Mathurin hits 2 late free throws as Pacers edge Celtics
INDIANAPOLIS >> Bennedict Mathurin scored 26 points including a pair of free throws with 0.6 seconds remaining and the Indiana Pacers rallied to beat the Boston Celtics 133-131 on Monday night.
Mathurin was fouled by Kristaps Porzingis on a 3-pointer. The call was reviewed and upheld. Mathurin sank the first two free throws and missed the third on purpose. He finished 8 of 15 from the field, including five 3-pointers, as Indiana split a two-game home series against the top team in the Eastern Conference.
The Pacers (21-15) played much of the game without All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who strained his left hamstring when he slipped and did the splits on a drive in the second quarter. He was carried to the locker room by two teammates.
All-Star Jaylen Brown scored a season-high 40 points for the Celtics (288), who were without leading scorer Jayson Tatum, sitting out with a left ankle sprain. Jrue Holiday scored 21 points and Porzingis had 19 for Boston. BULLS 119, HORNETS 112, OT >> Coby White scored 27 points, Andre Drummond added 21 points and 15 rebounds and Chicago overcame a 39-point performance from Terry Rozier to beat Charlotte.
Nikola Vucevic added 21 points and nine rebounds in his second game back from an injury for the Bulls (17-21), who defeated the Hornets for the second time in four nights.
Rozier had seven 3-pointers and was 12-for12 from the foul line for Charlotte (8-26), which has lost 13 of its last 14 games.
Miles Bridges added 24 points for the Hornets, who remain without three startes due to injuries. JAZZ 132, BUCKS 116 >> Jordan Clarkson and Lauri Markkanen had 21 points apiece and Utah staved off a second-half rally for a victory Milwaukee.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had 25 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists for the Bucks (25-12), who have lost four of five.
John Collins, Collin Sexton and Keyonte George each had 19 points for Utah (18-20), which has won five of its last six.
Milwaukee was without guard Damian Lillard, averaging 25.1 points per game, who was out for personal reasons. Khris Middleton added 23 points and Malik Beasley 17 for the Bucks.
The Bucks, who trailed 77-46 at the half, scored 44 points in the third quarter to pull within 100-90 entering the final period.
THUNDER 136, WIZARDS 128 >> Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 32 points, Chet Holmgren added 31 and Oklahoma City led most of the way in a victory over Washington.
Jalen Williams added 21 points and 10 assists for the Thunder (24-11), who avoided a third loss following defeats at Atlanta and Brooklyn to begin a fourgame road trip.
Holmgren spearheaded that effort, making 11 of 14 shots and going 4 of 5 from beyond the arc.
Jordan Poole scored 24 points, and Kyle Kuzma added 22 points and grabbed 15 rebounds for Washington (6-30).
HEAT 120, ROCKETS 113 >> Tyler Herro scored 28 points, Bam Adebayo finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds, and Miami topped Houston.
Kevin Love scored 15 points for Miami (21-15), while Duncan Robinson and Jaime Jaquez Jr. each had 14 for the Heat. Josh Richardson finished with 12 for Miami. Adebayo had 10 of his points in the fourth quarter.
Fred VanVleet led all scorers with 32 points for the Rockets (18-17), who opened a six-game road trip. Alperen Sengun scored 22 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for Houston.
MORANT OUT FOR SEASON >> Ja Morant's season is over, with the Memphis Grizzlies announcing that their star guard needs surgery to repair a tear in his right shoulder.
Morant got hurt in practice on Saturday, the Grizzlies said. The two-time All-Star was in a sling for the Grizzlies' game against Phoenix on Sunday, and then the news came a day later about how serious the issue us.
Morant missed the first 25 games of the season while serving an NBA suspension for displaying a gun on social media — his second such suspension in less than a year, after missing eight games last season for a similar offense.
He returned from the 25-game suspension and averaged 25.1 points in nine games, with the Grizzlies going 6-3 in those contests.