Sixers Close Strong, Embiid Dominates Late as Philly Outlasts Pacers
In a game that swung like a pendulum for three and a half quarters, it was the Sixers who found their rhythm when it mattered most. A decisive 15-3 run in the final five minutes gave Philadelphia the breathing room it needed to pull away from the Pacers, sealing a 115-105 win at home.
That late surge capped off a 20-5 stretch over the final 8:24 of regulation. It began just after Pascal Siakam hit a tough runner to give Indiana a 100-95 edge early in the fourth.
From there, the Pacers couldn’t buy a bucket-or a whistle. Missed shots piled up, frustrations boiled over, and a trio of technical fouls-plus an ejection for head coach Rick Carlisle-only added to the chaos on Indiana’s side.
Meanwhile, the Sixers capitalized, locking in defensively and executing on the other end.
Embiid Takes Over
Joel Embiid has heard the chatter-about the pace, the new-look Sixers, and how he fits into it all. But on this night, he reminded everyone exactly who he is.
After a relatively quiet start, Embiid turned it up in the second quarter, dropping 15 points in that frame alone. He kept cooking from there, punishing the Pacers with a steady diet of midrange jumpers, post-ups, and free throws.
He finished with a game-high 39 points and added 9 rebounds, anchoring the Sixers on both ends down the stretch.
Even without Tyrese Maxey in the lineup, Philly didn’t shy away from pushing the tempo early. VJ Edgecomb provided a spark in the opening minutes, but once the Pacers adjusted and took a lead in the second quarter, the Sixers leaned on their veterans to steady the ship.
Embiid was the engine, but Paul George was the smooth operator early on, getting to his spots and knocking down clean looks. George finished with 23 points and played a key role in keeping the offense afloat during some shaky stretches.
Pacers Falter Late
Indiana was right there for most of the night. No lead by Philly ever stretched beyond 11, and the Pacers had their chances to steal this one.
But when the game slowed down and every possession started to matter, the execution just wasn’t there. They struggled to find clean looks, turned the ball over at critical moments, and let their frustration with the officiating get the best of them.
Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 20 points on 18 shots, but it was a grind all night. He had moments, but nothing came easy.
Ethan Thompson, inserted into the starting lineup again, looked more assertive from the opening tip and gave Indiana solid minutes. He finished with 12 points in 34 minutes before fouling out late.
This game followed a familiar pattern for the Pacers-competitive effort, but not enough polish late to close the deal against a top-tier opponent. And while the loss might quietly benefit their draft positioning, there was no sense postgame that anyone in that locker room was thinking about lottery odds. The disappointment was real.
Looking Ahead: Wizards Up Next
The Pacers don’t have long to dwell on this one. They’ll be back on the court Sunday afternoon at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for a 3:00 p.m. ET tip against the Washington Wizards, who currently sit at the bottom of the league standings.
Indiana will look to replicate their dominant performance from late November, when they blew out the Wizards 119-86 at home. Siakam led that effort with 24 points and 11 boards, one of six Pacers to score in double figures. Washington’s Alex Sarr had 24 in that one, but he’s already been ruled out for the rematch, along with Khris Middleton and Corey Kispert.
Game Info: Pacers vs. Wizards
- Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
- When: Sunday, December 14, 2025 - 3:00 p.m.
ET
- TV: FanDuel Sports Network
- Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan
- Odds: Pacers -9.5
Projected Starters
- Pacers: Andrew Nembhard, Bennedict Mathurin, Ethan Thomas, Pascal Siakam, Jay Huff
- Wizards: Bub Carrington, CJ McCollum, Kyshawn George, Justin Champagnie, Marvin Bagley III
Injury Report
- Pacers: Quenton Jackson (hamstring) - questionable Kam Jones (back) - questionable Ben Sheppard (calf) - out Aaron Nesmith (knee) - out Obi Toppin (hamstring) - out Tyrese Haliburton (Achilles) - out
- Wizards: Malaki Branham (thumb) - out Bilal Coulibaly (oblique) - out Corey Kispert (thumb) - out Khris Middleton (knee) - out Alex Sarr (adductor strain) - out
With both teams dealing with injuries, this could be a chance for Indiana’s younger rotation players to step up and get back in the win column. The Pacers have shown they can handle business against the league’s bottom tier-but as always, it comes down to execution.