Pacers hold off Nets for 108-103 win, extend streak to four

The Indiana Pacers withstood a fierce fourth-quarter comeback by the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday, securing a 108-103 victory that stretched their NBA winning streak to four games.

Tyrese Haliburton, returning from a three-game absence due to a sore back, wasted no time making an impact. He posted his 10th consecutive points and assists double-double, finishing with 16 points and 12 assists.

Myles Turner added 22 points for the Pacers, despite facing personal concern when his sister, Mya, had to leave the arena due to a medical issue. Pascal Siakam contributed 26 points to the Pacers' effort.

Brooklyn, which trailed by 20 entering the fourth quarter, mounted a strong rally led by Trendon Watford, who scored 26 points off the bench. The Nets closed the gap to just one point with 4:30 left, but Indiana quickly pushed its lead back to nine. Brooklyn narrowed it down to two in the closing moments, but the Pacers sealed the game with free throws to hold on to their position in fourth place in the Eastern Conference.

Indiana entered the day a game ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks, who were set to face the Sacramento Kings later that evening.

“We saw some things at the end that were a bit zany, and we’ve got to learn from those things and be very thankful that we got out of here with a win,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. “There’s no gimmicks or shortcuts to close out an NBA game.”

In another Saturday matchup, the Atlanta Hawks defeated the shorthanded Golden State Warriors 124-115, using a balanced offensive attack. Trae Young led the Hawks with 25 points and 10 assists, while Onyeka Okongwu contributed 22 points and 12 rebounds. Atlanta has now won six of its last eight games, positioning itself for a spot in the play-in tournament.

The Warriors, missing superstar guard Stephen Curry due to a bruised pelvis sustained in a fall on Thursday, struggled to keep pace. Jimmy Butler scored 25 points, and Moses Moody added 20, but Golden State trailed for most of the game. The Hawks dominated the paint, outscoring the Warriors 60-44, and held a 46-38 rebound advantage. Atlanta led by as many as 22 points in the fourth quarter, never allowing the Warriors to mount a serious comeback.

"We just fought like we were supposed to the whole game and never gave up no matter what the score was,” Young said.