NBA roundup: Nuggets stage comeback to defeat Mavs, Pacers snap Cavaliers' winning streak

The Indiana Pacers overcame a 15-point deficit to decisively end the Cleveland Cavaliers' 12-game winning streak in the NBA on Sunday, securing a 108-93 victory against the league-leading team.

Andrew Nembhard contributed 19 points, while Pascal Siakam added 18, and Myles Turner recorded 15 points along with 10 rebounds. The Pacers managed to sustain their performance despite the early exit of star guard Tyrese Haliburton due to a tight left hamstring.

With this victory, Indiana handed the Cavaliers only their second home loss of the season and achieved their sixth consecutive win by a double-digit margin.

Nembhard commented on the Pacers' second-half effort, stating, "It's nothing to lose. This is the best team in the league right now. We just had to play hard, play together, put some more physicality in the game on the defensive side and play off that."

Darius Garland led the Cavaliers with 20 points and seven assists. Cleveland held a 53-40 lead at halftime and extended it to 60-45 early in the third quarter.

In the third period, Pacers forward Bennedict Mathurin and reserve Obi Toppin each scored 10 points, helping Indiana outscore Cleveland 37-18 and shift the momentum of the game.

Toppin's total of 12 points was part of a strong showing from the Indiana bench, which outperformed the Cleveland reserves 42-24.

In Boston, Jayson Tatum delivered an impressive performance with 38 points and 11 rebounds, leading the defending champion Celtics to a narrow 120-119 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans.

The Pelicans, energized by the return of Zion Williamson following a one-game suspension for violating team policy, initially led by as many as 11 points in the first quarter.

Trey Murphy III scored 30 points, and Williamson contributed 16, but the Celtics managed to secure the win despite shooting only 43.6 percent from the field and making just 13 of 44 attempts from beyond the arc.

Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander faced challenges with his shooting, hitting only five of 17 attempts from the floor. However, he excelled at the free-throw line, converting 16 of 17 attempts to finish with 27 points in the Thunder's dominant 136-95 victory over the Washington Wizards.

Aaron Wiggins contributed 23 points from the bench for Oklahoma City, which had seven players reach double figures in scoring.

Nuggets make a comeback
Russell Westbrook recorded 21 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists, while reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic added 19 points, 18 rebounds, and nine assists. The Nuggets outscored the Mavericks 33-12 in the fourth quarter to secure a victory in Texas.

The Nuggets executed two remarkable comeback efforts, overcoming a seven-point deficit to gain a one-point lead early in the third quarter, only for the Mavericks to surge ahead once more.

Denver took the lead for good when Westbrook made a running layup, putting them ahead 97-96 with 5:21 remaining. Jokic followed with a driving basket, and Westbrook added another layup, allowing the Nuggets to extend their lead.

Klay Thompson led the Mavericks with 25 points, while the team was again without star guards Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

"I believe we lead the league in double-figure comebacks, which is a double-edged sword because I dislike that we've found ourselves down by such margins so often," stated Nuggets coach Michael Malone.

"What I appreciate about this team is their resilience. When we fall behind, we maintain our composure; there is no panic... we stay focused and seek a solution.

"I was not pleased with the start, but I was thrilled with the finish, and that is what truly matters," Malone remarked.

In New York, Jalen Brunson scored 44 points, and Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 30 points and 18 rebounds, leading the Knicks to a decisive 140-106 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Brunson set the tone with 23 points in the first quarter and recovered from a hard fall early in the third, helping the Knicks bounce back from a heavy loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 24 points, and Damian Lillard added 22 for the Bucks, whose three-game winning streak came to an end.

De'Aaron Fox of Sacramento returned from a three-game injury absence to score 26 points and grab nine rebounds, leading the Kings to a 124-119 victory over the Bulls in Chicago.

Domantas Sabonis contributed 22 points and secured 15 rebounds for the Kings, while DeMar DeRozan tallied 21 points against his previous team, which paid tribute to him with a video presentation at the beginning of the game.