NBA wrap: Victor Oladipo's last-second 3-pointer gives Pacers sixth straight win

The Pacers are quietly just 1 1/2 games out of first place in the Eastern Conference.

Published : Jan 05, 2019 14:14 IST

Indiana Pacers guard Victor Oladipo (R), right, celebrates with guard Tyreke Evans after he made a three-point basket against the Chicago Bulls during overtime.
Indiana Pacers guard Victor Oladipo (R), right, celebrates with guard Tyreke Evans after he made a three-point basket against the Chicago Bulls during overtime.
lightbox-info

Indiana Pacers guard Victor Oladipo (R), right, celebrates with guard Tyreke Evans after he made a three-point basket against the Chicago Bulls during overtime.

Did you forget about the Pacers?

A lot of you may have, but it's time to start noticing what they're doing, especially after Friday's game.

While the Pacers would have liked to have defeated the Bulls by more than three points in overtime, the way they won was just as impressive as a big victory. Victor Oladipo banked in a 3-pointer with 0.3 seconds left to earn the team's sixth straight win.

 

Oladipo finished the game with 36 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three steals. The Pacers are now just 1 1/2 games back of the Bucks for first place in the Eastern Conference. And with Milwaukee and Toronto matching up on Saturday, Indiana has a chance to pick up some ground on one of them.

Another note: Since Oladipo came back from missing 11 games with an injury, the Pacers are 9-2 with their losses coming by a combined four points.

STUDS OF THE NIGHT

Wizards guard Bradley Beal had 33 points, nine rebounds and seven assists but Washington fell to the Heat 115-109.

Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns scored 29 points and added 15 rebounds in Minnesota's 120-103 win over the Magic.

Grizzlies guard Mike Conley scored 31 points and added four steals in a loss to the Nets.

Clippers center Marcin Gortat had a close to perfect night scoring 18 points on 8-of-10 shooting and 2 of 2 from the free-throw line. He also grabbed 13 rebounds in a 121-111 win over the Suns.

Paul George had 37 points, eight rebounds and two assists in the Thunder 111-109 win over the Trail Blazers. The win broke an eight-game losing streak in Portland for Oklahoma City.

DUD OF THE NIGHT

Cavaliers rookie Collin Sexton shot the 3-pointer well going 3 of 4 from beyond the arc, but he failed to hit a single shot inside of the line in the game as he finished 3 of 13 from the floor in Cleveland's 117-91 loss to the Jazz.

 

HIGHLIGHT

Nets center Jarrett Allen has become known for blocking dunks, but he showed he can throw them down himself in a 109-100 win over the Grizzlies.

WHAT'S NEXT

Raptors (28-12) at Bucks (26-10), 8:30 p.m. ET —  In a night full of good games as the Grizzlies play the Spurs, the Rockets play the Trail Blazers and the Warriors play the Kings, this is the best game on the schedule. It's two MVP contenders going head to head for the second time this season. Kawhi Leonard didn't play in the first matchup of the season and Toronto lost, but the second game was decided by just five points and was a great regular season showing. This one looks to be no different.

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment