Sabonis, Oladipo lift Pacers over Knicks 107-101

Domantas Sabonis matched his career high with 30 points, Victor Oladipo scored 11 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter and the Indiana Pacers beat the New York Knicks 107-101 on Wednesday night.

Indiana trailed 97-94 with 3:08 left before Oladipo got hot. Sabonis hit two free throws, and then Oladipo picked off Tim Hardaway Jr.'s lazy dribble and threw down a breakaway dunk for a 98-97 lead. Indiana scored the next five points, capped by Oladipo's 3-pointer with 1:23 left, to make it 103-97.

Hardaway led the Knicks with 37 points, and Noah Vonleh had 14 points and 10 rebounds. New York has lost six of seven since winning on opening night.

Indiana Pacers guard Darren Collison goes to the basket during the first half of the team's NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018, at Madison Square Garden in New York. (AP PhotoMary Altaffer)

Alonzo Trier's basket cut New York's deficit to 103-101 with 44 seconds left, but Thaddeus Young found Oladipo open in front of the Knicks bench for a 3-pointer.

Young had 13 point, 10 rebounds and five steals.

BACK IN

Indiana Pacers guard Cory Joseph, right, shoots as New York Knicks guard Allonzo Trier defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018, at Madison Square Garden in New York. (AP PhotoMary Altaffer)

New York native and former Knicks player Kyle O'Quinn got a nice hand from the Madison Square Garden crowd when he entered late in the second quarter. O'Quinn signed a one-year deal with Indiana after opting out of the final year of his contract in New York.

His decision landed him $4.5 million, a $200,000 raise.

"You talk to your agent, you talk to your family, but you have to make it," O'Quinn said before the nationally televised game. "It's the biggest decision I've ever made as far as making a choice in my career. I slept on it, prayed on it. It's no secret I would've loved to play for (new Knicks coach David) Fizdale or be here."

New York Knicks center Enes Kanter (00) goes to the basket past Indiana Pacers forward Thaddeus Young (21) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018, at Madison Square Garden in New York. The Pacers won 107-101. (AP PhotoMary Altaffer)

UP NEXT

Pacers: Visit the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night.

Knicks: Visit the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday night.

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Indiana Pacers forward Domantas Sabonis dunks during the second half of the team's NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018, at Madison Square Garden in New York. The Pacers won 107 - 101.(AP PhotoMary Altaffer)

Indiana Pacers forward Domantas Sabonis (11) celebrates with his teammates after scoring during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018, at Madison Square Garden in New York. The Pacers won 107-101. (AP PhotoMary Altaffer)

Indiana Pacers guard Victor Oladipo reacts after scoring a basket during the second half of the team's NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks, Wednesday, Oct. 31, 2018, at Madison Square Garden in New York. The Pacers won 107-101. (AP PhotoMary Altaffer)

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Paolo Banchero had 31 points and 14 rebounds, Jalen Suggs added 24 points and the Orlando Magic handed Cleveland the worst playoff loss in franchise history, winning 121-83 on Thursday night to cut the Cavaliers’ lead to 2-1 in their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Franz Wagner finished with 16 points and eight assists for the Magic, who led by 43 points in the fourth quarter on the way to the third-largest margin of victory in a playoff game. They earned their first playoff victory since 2019 and the first on their home floor since April 26, 2011.

They can even the series with a victory at home Sunday.

Jarrett Allen had 15 points and eight rebounds for the Cavaliers, who shot 39% from the field and 23.5% from 3-point range. Caris LeVert added 15 points and Donovan Mitchell had 13 points and seven assists.

76ERS 125, KNICKS 114

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Joel Embiid scored 50 points, making all four 3-point attempts and scoring 18 in a potential series-shifting third quarter to lead Philadelphia to a win over New York in Game 3 of their Eastern Conference first-round series.

Embiid boldly stated “we’re going to win this series” after the 76ers dropped Game 2.

With one of the finest postseason efforts of his career, Embiid became the third player to ever score 50 points against the Knicks in the postseason and kept the hope of a Philadelphia series comeback very much alive.

The Knicks lead the series 2-1. Game 4 is Sunday in Philadelphia.

Embiid was 13 of 19 from the floor overall, made 19 of 21 free throws and hit five 3-pointers.

NUGGETS 112, LAKERS 105

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Aaron Gordon had 29 points and 15 rebounds, Nikola Jokic added 24 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists, and Denver moved to the brink of the second round with a victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 3 of their first-round series..

Jamal Murray scored 22 points as the defending NBA champion Nuggets won their 11th consecutive meeting with LeBron James and the Lakers in dominating style.

Michael Porter Jr. added 20 points for Denver, which took control in the third quarter and cruised through the final minutes to its fifth straight road win over Los Angeles, starting with its sweep of last season’s Western Conference finals.

Game 4 is Saturday night in Los Angeles. No NBA team has ever rallied from an 0-3 playoff deficit.

Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony (50) makes a shot as he gets past Cleveland Cavaliers guard Sam Merrill (5) during the second half of Game 3 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff series Thursday, April 25, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)