Philadelphia turned a tied opening quarter into a 10-point halftime lead by outscoring Indiana 37-27 in the second.
The teams traded baskets through a 25-25 first quarter, but Philadelphia seized control with a 37-point second to take a 62-52 halftime lead. Jaylen Brown paced the 76ers with 15 points and seven rebounds, while Joel Embiid added 14 points. Pascal Siakam kept Indiana in range with 12 points, and Andrew Nembhard supplied nine assists despite going 1-for-7 from the field. After the break, the Pacers need to slow Philadelphia’s scoring surge and turn Nembhard’s playmaking into a tighter game.
Key Performers
Jaylen Brown (Philadelphia): 15 points, 7 rebounds Joel Embiid (Philadelphia): 14 points, 5 rebounds Pascal Siakam (Indiana): 12 points, 5 rebounds