Overview
- Pascal Siakam banked in the go-ahead shot with 6.8 seconds left to secure a 98-96 win over the Celtics, capping Indiana’s best stretch of the season.
- The Pacers improved to 9-31 but remain at the bottom of the Eastern Conference despite the three-game surge.
- Siakam is averaging 23.5 points and 6.8 rebounds, and coach Rick Carlisle has publicly pushed his All-Star case under this season’s U.S.-vs.-World format.
- Boston coach Joe Mazzulla answered every postgame question with “illegal screen,” reflecting the Celtics’ frustration with the decisive sequence.
- Indiana snapped a 13-game slide on Jan. 8 to give Carlisle his 1,000th win and has gone 3-0 since, with Siakam emphasizing leadership during a season he called emotionally challenging.