INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Bennedict Mathurin scored 26 points, including the deciding free throws with 0.6 seconds remaining, and the Indiana Pacers rallied after All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton suffered a hamstring injury to beat the Boston Celtics 133-131 on Monday night.
Haliburton strained his left hamstring when he slipped and did the splits on a drive in the second quarter. He was carried to the locker room by two teammates.
Mathurin was fouled by Kristaps Porzingis on a 3-pointer just before time expired. The call was reviewed and upheld. Mathurin sank the first two free throws and missed the third on purpose. He finished 8 of 15 from the field, including five 3-pointers, as Indiana split a two-game home series against the top team in the Eastern Conference.
All-Star Jaylen Brown scored a season-high 40 points on 17-of-26 shooting for the Celtics, who were without leading scorer Jayson Tatum. The four-time All-Star sat out to manage a left ankle sprain. Tatum averages 27.5 points, and he had 38 points, 14 rebounds and six assists in Saturday’s 118-101 win over the Pacers.
Jrue Holiday scored 21 points and Porzingis had 19 for Boston.
The Pacers trailed by nine points at halftime but finished with seven double-figure scorers. Aaron Nesmith scored 17 points, Myles Turner 16 and Buddy Hield 15.
Brown thought he was headed to the line for potential game-deciding free throws after officials whistled Hield for a foul with the game tied at 131 and 3.2 seconds remaining. But a review overturned the call and awarded possession to the Pacers.
UP NEXT
Celtics: Host Minnesota on Wednesday.
Pacers: Host Washington on Wednesday.
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