Fierce final quarter lifts 76ers over Indiana

Philadelphia: Jrue Holiday scored 27 points and added 12 assists while centre Spencer Hawes had a rare starring role as the Philadelphia 76ers beat Indiana 98-91 in the NBA on Saturday.

The 76ers began the fourth quarter with a 19-4 run and never trailed again in improving to 25-40, still last in the Atlantic division, while the Central division-leading Pacers fell to 40-26 with their third loss in four games.

Hawes, a sixth-year NBA centre, scored 18 points and added eight assists as well as contributing career highs of 16 rebounds and seven blocked shots.

Indiana’s Roy Hibbert scored 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds while Paul George contributed 18 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists and David West added 18 points for the Pacers.

Indiana led 72-71 entering the fourth quarter but the 76ers opened the final period with their sizzling run to take the largest lead either team had enjoyed to that point at 90-76 on an Evan Turner layup.

The Pacers missed their first seven shots from the field in the fourth quarter before West hit a jumper to snap the drought. In all, Indiana went 1-for-9 with four turnovers in the first six minutes of the fourth period.

George sank a 3-pointer with 34 seconds remaining to pull Indiana within 96-91 but Turner and Thaddeus Young each sank 1-of-2 free throws to seal Philadelphia’s victory.

The NBA, meanwhile, says officials missed a foul call when Kobe Bryant was injured in a game against Atlanta. The Los Angeles Lakers star complained he was fouled when he landed on the foot of the Hawks’ Dahntay Jones with seconds left in the Lakers’ 96-92 loss Wednesday night. He crumpled to the ground and clutched his ankle and the Lakers said he would be out “indefinitely.”

The league posted a statement on its website on Thursday that said “video replay confirmed that referees missed a foul call on Jones as he challenged Bryant’s shot and did not give him the opportunity to land cleanly back on the floor. Bryant should have been granted two free throws.”

Bryant tweeted that his ankle was “still very swollen.”