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The Philadelphia 76ers outlasted the Indiana Pacers in a back-and-forth battle that ended 113-107. In a game that had many lead changes, Dwight Howard and the Sixers fought until the end and secured their second preseason victory. This was the Pacers' third straight loss in this NBA preseason, with each of the three games being within ten points.
The Philadelphia 76ers bench erupted for 66 points, including double-digit nights out of Shake Milton (15), Furkan Korkmaz (14), Mike Scott (12), and Tyrese Maxey (10). Domantas Sabonis led the Indiana Pacers on offense with 26 points and 11 rebounds.
Indiana Pacers fight off Philadelphia 76ers in first half
The Philadelphia 76ers and Indiana Pacers had a back-and-forth battle all night, with both teams going on big scoring runs and shifting momentum often.
The first half started out with a big 76ers run, but the Pacers fought their way back into the game and ended the half with an 8-point lead.
The Philadelphia 76ers have been very involved in the NBA trade rumor mill recently, most notably for talks about a deal for Houston Rockets' star James Harden.
Many basketball fans and NBA insiders are speculating that a deal for Harden would require the Sixers to include Ben Simmons. There have been no official announcements surrounding this trade.
Dwight Howard led the Philadelphia 76ers in scoring after the first quarter and continued to find the basket throughout with 14 points in 16 minutes.
With star center Joel Embiid out, Howard adjusted well to the Philadelphia 76ers offense in his second game with the team.
The Philadelphia 76ers had a 40-32 lead with less than 8 minutes left in the first half, but the Indiana Pacers suddenly switched the momentum of the game.
The Pacers' offensive possessions were ending in a basket nearly every time, and the Sixers had no answer. The Pacers ended the half on a 25-11 run and led the Sixers 59-51.
Philadelphia 76ers strong in 2nd half, Indiana Pacers bench could not hang on
The second half was controlled by the Philadelphia 76ers, with young stars Tyrese Maxey and Shake Milton having standout performances.
The Sixers have shown many positive signs on offense this year and yet again proved their depth and overall team strength with this win over a talented Indiana Pacers roster.
Aaron Holiday had a strong defensive performance for the Pacers, locking up his assignments on many possessions.
This game did not feel like a preseason atmosphere, with both teams playing physically and hustling up and down the court. The Pacers simply would not give up, but neither would the Sixers.
This will conclude the preseason for both teams. The Philadelphia 76ers finished 2-0, while the Indiana Pacers finished 0-3. Both teams showed tremendous upside in this game tonight and should both be considered legitimate contenders in the Eastern Conference.
