NBA Game Notes (Jan. 8, 2024)

Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on January 8, 2024.

Pacers Rally, Defeat Celtics

Despite losing All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton to a hamstring injury in the second quarter, the Indiana Pacers rallied to defeat the Boston Celtics 133-131. The Pacers have won seven of their last eight games, tying the Orlando Magic and the Miami Heat for the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference.

The Pacers’ Bennedict Mathurin came off the bench to score a team-high 26 points, going 8-15 from the field with five 3-pointers made. Mathurin broke a 131-131 tie by hitting two of his three free throws with 0.6 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter (he missed the third attempt on purpose).

Mathurin was one of seven Pacers to score in double figures. He was joined by Aaron Nesmith (17 points, 6-10 field goals), Myles Turner (16 points, eight rebounds), Buddy Hield (15 points, 6-11 field goals), Obi Toppin (13 points, 4-5 field goals), T.J. McConnell (12 points, team-high seven assists), and Jalen Smith (11 points, game-high nine rebounds).

The Pacers have scored at least 130 points 15 times in 36 games this season. The only other team in NBA history to record 15 such games through their first 36 games of a season is the 1961-62 Philadelphia Warriors (the Warriors actually reached that mark in their 35th game).

Jaylen Brown scored a game-high 40 points to lead the Celtics, making 17 of his 26 attempts from the floor. Brown has scored 71 points on 30-46 shooting from the field (65.2%) over his last two games. The second member of Boston’s dynamic duo, Jayson Tatum, missed the game with an ankle sprain.

Celtics guard Jrue Holiday had 21 points, six rebounds, and six assists, shooting 9-16 from the floor. Center Kristaps Porzingis scored 19 points to go with seven assists, five rebounds, and three blocks, committing just one turnover in 38 minutes played.