INDIANAPOLIS — Just in the nick of time, the Indiana Pacers welcomed the return of standout forward/guard Paul George, who missed the regular season’s first 76 games with a broken right leg sustained in August while playing for Team USA.
As the Pacers try to secure an Eastern Conference playoff berth, George made a triumphant return Sunday with 13 points in 15 minutes during Indiana’s 112-89 victory against the struggling Miami Heat in Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
Indiana (34-43) and Miami (34-43) are tied for the ninth spot in the Eastern Conference playoff chase, one game behind the eighth-place Boston Celtics (35-42). The Pacers own the tiebreaker with the Heat after winning three times in the teams’ four-game series. Boston has the tiebreaker edge against Indiana, while Miami has the edge on Boston.
George entered the game to a standing ovation with 5:34 remaining in the first quarter and made his first field-goal attempt, a short jumper with 3:42 left in the period that gave Indiana a 20-14 lead.
George played his first game in Bankers Life Fieldhouse since May 30, 2014.
Spurs 107, Warriors 92
SAN ANTONIO — If Kawhi Leonard raises the bar any higher, San Antonio will have to spring for repairs to the ceiling of the AT@T Center.
Leonard matched his career best for the regular season with 26 points and set a personal mark with seven steals as the Spurs defeated Golden State for its seventh consecutive victory.
The 6-foot-7 forward played only 24 minutes — none in the fourth quarter. Forward Tim Duncan scored 19 points for the Spurs, and guard Danny Green had 18.
Golden State (63-14) had its 12-game winning streak snapped one night after Steve Kerr set an NBA record for most victories by a rookie coach with a win at Dallas.
Knicks 101, 76ers 91
NEW YORK, NY — Outscoring the visitors 16-6 in the final five minutes, New York defeated Philadelphia at Madison Square Garden.
While the Knicks (15-62) got the win, the 76ers (18-60) might just be the benefactors in the long run. Sunday’s combatants possess two of the three worst records in the NBA as they will be front-runners to gain the first overall draft pick in the lottery. Each loss increases the team’s odds of getting a higher choice.
The win snaps a nine-game losing streak that dated back to a March 14 overtime win against the San Antonio Spurs.
The 76ers’ losing-skid increases to six games.
Andrea Bargnani led the Knicks with 25 points, tied for a season high, with eight rebounds and four assists.