The Indiana Pacers got 37 points and nine 3-pointers from Tyrese Haliburton and set a franchise scoring record in a 157-152 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday to clinch a quarterfinal berth in the In-Season Tournament.
Buddy Hield hit consecutive 3-pointers down the stretch, including one with 53 seconds left to put the Pacers up 155-152.
Haliburton handed out 16 assists, Hield finished with 24 points and Obi Toppin added 21 off the bench for Indiana, which trailed by 20 in the third quarter.
The Pacers are 3-0 in East Group A with one game left in group play, while the Hawks dropped to 1-2.
Trae Young had 38 points and eight assists for Atlanta, while Dejounte Murray added 28 points and Bogdan Bogdanovic had 26 on 10-of-15 shooting.
The Hawks held an 86-73 lead at the break and set a franchise record for points in the first half.
Allen sparks Cavaliers past 76ers in overtime
Jarrett Allen scored six of his 26 points in overtime and Darius Garland had 32 points to lead the short-handed Cleveland Cavaliers to a 122-119 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday in the In-Season Tournament.
Cleveland played without Donovan Mitchell, Caris LeVert and Isaac Okoro due to injury but had six players score in double figures to remain alive for the wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference.
Joel Embiid scored 32 points and Tyrese Maxey added 30 for the 76ers, who were eliminated from tournament contention with their third straight home defeat.
Allen’s hook shot with 18 seconds left in overtime gave the Cavs the lead for good before Embiid and Maxey missed layups at the other end.
Durant moves up scoring list in Suns’ win
Kevin Durant had 31 points to pass Elvin Hayes for 11th on the all-time scoring list and the Phoenix Suns handled the reeling Portland Trail Blazers 120-107 on Tuesday in an In-Season Tournament game.
Durant, playing in his 1,000th NBA game, passed Hayes in the first quarter by shooting 6 for 6.
Devin Booker added 28 points and Jusuf Nurkic had 18 and 12 rebounds to help Phoenix wins its fourth straight.
Deandre Ayton was booed heavily by the Phoenix crowd in his first game against the Suns after he was traded to Portland in a three-team deal that saw Damian Lillard go to Milwaukee.
Ayton finished with 18 points and eight rebounds as the Blazers lost their eighth in a row.
Clippers forward Leonard out indefinitely
Los Angeles Clippers star forward Kawhi Leonard is out indefinitely, president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank said before Game 4 of the team’s first-round playoff series against the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday.
Leonard missed Los Angeles’ final eight regular-season games due to inflammation in his right knee and then sat out the series opener before returning to action.
However, he's clearly not at full strength after combining for 24 points in Games 2 and 3.
A three-time First-Team All-NBA selection, Leonard played in 68 games during the regular season – his most since 2016-17 - and averaged a team-high 23.7 points to go along with 6.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.63 steals per contest.
Dallas leads the series 2-1, with Game 5 scheduled for Wednesday in Los Angeles.
GK One gives Community Basketball League a financial boost
The GraceKennedy Financial Group (GKFG) has announced that GK One is the official title sponsor of the GK One Howard McCatty Community Basketball League for the 2024 season. The partnership builds upon GKFG's ongoing commitment to supporting local communities and promoting youth development through sports, following another successful staging of the ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Track & Field Championships (Champs) last month.
"GK recognizes the importance of investing in initiatives that empower and inspire our youth," said Rickardo Ebanks, Chief Digital Officer, GKFG. "GK One is thrilled to be a part of the Community Basketball League 2024 Season and contribute to the continued success of the competition."
The Howard McCatty Community Basketball League has been a cornerstone for young Jamaican athletes providing opportunities for growth, mentorship, and teamwork. With a rich history of nurturing talent and fostering a love for the game, the league serves as a vital platform for aspiring players to showcase and develop their skills on a path to the National Basketball league.
GK One is GraceKennedy’s all-in-one app which offers a suite of GKFG services, allowing users to receive Western Union remittances to their mobile wallet, make bill payments, apply for a First Global Bank Visa Credit Card, and purchase insurance, anytime and anywhere. The app’s companion prepaid Visa debit card also allows customers to pay for goods and services wherever Visa is accepted.
Through the sponsorship, GK One will support the league's mission of promoting sportsmanship, leadership, and academic achievement among participants. The partnership will enable the league to deliver over 100 games throughout the season, provide resources for coaching and player development, and expand its reach within the community.
"We are grateful for the generous support of GK One," expressed Calvin Martin, Vice President and League organizer. "Their commitment to our league will make a meaningful difference in the lives of our players, helping us to further our impact and grow the game of basketball in Kingston and St Catherine. I encourage other corporate entities to follow the lead of GK One and invest in our communities – especially through sports.”
Beyond financial support, GK One will also engage with participating communities by hosting youth basketball clinics, fan engagement events, and supporting mentorship programmes led by the league. Players and fans will also benefit from access to financial services offered by GKFG.
GK One and the Howard McCatty Community Basketball League look forward to a successful 2024 season and partnership focused on empowering young athletes, fostering community connections, and inspiring the next generation of basketball stars.
Bucks star Lillard to miss Game 4 against the Pacers with Achilles injury
Already without two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks won’t have Damian Lillard in the lineup for Game 4 of the team’s first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday.
Lillard played nearly 45 minutes in Milwaukee's 121-118 overtime loss in Game 3 on Friday but was ineffective down the stretch after aggravating a lingering Achilles issue.
The defeat was the second straight in the series for the third-seeded Bucks after defeating No. 6 seed Indiana in Game 1.
Antetokounmpo has not played since straining his left calf on April 9 and remains out Sunday, meaning Milwaukee will be without its two leading scorers as it tries to avoid a 3-1 deficit in the series.
Antetokounmpo averaged 30.4 points this season with Lillard adding 24.3 per game. But with Antetokounmpo sidelined, Lillard averaged 32.3 points in the first three contests against the Pacers to pace Milwaukee.
Game 5 is scheduled for Tuesday.
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