Pacers Stumble in Atlanta Without Haliburton

The Indiana Pacers put up a fight but fell 124-118 to the Hawks in a hard-fought battle on Thursday.

With Tyrese Haliburton sidelined, Pascal Siakam stepped up, pouring in 35 points to keep Indiana in the mix. Aaron Nesmith added 21 points, while Andrew Nembhard dished out 10 assists, but the Pacers couldn’t withstand Atlanta’s late-game surge.

Indiana led by 10 late in the third, but the Hawks erased the deficit with a 38-24 fourth-quarter explosion. Georges Niang delivered the dagger, scoring 12 of his 24 points in the final frame, including back-to-back threes that sealed Indiana’s fate.

Looking Ahead: Rematch on Saturday

The Pacers won’t have to wait long for revenge, as they face Atlanta again on Saturday night. A win would keep Indiana in the hunt for home-court advantage in the playoffs.