ahead basket but missed a three-pointer in the final seconds.
Payton Pritchard led Boston with 23 points and eight assists, while White scored 18 and Anfernee Simons added 16 as they played minus leading scorer Jaylen Brown, who sat out due to lower back spasms.
Meanwhile, Keyonte George scored 32 points, Lauri Markkanen added 28 and Utah Jazz bounced back after a 55-point loss and defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 123-112.
George had 16 points during the third quarter, when Utah rallied from a 10-point deficit and regained control and began its five-game road trip with a victory. Jusuf Nurkik, who missed the last two games due to a toe injury, had 11 points and 17 rebounds.
The win was the Jazz’s second in their past eight games and came two nights after a 150-95 loss to the Charlotte Hornets, the second-largest by scoring margin in franchise history and the biggest since they moved from New Orleans in 1979.
Darius Garland led Cleveland with 23 points and Donovan Mitchell scored 21. The Cavaliers have dropped two of their last three games.
Philadelphia 76ers, on the other hand, got back at Toronto Raptors with a 115-102 victory. Tyrese Maxey top-scored with 33 points, while Joel Embiid added 27 markers./PN
