Pacers survive comeback by LaVine-powered Bulls
Myles Turner set season highs with 27 points and 14 rebounds, and the short-handed Indiana Pacers withstood a huge effort by Zach LaVine to beat the Chicago Bulls 116-105 on Friday night.
The Pacers overcame 43 points by LaVine and escaped with the victory after Chicago rallied from 16 down to cut the deficit to four in the closing minutes.
T.J. Warren scored 17 for Indiana after being fined $25,000 by the NBA for an altercation with Miami’s Jimmy Butler on Wednesday night. The Pacers picked up their second win in three games even though they were missing two of their top players, with Malcolm Brogdon out with strep throat and Domantas Sabonis nursing a sore left knee.
LaVine finished six points shy of his career high set at Charlotte in November.
Coby White scored 23, but the Bulls lost their sixth straight — their worst skid since a 10-game slide in December and January last season.
The Pacers led by seven early in the fourth quarter when the Holiday brothers scored eight straight. Justin Holiday wrapped two 3-pointers around a basket by brother Aaron to make it 94-79 with 7:29 left.
It was 99-83 midway through the fourth before Chicago came storming back, cutting it to 10399 on a 3 by Lauri Markkanen with just over three minutes remaining. Justin Holiday answered with a 3 of his own, and the Pacers hung on from there.
• Miami’s Jimmy Butler was also fined $35,000 by the NBA for his part in the altercation with Warren.
The NBA noted that Butler escalated the situation on social media after the game. Warren made an obscene gesture after his ejection.
GRIZZLIES 134, SPURS 121 >> Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 24 points, Ja Morant added 22 points and a season-high 14 assists and Memphis won its fourth-straight game.
Dillon Brooks also scored 22 points and Jonas Valanciunas added 21 for balanced Memphis.
DeMar DeRozan matched his season-high with 36 points, and added nine assists for the Spurs.
NETS 117, HEAT 113 >> Spencer Dinwiddie scored 26 points and had a career-high 14 assists as Brooklyn snapped a seven-game losing streak with a win over Miami.
Rodions Kurucs scored 19 points and Taurean Prince added 17 for Brooklyn.
Jarrett Allen finished with 11 points and 11 rebounds for his team-high 17th double-double of the season.
Jimmy Butler scored 33 points and Bam Adebayo added 22 for the Heat.
PELICANS 123, KNICKS 111 >> Brandon Ingram scored 28 points, Jaxson Hayes had 18 points and 10 rebounds, and New Orleans beat the Knicks.
WIZARDS 111, HAWKS 101 >> Jordan McRae scored 29 points, Troy Brown Jr. added 18 points and 10 rebounds, and Washington overcame a poor shooting performance to beat Atlanta.
Atlanta, which has the worst record in the NBA, lost for the 14th time in 16 games.
Trae Young, who had 42 points on Wednesday, led the Hawks with 19 points.
LAKERS’ PELINKA GETS A PROMOTION >> Rob Pelinka was given the title of vice president of basketball operations by the Los Angeles Lakers, almost three years after the former agent was hired as general manager.
The Lakers made the announcement before the team’s game in Dallas.