NEW YORK (AP) — Jarace Walker had 23 points, Kam Jones secured the victory with a 3-pointer with 16 seconds remaining, and the short-handed Indiana Pacers beat the Brooklyn Nets 115-110 on Wednesday night.
Micah Potter had 19 and Ethan Thompson had 15 for the Pacers, who won for the second straight night after winning in overtime over the New York Knicks on Tuesday night to end a four-game losing streak.
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Brooklyn Nets center Day'ron Sharpe (20) drives past Indiana Pacers guard Kam Jones during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Brooklyn Nets guard Ochai Agbaji shoots during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Indiana Pacers, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Brooklyn Nets guard Nolan Traore (88) fights for control of the ball with Indiana Pacers guard Taelon Peter during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Brooklyn Nets forward Danny Wolf (2) is blocked by Indiana Pacers forward Jarace Walker (5) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Potter shot 6 of 8 from the field and 6 for 8 from the line. He scored 14 in the second half.
Nolan Traore had 20 points to lead the Nets, who had won two in a row. Day'Ron Sharpe had 19 points and 12 rebounds and Ziaire Williams also had 19.
The Pacers played without eight key players, including T.J. McConnell (right hamstring soreness); Andrew Nembhard (lower back injury management); Aaron Nesmith (lower back soreness); Pascal Siakam (left hamstring soreness); and Ivica Zubac (left ankle sprain).
Brooklyn jumped to a 31-18 lead after one quarter and led 64-53 at halftime. The Pacers put the game away in the fourth, outscoring the Nets 31-20 in the quarter.
The Nets turned the ball over 16 times, six more times than the Pacers.
Pacers: Play at Washington on Thursday, Feb. 19.
Nets: At Cleveland on Thursday, Feb. 19.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Brooklyn Nets center Day'ron Sharpe (20) drives past Indiana Pacers guard Kam Jones during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Brooklyn Nets guard Ochai Agbaji shoots during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Indiana Pacers, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Brooklyn Nets guard Nolan Traore (88) fights for control of the ball with Indiana Pacers guard Taelon Peter during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Brooklyn Nets forward Danny Wolf (2) is blocked by Indiana Pacers forward Jarace Walker (5) during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Kyle Busch won the pole for NASCAR's season-opening Daytona 500 to give the driver with the longest active losing streak in “The Great American Race” a shot at the victory that has escaped him his entire career.
Busch is 0 for 20 in the Daytona 500 and hasn't started in the top five since 2016, when he still drove for Joe Gibbs Racing. He started fourth and finished third that year, then was a career-best second to then-teammate Denny Hamlin in 2019.
“Sounds really good right now — being able to qualify on my first pole for the Daytona 500, that’s pretty special," said Busch, who wore custom-designed Olympic-themed racing shoes at Daytona International Speedway.
He earned the pole Wednesday night with a lap at 183.925 mph in a Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, the team that signed him before the 2023 season when his contract was up with Gibbs and his salary was too high for most teams.
But his time in the No. 8 has been rocky for the two-time NASCAR champion. He's won three races since joining RCR — all in his first season — and takes a 93-race losing streak into the Daytona 500.
His pole runs continues a strong few weeks for Busch and his family: Older brother, Kurt, was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame last month.
“Feels really good for RCR as a group,” Busch said. “Just a valiant effort by everybody here. It would be really nice to be doing an interview like this about being No. 1 come Sunday night.”
RCR last put a car on the pole for the Daytona 500 in 2014 when Austin Dillon, grandson of owner Richard Childress Racing, qualified first. Dillon won the race in 2018.
Chase Briscoe, last year's pole-sitter, qualified second in a Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing.
Although 37 drivers were locked into the race ahead of time trials, the starting order is not determined until after a pair of Thursday night qualifying races. Of those locked in, 36 drive chartered cars that guarantee a spot in every race. An additional slot went to seven-time NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson under a provisional rule that allows for a 41st “world-class driver” trying to enter a Cup event.
Johnson is a two-time Daytona 500 winner and finished third last year. He left full-time NASCAR racing after the 2020 season.
There were two spots open for those not already locked in and they were claimed by Corey Heim for 23XI Racing and Justin Allgaier for JR Motorsports. They were the fastest cars in time trials.
Heim, last year's Truck Series champion, will be making his Daytona 500 debut.
“Kind of nerve-wracking for sure,” said the 23-year-old from Georgia. “So impressed and thank you for 23XI Racing and Toyota, coming here with an open car and a fourth team at 23XI, to be able to do that is pretty impressive even from my eyes. I feel like that’s a very big accomplishment from those guys. Just blessed to be a part of the team.”
Allgaier is in for the fourth time in his career and the second consecutive year while driving for two-time race winner Dale Earnhardt Jr.
“It's such a great sport to be part of it and it's awesome to be able to come down here and try to make your way in,” Earnhardt said. “It is stressful, but that's the best part about it.”
There are two remaining open spots in the field that will be decided Thursday night via a pair of 150-mile qualifying races. The highest finisher in each race among the drivers not qualified will earn a berth in the Daytona 500.
Those still trying to get in the race are: Anthony Alfredo, Corey LaJoie, BJ McLeod, Casey Mears, Chandler Smith and J.J. Yeley. Only two will race Sunday.
AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
Corey Heim speaks during a NASCAR Daytona 500 media day, Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, in Daytona, Fla. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Chase Briscoe steers through Turn 2 during NASCAR's The Clash preseason auto race at Bowman Gray Stadium, Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2026, in Winston-Salem, N.C. (AP Photo/Matt Kelley)
