Turner scores 20 points, Pacers rally to beat Pistons 115-109, spoil Bickerstaff's debut

DETROIT (AP) — Myles Turner scored 20 points, Pascal Siakam and Bennedict Mathurin had 19 each and the Indiana Pacers rallied to beat Detroit 115-109 on Wednesday night, spoiling coach J.B. Bickerstaff's Pistons debut.

Detroit led by 12 points and was ahead after each of the first three quarters in a closely contested game with 13 lead changes and four ties, but couldn't hang on for the win.

The Pacers overcame an eight-point deficit in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Pistons 33-19 in the quarter in the season-opening game for both teams.

Indiana's Tyrese Haliburton had 15 points and T.J. McConnell added 14.

The Pacers are coming off a surprising run to the Eastern Conference finals and retained key players such as Siakam, an All-Star forward who signed a max contract.

Cade Cunningham scored 22 of his 28 points in the second half for the Pistons, whose trio of veteran newcomers had solid performances.

Detroit's Tim Hardaway and Malik Beasley had 14 points apiece and Tobias Harris scored 13 points in the first game of his second stint with the franchise.

Jaden Ivey scored 17 points and Jalen Duren had 13 points and 13 rebounds for the Pistons, who had the league's worst record the last two seasons.

An overturned charge-block call with 6:31 remaining turned Harris' potential three-point play and two-point lead for the Pistons into a one-point deficit.

Indiana held Detroit to 5 of 20 shooting in the fourth quarter after the Pistons had made nearly 50% of their shots over the first three quarters.

The Pacers stay on the road to play the New York Knicks on Friday night. Detroit is at Cleveland on Friday night.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Detroit Pistons forward Tobias Harris (12) dunks past Indiana Pacers center James Wiseman during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey goes to the basket past Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (2) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) dunks the ball against the Indiana Pacers during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Detroit Pistons center Jalen Duren (0) grabs a rebound against Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner (33) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Detroit Pistons forward Tim Hardaway Jr. (8) takes a shot against Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Detroit Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff, right, directs guard Malik Beasley (5) during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Indiana Pacers Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey (23) drives against Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The editorials editor of the Los Angeles Times has resigned after the newspaper’s owner blocked the editorial board’s plans to endorse Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris for president, a journalism trade publication reported Wednesday.

Mariel Garza told the Columbia Journalism Review in an interview that she resigned because the Times was remaining silent on the contest in “dangerous times.”

“I am resigning because I want to make it clear that I am not OK with us being silent,” Garza said. “In dangerous times, honest people need to stand up. This is how I’m standing up.”

In a post on the social media platform X that did not directly mention the resignation, LA Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong said the board was asked to do a factual analysis of the policies of Harris and Republican former President Donald Trump during their time at the White House.

Additionally, "The board was asked to provide (its) understanding of the policies and plans enunciated by the candidates during this campaign and its potential effect on the nation in the next four years,” he wrote. “In this way, with this clear and non-partisan information side-by-side, our readers could decide who would be worthy of being president for the next four years.”

Soon-Shiong, who bought the paper in 2018, said the board “chose to remain silent and I accepted their decision.”

Garza told the Columbia Journalism Review that the board had intended to endorse Harris and she had drafted the outline of a proposed editorial.

A LA Times spokesperson did not immediately respond to an email requesting comment.

The LA Times Guild Unit Council & Bargaining Committee said it was “deeply concerned about our owner’s decision to block a planned endorsement in the presidential race."

“We are even more concerned that he is now unfairly assigning blame to Editorial Board members for his decision not to endorse," the guild said in a statement. “We are still pressing for answers from newsroom management on behalf of our members.”

Trump’s campaign jumped on Garza’s departure, saying the state’s largest newspaper had declined to endorse the Democratic ticket after backing Harris in her previous races for U.S. Senate and state attorney general.

Her exit comes about 10 months after then-Executive Editor Kevin Merida left the paper in what was called a “mutually agreed” upon departure. At the time, the news organization said it had fallen well short of its digital subscriber goals and needed a revenue boost to sustain the newsroom and its digital operations.

FILE - The Los Angeles Times newspaper headquarters is shown in El Segundo, Calif., Jan. 23, 2024. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)