The Indiana Pacers overcame a 16-point deficit to edge the Sacramento Kings 111-109 on Monday night, securing their 44th win of the season.
Aaron Nesmith led the way with 24 points, scoring 17 in the second half as the Pacers (44-31) tightened their grip on fourth place in the Eastern Conference. Obi Toppin added 19 points, and Tyrese Haliburton contributed 18 points and 11 assists against his former team.
DeMar DeRozan paced Sacramento with 31 points and eight assists, while Domantas Sabonis had 25 points and 16 rebounds. Zach LaVine finished with 20 points, but the Kings (36-39) fell short after leading by as many as 16 in the third quarter.
Sacramento maintained its hold on the 10th seed in the Western Conference but missed a key opportunity to move closer to ninth place, which would guarantee a home game in the Play-In Tournament.
The Kings controlled the game early, building a 76-60 lead midway through the third quarter. However, Indiana clawed back, outscoring Sacramento 30-23 in the final period.
Haliburton hit a go-ahead three-pointer with 1:17 left to put Indiana up 100-98. Pascal Siakam followed with another three-pointer to extend the lead to five with 36 seconds remaining.
Nesmith, who shot 9-for-9 from the free-throw line, sealed the victory as the Pacers held off a late push from Sacramento.
Despite the loss, Sabonis recorded his 16th consecutive double-double, continuing his strong season for the Kings. Keegan Murray added 12 points, while Malik Monk had a rough shooting night, finishing with five points on 2-of-14 from the field.
For Indiana, rookie Jarace Walker provided a spark off the bench with 15 points on 6-of-10 shooting. Toppin was especially effective from deep, making 5-of-8 from beyond the arc.
