INDIANAPOLIS – Myles Turner had 31 points and Pascal Siakam scored 28 as the Indiana Pacers beat the Atlanta Hawks 157-115 on Sunday to avoid falling into the play-in tournament.
Indiana secured at least the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference with a dominant finish to the regular season. The Pacers shot 65% and made 19 of 36 3-point shots.
The 157 points matched the Pacers’ highest-scoring game since joining the NBA in 1976. The record was set earlier this season in a 157-152 victory in the season’s tournament on Nov. 21.
Dejounte Murray scored 32 points for the Hawks, who finished the regular season 10th in the East at 36-46 and visit the ninth-seeded Chicago Bulls on Wednesday to open the play-in tournament.
Mouhamed Gueye added 19 points and Bogdan Bogdanovic 18 for the Hawks, who trailed 125-93 at the end of the third quarter and never threatened in the fourth.
All-Star Tyrese Haliburton, who appeared in the playoffs for the first time in his career, finished with 12 points and 13 assists.
The Pacers last advanced to the playoffs in 2020. They finished 11th in the East a year ago, five games out of the final play-in spot. They missed the 2022 playoffs and lost to Washington in the 2021 play-in tournament.
Indiana entered halftime leading 86-72. This tied the Pacers’ highest scoring half. They also scored 86 first-half points on November 6 against San Antonio and on January 15, 1990, against Golden State.
Turner, who had 12 rebounds and four blocks, helped the Pacers set the tone early. They took an 8-0 lead behind six points from Turner and held the Hawks scoreless on their first five possessions.
Atlanta offered center Clint Capela to rest. Three other rotation players who averaged a combined 39.9 points, Jalen Johnson (sprained ankle), Saddiq Bey (torn knee ligament) and Onyeka Okongwu (sprained toe), sat out due to injury.
NEXT
Hawks: Visit the ninth-seeded Chicago Bulls on Wednesday in the play-in tournament.
Pacers: Open playoffs as No. 5 or 6.
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AP NBA:
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