MYLES TURNER

LeBron James made the tiebreaking 3-pointer in overtime and followed with a back-breaking 3 in his return from the first suspension of his career to help the Los Angeles Lakers beat Indiana 124-116 on Wednesday night.

The Indiana Pacers have fired Nate Bjorkgren after missing the playoffs in his only season as coach.

Russell Westbrook nearly had a triple-double and Bradley Beal scored 25 points in just 29 minutes to help the Washington Wizards reach the NBA playoffs as the Eastern Conference’s No. 8 seed by overwhelming the Indiana Pacers 142-115 in the play-in round.

Hornets Pacers Basketball Indiana Pacers' Domantas Sabonis,right, goes to the basket against Charlotte Hornets' Miles Bridges (0) during the first half of an NBA basketball Eastern Conference play-in game Tuesday, May 18, 2021, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings) (Darron Cummings)INDIANAPOLIS — (AP) — Domantas Sabonis had 14 points, 21 rebounds and nine assists, and the short-handed Indiana Pacers routed the Charlotte Hornets 144-117 in the Eastern Conference’s first play-in game Tuesday night. And the Pacers won this one despite losing forward Caris LeVert to the league's health and safety protocol. Pacers: Sabonis had a franchise-record nine triple-doubles in the regular season, four in May. UP NEXTThe Pacers travel to Boston or Washington on Thursday, with the winner claiming the East's final playoff spot.

Domantas Sabonis had 14 points, 21 rebounds and nine assists, and the short-handed Indiana Pacers routed the Charlotte Hornets 144-117 in the Eastern Conference’s first play-in game.

Pacers Raptors Basketball Indiana Pacers guard Caris LeVert (22) grabs a rebound away from Toronto Raptors forward Freddie Gillespie (55) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, May 16, 2021, in Tampa, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) (Chris O'Meara)INDIANAPOLIS — (AP) — The short-handed Indiana Pacers will be down at least one more player for Tuesday night's play-in game against the Charlotte Hornets after forward Caris LeVert entered the league's health and safety protocol. It's the latest twist for the Pacers in an injury-plagued season. Starting forward T.J. Warren hasn't played since late December because of a stress fracture in his left foot. 9 seed in the East and must beat the Hornets to advance to a second play-in game Thursday. Guards Malcolm Brogdon (right surgery), Aaron Holiday (right toe) and Edmond Sumner (left knee) are all considered questionable.

The Indiana Pacers will be without starting forward Caris LeVert when they face the Charlotte Hornets in the NBA's first play-in game.

Anthony Davis scored 28 points and LeBron James returned after a six-game absence to score 24 Saturday to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to a 122-115 victory over the Indiana Pacers.

Domantas Sabonis had his ninth triple-double of the season and Caris LeVert added 24 points to help Indiana rally past Philadelphia 103-94, ending the 76ers eight-game winning streak.

Malcolm Brogdon scored 24 points and the Indiana Pacers used a big third quarter to rout short-handed Orlando 131-112 on Sunday night in a game marred by Magic rookie Devin Cannady’s gruesome ankle injury.

Donovan Mitchell scored 22 points before leaving the game with a sprained ankle in the third quarter, and the NBA-leading Utah Jazz beat the Indiana Pacers 119-111.

Aaron Holiday scored 20 points, Domantas Sabonis had 16 points, 15 rebounds and six assists in his return from a three-game injury absence and the Indiana Pacers held off the Orlando Magic 111-106 on Friday night.

Gordon Hayward will miss at least a month after spraining his right foot during the Charlotte Hornets’ win Friday night over the Indiana Pacers.

Toronto Raptors forward OG Anunoby (3) shoots over Indiana Pacers forward Domantas Sabonis (11) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Jan. 24, 2021. Plus, they maintained their dominance over the Pacers, who have lost six straight season series to Toronto. He had a good night.”The Pacers played catch-up most of the game after falling behind midway through the second quarter. Toronto scored the final five points to hand Indiana its third loss in four games. Pacers: Sabonis had 10 points and 10 rebounds in the first half alone for his 16th consecutive double-double to open the season.

INDIANAPOLIS – Malcolm Brogdon hit the decisive 3-pointer with 2.8 seconds left in overtime, lifting the Indiana Pacers to a 120-118 win over the Orlando Magic on Friday night. Jeremy Lamb and Myles Turner each scored 22 points, and Domantas Sabonis contributed 18 points. Fournier scored 26 points for the Magic. Fournier missed a 3-point attempt with the Magic clinging to a one-point lead, setting up Brogdon's big shot. Pacers: Turner returned after missing previous two games with right hand injury.

He was eager to meet his new teammates, join the starting lineup and make his Pacers debut. LeVert spent his first 4 1/2 seasons with the Nets after the Pacers selected him in the first round of the 2016 NBA draft. Though teams conduct physicals at the start of each season, LeVert wasn't sure if the Nets ever scanned his lower back. That changed when he joined the Pacers, who came up with a diagnosis LeVert never expected. And until LeVert does return, first-year coach Nate Bjorkgren will be dealing with a short-handed roster.

Indiana Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon (7) shoots against Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis)LOS ANGELES – Marcus Morris scored a season-high 20 points to lead seven players in double figures, and the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Indiana Pacers 129-96 on Sunday night for their first four-game winning streak of the season. “Guys are buying in and enjoying playing the game.”Doug McDermott led the Pacers with 23 points, making five 3-pointers. It was their fourth straight game with at least 15 3-pointers made, tying the longest such streak in franchise history. ... Williams missed his second straight game with a left hip injury.

Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner celebrates after shooting a 3-point basket against the Golden State Warriors during the second half of an NBA basketball game in San Francisco, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)SAN FRANCISCO – Edmond Sumner earned a start for Indiana that came with a daunting assignment: defending Stephen Curry. Myles Turner made a go-ahead 3-pointer with 2:59 left and scored 22 points, Aaron Holiday converted a layup on the next possession and the Pacers held off Curry and the Golden State Warriors 104-95 Tuesday night. Golden State rookie James Wiseman picked up his fourth personal foul with 1:10 left in the second quarter. Golden State has won its last two on the Nuggets' home floor.

Tyler Herro had 16 points and Bam Adebayo added 14 points and 19 rebounds for the Heat, who made it out of the first round for the first time since 2016. Victor Oladipo had 25 points and Myles Turner added 22 points and 14 rebounds for the Pacers, who have dropped four straight postseason series to the Heat since 2012. Dragic's layup at the end of the third quarter gave the Heat an eight-point lead and the Pacers never mounted a serious comeback in the fourth. Heat guard Jimmy Butler left the game in the first quarter with a left shoulder strain. Pacers: T.J. Warren had 21 points for Indiana.

But right now it's more hurting the teams that should be playing in front of rowdy fans, not virtual ones. With Domantas Sabonis lost to injury, the Pacers need Turner to do even more on the inside to pick up the slack. Game 2, 9 p.m. ESPN NEED TO KNOW: These teams are seeded No. 8 based on what they did over the entire season, but there is no such difference in the bubble. Vogel said he believes in adjusting when necessary and may decide the Lakers need more speed on the floor and go smaller.

That's when Harden got Houston going, cutting it to 106-104 on with a driving basket with 27 seconds to go. But after Victor Olidipo missed a 3-pointer, Turner tipped out the rebound to Justin Holliday with six seconds left. ... Malcolm Brogdon, who had 12 points in Monday's loss to Miami, sat out against Houston with a sore neck. Rockets: Russell Westbrook was diagnosed with a strained quadriceps muscle in his right leg and will miss Friday's regular-season finale. Rockets: Play Philadelphia on Friday.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. T.J. Warren scored 32 points, tying Jermaine O'Neal's franchise record for most in a three-game span, to send the Indiana Pacers past the Orlando Magic 120-109 on Tuesday for their third consecutive victory. Nikola Vucevic had 24 points and 10 rebounds for the Magic, whose season-best, five-game winning streak ended. Warren again proved to be the catalyst as the Pacers scored the first 10 points and needed less than five minutes to take a 17-3 lead. The Magic opened the third quarter with eight straight points and eventually cut the deficit to 78-66 after back-to-back baskets from Vucevic. Pacers: Indiana had a season-high scoring total in the first quarter and a season-best 71 points in the first half.

I just wanted to be aggressive, do what I do best, Warren said. Tobias Harris scored 30 points for Philadelphia, and Ben Simmons had 19 points and 13 rebounds. But the leading trio for the Sixers wasn't enough to overcome Warren, who matched a franchise record with 19 points in the first quarter. He punished us tonight from the beginning of the game on.The Pacers got the restart-opening win without two starters. The Sixers were down 35-29 after the first and had eight turnovers, including two each from Embiid and Milton.

Indiana Pacers' Malcolm Brogdon drives past Milwaukee Bucks' Eric Bledsoe during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, March 4, 2020, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)INDIANAPOLIS Indiana Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon said Tuesday he has been quarantined after testing positive for the coronavirus. I recently tested positive for the COVID virus and am currently in quarantine," the statement read. But with other NBA players voicing concerns about resuming the season amid the continuing protests, Brogdon had decided he would play. If Oladipo does play, the Pacers intend to be cautious with their star.