Pacers prevail as Suns' Devin Booker leaves with groin injury

Field Level Media|published: Thu 19th December, 23:57 2024

Dec 19, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) dunks the ball against Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic (20) during the second quarter at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Pascal Siakam recorded 25 points and a season-best 18 rebounds to lead the Indiana Pacers to a 120-111 victory over the host Phoenix Suns on Thursday night.

Myles Turner and Andrew Nembhard added 19 points apiece for Indiana, which has matched its season best with a three-game winning streak. Bennedict Mathurin scored 16 points, Tyrese Haliburton registered 13 points and 12 assists and Obi Toppin added 13 points and eight rebounds off the bench.

Kevin Durant scored a season-best 37 points, matched his season high of 10 rebounds and also dished six assists for the Suns, who had a two-game winning streak snapped.

Suns star Devin Booker exited due to groin tightness with 5:18 left in the third quarter, and he didn't return. Booker had 17 points and six assists in 25 minutes. He made 5 of 10 field-goal attempts.

Bradley Beal added 16 points and Jusuf Nurkic had 12 points and 10 rebounds for Phoenix, which made 48.8 percent of its shot attempts but was 9 of 30 (30 percent) from behind the arc.

T.J. McConnell scored 11 points off the bench for Indiana, which shot 43.8 percent from the field, including 16 of 41 (39 percent) from 3-point range. The Pacers held a mammoth 29-10 edge in points off turnovers.

Mathurin scored four points during a 6-0 run as Indiana grabbed a 105-86 lead with 9:53 remaining in the game.

Phoenix responded with a 11-2 burst to move within 10 with 6:21 to go before Siakam and Mathurin answered with baskets to give the Pacers a 111-97 lead with 5:25 left.

Siakam's 3-pointer made it 116-99 with 4:03 remaining.

The Suns made another charge with 10 straight points to creep within seven on Durant's layup with 48.9 seconds to play.

Nembhard hit two free throws with 37.3 seconds left to end the drought, and Indiana closed it out.

Turner drained a 3-pointer to cap an 8-0 burst early in the third quarter as Indiana took a 68-61 lead.

Phoenix trailed 80-75 after Durant's basket with 6:18 remaining in the period before the Pacers put up nine straight points and 13 of 15 for a 93-77 advantage. Indiana led 97-83 entering the final stanza.

Toppin scored 13 first-half points as the Pacers led 60-59 at the break. Booker had 16 in the half for the Suns.

--Field Level Media