The Indiana Pacers received a stellar performance by Pascal Siakam and the celebrated Tyrese Haliburton’s All-Star starter announcement, culminating in a much-needed 134-122 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers during Thursday’s NBA action.
Siakam, playing in his first game since being traded from Toronto, recorded his first triple-double in 15 months and the sixth of his career. He was instrumental in the Pacers’ win, contributing 26 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists, leading Indiana to a game they never trailed.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle praised Siakam’s performance, especially noting the rarity and impact of a power forward achieving a triple-double. This win was particularly significant for Siakam as it came against his former coach, Nick Nurse.
“We made it our kind of game,” Carlisle said. “Siakam was obviously tremendous, the sixth triple-double of his career, his first, obviously, with the Pacers. When you have a power forward get a triple-double, it’s pretty special.”
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The Pacers broke their three-game losing streak on a night when fans and players celebrated Haliburton’s selection as an All-Star starter, his first such honor. The victory was even more satisfying as it came against Joel Embiid, the reigning MVP, who scored 31 points and seven rebounds. Embiid’s effort came just days after setting a franchise record with 70 points, but the 76ers appeared sluggish, missing two starters and struggling defensively.
“You go through this sometimes,” Nurse said. “But we still, I think we’ve got to play a little better and guard a little better. We just didn’t have any kind of defensive success.”
Despite Haliburton’s absence due to a strained left hamstring, the Pacers dominated from the outset. They quickly built a double-digit lead and maintained a comfortable margin throughout the game, effectively silencing Philadelphia’s attempts to recover.
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Nurse acknowledged Siakam’s exceptional performance, noting that delayed double teams by the 76ers allowed Siakam to rack up a high assist count.
“He was good, he was very good,” Nurse said. “He got going early, and when he does that, you’re going to see him play really, really good. We got to him kind of late on some double teams, and there was nobody there to rotate out, which is why he had such a big assist number.”
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The Pacers demonstrated their strength against the Eastern Conference’s top teams, improving to 8-4 against the top three and maintaining at least a .500 record against each.
The celebration for Haliburton was highlighted during the first timeout, with a replay of the television announcement and a standing ovation from the fans, acknowledging the 23-year-old guard’s achievement.
Looking ahead, the 76ers are set to play the Denver Nuggets on Saturday, while the Pacers will host the Phoenix Suns on Friday night.
