Pacers Rally Late to Stun Mavericks in High-Scoring Thriller

The Indiana Pacers refused to back down, storming back from an 11-point deficit in the final six minutes to take down the Dallas Mavericks 135-131 in a thriller at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. It was a game full of momentum swings, but a clutch three-pointer from Andrew Nembhard and a defensive stand in the final seconds secured the victory.

Pascal Siakam led all scorers with 29 points, but it was Bennedict Mathurin who provided the spark late, pouring in 16 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter. The Pacers took the lead for good when Siakam forced a turnover, setting up Nembhard’s dagger three with 14.7 seconds remaining.

Nembhard finished with 22 points and eight assists, stepping up in the absence of Tyrese Haliburton, who was sidelined due to a back injury.

With the win, the Pacers have now claimed four of their last five games, passing the Milwaukee Bucks for the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference standings. They will look to keep rolling as they continue their homestand against the Brooklyn Nets.

Dallas, playing without Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, and Klay Thompson, kept the game competitive despite the missing stars. P.J. Washington Jr. led the Mavericks with 26 points, while Jaden Hardy added 24. However, their short-handed roster ran out of gas late, suffering their ninth loss in the last 10 games.

With the playoff race heating up, Indiana will aim to build on its momentum heading into the final stretch of the season.