Red-hot first half carries Pacers past Pistons

Field Level Media|published: Wed 29th January, 22:07 2025

Jan 29, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell (9) shoots the ball while Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley (5) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Pascal Siakam had a season high 37 points, Tyrese Haliburton added 30 and the host Indiana Pacers fought off a strong challenge to defeat the Detroit Pistons 133-119 Wednesday night in Indianapolis.

The game saw a total of six technical fouls called, four on Detroit, and Pistons backup center Isaiah Stewart ejected in the second quarter after a flagrant foul on Pacers forward Thomas Bryant.

Indiana never trailed but couldn't put the Pistons away until a 14-7 spurt that included a banked-in three by Siakam and a three by Haliburton in the fourth quarter to push the lead to 127-112 with two minutes left.

Indiana is an NBA-best 10-2 since the start of 2025 and all 10 wins have been by double figures.

Detroit was led by Cade Cunningham's 32 points. Malik Beasley added 20 in the losing effort.

Myles Turner had 24 for the Pacers.

The Pacers scored a season-high 74 points in the first half, with both Haliburton (22 points) and Siakam (21) shooting lights out. Indiana shot 80 percent in the first quarter.

Play began to get physical quickly between the Central Division rivals. Stewart had words with James Johnson sitting on the Pacers bench before a media timeout with 3:32 left in the first and both teams creeped on to the court. Stewart and Johnson -- who did not even suit up for the game -- were both hit with technical fouls.

Early in the second quarter, Stewart checked Bryant after a missed shot, squaring his body to ostensibly box him out and knocking him to the ground. Bryant went flying and officials quickly moved in to direct Stewart to his team's bench. After viewing the play on replay, Stewart was assessed a Flagrant-2 foul for a play that didn't include a basketball move and was ejected.

The altercations overshadowed an extremely entertaining first half. Indiana led by as many as 20 and Haliburton brought the crowd to its feet by throwing the ball off the backboard from 15 feet away and collecting it and scoring on a wild play in the first quarter. But Detroit answered every Indiana run with one of their own, getting five 3s from Beasley off the bench in the first half to keep it a 10-point game at the break.

Indiana played without starters Bennedict Mathurin (illness) and Andrew Nembhard (back). The Pacers won the season series over the Pistons 3-1.

--Field Level Media

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