INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Alperon Sengon tied a season high with 39 points and Jabari Smith Jr. scored 19 to help the short-handed Houston Rockets overcome the absence of All-Star forward Kevin Durant and beat the Indiana Pacers 118-114 on Monday.
Coach Ime Udoka said Durant sprained his left ankle when he stepped on a fan’s foot and was sidelined. The Rockets have lost center Steven Adams, who is expected to miss the rest of the season after injuring his left ankle, so Sengon has shouldered the burden.
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He made 13 of 25 shots from the field and 13 of 18 free throws, including 8 of 12 in the fourth quarter. Houston has won three straight, fifth in six games and won three straight on the road.
All-Star forward Pascal Siakam scored 27 points and Benedict Maturin scored 25 points to lead the Pacers from a 12-point deficit in the third quarter to take the lead. But they haven’t been good enough to extend their winning streak to a season-best three straight.
Initially, the healthy Pacers took advantage of Houston’s absence.
They controlled much of the first half and then allowed Houston to come back with a 17-4 spurt. Indiana trailed 63-56 at halftime when replay canceled Siakam’s buzzer-beating 3-pointer.
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At the beginning of the second half, the Rockets continued to open up the score and launched a 12-5 climax to lead 75-63. The Pacers responded with nine straight points, then regained the lead 81-79 on a deft pass from Jarace Walker to Siakam on the fast break with 2:27 left in the third quarter.
The game remained essentially a one- or two-possession game until Sengen’s free throws helped Houston go on a 12-2 run in the final seconds to make it 109-101 with 4:59 left.
Next
Rockets: Host Boston on Wednesday night.
Pacers: Welcome Utah State to Indianapolis on Tuesday night.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
