Pascal Siakam, Pacers charge past ailing Sixers

Pascal Siakam led the way with 27 points as the Indiana Pacers notched a 112-100 road victory over the short-handed Philadelphia 76ers on Friday.

Tyrese Haliburton chipped in 14 points and 10 assists for Indiana (37-28), which has won two games in a row following a three-game slide. Myles Turner (18 points), Aaron Nesmith (16) and Obi Toppin (11) also scored in double figures for the Pacers.

Jeff Dowtin Jr. scored a career-high 24 points for Philadelphia (22-44), which only had eight available players due to a lengthy list of injuries. Jared Butler pitched in with 17 points, while Adem Bona added 16 points, Ricky Council IV and Oshae Brissett each had 14 points, and Guerschon Yabusele snagged 15 rebounds.

The 76ers lost for the sixth time in seven games and for the 15th time in 17 games.

Dowtin’s jumper in the first minute of the third quarter gave Philadelphia a six-point lead, but Indiana scored 22 of the next 26 points. Siakam scored 12 of those points, including five dunks, as the Pacers temporarily took control of the contest.

The Sixers made a push to get within 78-75 after three quarters before the Pacers countered by scoring the first 10 points of the fourth. Siakam scored the final five points of that burst as Indiana took a 13-point lead.

Philadelphia trailed by 11 with 5:04 left before Thomas Bryant made three buckets in just over a minute to essentially seal the outcome.

The Sixers led by as many as 16 points in the first half before settling for a four-point lead at intermission.

Council, Butler, Yabusele and Dowtin each made a 3-pointer during a 18-2 run that put the hosts in front 24-12 late in the first quarter.

Indiana trailed 33-27 near the middle of the second quarter before Philadelphia rattled off 10 straight points. Bona scored half of those points and Council’s 3-pointer capped the burst, making it 43-27 with 5:49 to play until halftime.

The Pacers chipped away to get within 51-47 at the break.