Pacers find playing short no problem, with no stoppin' Obi Toppin in OT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Indiana Pacers took the floor in Minnesota without four starters, including stars Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam.

The final member of their usual starting five was ejected in the third quarter, when Andrew Nembhard got his second technical foul of the game.

And when Bennedict Mathurin fouled out late in the fourth quarter, the Pacers were down their six top scorers.

But the subs wouldn't stop, and Obi Toppin finished off an unforgettable night with an improbable 132-130 overtime win Monday that pulled the Pacers even with Milwaukee for fourth place in the Eastern Conference.

Toppin hit all four of his 3-point attempts in overtime, including the winner with 3.5 seconds lift to finish with a season-high 34 points and beat a Timberwolves team that hadn't lost all month.

“I didn’t feel like I had to be the one to score,” said Toppin, who made a career-high seven 3-pointers in 10 attempts. “We’ve got great guys on this team. We go out there and do our job to the best that we can, even if we have guys out. Everybody on the team is a good NBA player.”

T.J. McConnell drove to the basket along the baseline and whipped a pass into the corner that the 6-foot-9 Toppin caught before launching his rainbow shot with Nickeil Alexander-Walker tightly guarding him.

The 3-pointer that Toppin banked in earlier in overtime gave him belief this one would go in, too.

“He's stepping into his shots really well,” Nembhard said of the eighth overall pick in the 2020 draft, who is in his second season with the Pacers after being traded by the New York Knicks. “His confidence is just pouring into all of his game.”

Toppin's timing was impeccable, with such a depleted lineup.

Indiana forward Aaron Nesmith was scratched for management of his left ankle injury that kept him out for 35 games earlier this season. Pacers center Myles Turner was out with a bruised left hip.

Siakam’s first absence as a member of the Pacers, who acquired him 14 months ago in a trade with Toronto, was due to personal reasons. The three-time All-Star forward leads the team with an average of 20.9 points per game.

Haliburton sat out with lower back soreness. An All-Star in each of the previous two seasons, Haliburton missed three games earlier this month because of a left hip flexor strain. The Pacers lost all three of those without their point guard.

Toppin joined Nembhard and Mathurin in the starting lineup along with Jarace Walker and Thomas Bryant, who hit a 3-pointer with a minute left in overtime to cut Minnesota's lead to two.

“Guys are coming in with nothing to lose, almost,” Nembhard said. “Just trying to feed off each other and bring the competitiveness into the game.”

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Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin, second from left, celebrates with guard Quenton Jackson, third from left, and guard Tyrese Haliburton, right, after scoring the winning 3-point basket to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves in an NBA basketball game Monday, March 17, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)

Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell (9) goes up to score against Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels (3) during overtime of an NBA basketball game Monday, March 17, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, second from right, is fouled by Indiana Pacers guard Quenton Jackson, left, as he drives to the basket past forward Obi Toppin, right, during overtime of an NBA basketball game Monday, March 17, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)

Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin, left, drives past Minnesota Timberwolves center Naz Reid during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, March 17, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)

Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin (1) shoots a 3-point basket over Minnesota Timberwolves forward Nickeil Alexander-Walker, center left, for the win during overtime of an NBA basketball game Monday, March 17, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards, front, and Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard battle for a loose ball during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, March 17, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)

Indiana Pacers' Myles Turner, right, reacts past Philadelphia 76ers' Adem Bona after scoring during the first half of an NBA basketball game Friday, March 14, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Indiana Pacers' Pascal Siakam, left, goes up for a shot past Philadelphia 76ers' Ricky Council IV during the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, March 14, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Indiana Pacers' Tyrese Haliburton (0) passes the ball against Milwaukee Bucks' Damian Lillard during the second half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, March 15, 2025, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jeffrey Phelps)

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Cade Cunningham had 24 points and eight assists, and the Detroit Pistons routed the New Orleans Pelicans 127-81 on Monday night.

Simone Fontecchio scored 23 points for Detroit, which had dropped four of six.

Zion Williamson had 30 points for New Orleans, and Yves Missi finished with 12 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks. Williamson also grabbed six rebounds and blocked two shots.

The Pelicans lost for the seventh time in eight games. And postgame, New Orleans announced Trey Murphy III was diagnosed with a torn labrum and partial tear of the rotator cuff in his right shoulder, an injury that happened when he dislocated the shoulder in the first quarter Monday. He will miss the rest of the season.

Cunningham scored 17 points to help Detroit to a 63-32 halftime lead. Fontecchio had 18 points in the second half.

Pistons: Fontecchio delivered an efficient performance in a reserve role. He went 5 for 5 from beyond the arc and 9 for 10 from the field overall. He also grabbed seven rebounds in 21 1/2 minutes.

Pelicans: It was a bad shooting night in a variety of ways. The Pelicans shot 32.6% from the field, including a 5-for-32 from 3-point range. They went 20 for 30 at the free-throw line.

The Pistons grabbed control with a 24-5 run that began in the first quarter and carried over into the second. Dennis Schroder’s driving layup made it 41-14 with 10:21 left in the first half.

Led by Fontecchio and Jalen Duren, the Pistons had a 50-39 rebounding advantage.

The Pistons visit the Miami Heat on Wednesday night. Next up for the Pelicans is two straight games at the Minnesota Timberwolves, beginning on Wednesday night.

The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

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

New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi (21) blocks a shot by Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) in the second half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Forest)

New Orleans Pelicans center Yves Missi (21) tries to block a shot by Detroit Pistons forward Tim Hardaway Jr. (8) in the second half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Forest)

Detroit Pistons forward Simone Fontecchio (19) shoots a 3-pointer over New Orleans Pelicans forward Jeremiah Robinson-Earl (50) in the second half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Forest)

Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (2) shoots a jumper against New Orleans Pelicans forward Bruce Brown (00) in the second half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Forest)

Detroit Pistons forward Ronald Holland II (00) attempts a dunk over New Orleans Pelicans center Karlo Matkovic (17) in the second half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Forest)

Detroit Pistons guard Dennis Schroeder (17) tries to drive past New Orleans Pelicans guard Antonio Reeves (12) in the second half of an NBA basketball game in New Orleans, Monday, March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Peter Forest)