76ers Rally Past Depleted Pacers 114-109 as Jaylen Brown Denies Trade Rumors

The Philadelphia 76ers mounted a fourth-quarter comeback to defeat the Indiana Pacers 114-109 on Wednesday night at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Facing a 13-point deficit at the start of the final frame, Philadelphia rallied against an injury-depleted Indiana roster to secure the road win, improving their early season record to 4-1 while dropping the hosts to 2-3.

Philadelphia's turnaround was driven by a dominant final period in which the visitors outscored Indiana 39-21. LeBron James served as a primary facilitator down the stretch, logging 33 minutes and concluding the evening with 13 points, 10 assists, and five rebounds. His steady play helped the Sixers overcome an uneven performance against a resilient Pacers squad.

Following the final buzzer, James met in the arena hallways with basketball star Caitlin Clark, who was in attendance to watch the game. James gifted his game jersey to Clark after the contest, continuing a connection between the two athletes that included James publicly praising Clark on social media ahead of the 2026 WNBA season.

Despite the victory, Philadelphia continues to work through tactical adjustments as the team integrates new starters into its rotation. The 76ers entered the night carrying the sixth-worst offensive rating in the NBA, underscoring that offensive execution remains an ongoing project for a squad holding championship aspirations.

The postgame setting also provided a platform for Jaylen Brown to directly dispute recent trade commentary. Brown addressed claims made on the radio by Boston Celtics broadcaster Brian Scalabrine, who alleged that Brown had presented Boston with a list of ultimatums and demanded a trade before his offseason move to the 76ers.

Brown strongly rejected the broadcaster's statements while speaking to the media. "I never demanded a trade. I never made a list of ultimatums. None of the sort. None of that is true," Brown said, noting that while he holds no animosity toward Scalabrine, he has no interest in allowing false claims to follow his tenure in Philadelphia. Brown, who is averaging 20.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game this season, affirmed that his attention remains solely on his play on the floor.

For the Pacers, the loss capped a challenging day defined by medical setbacks. Indiana played without All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who was sidelined by a hamstring injury. The team was also missing center Ivica Zubac along with multiple rotation contributors, yet still maintained a double-digit lead through 36 minutes before faltering late.

Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle addressed Haliburton's recovery timeline after the game, indicating that the guard is expected to miss multiple weeks. Carlisle stated that it would not be realistic to expect Haliburton back on the court before two weeks from now, though he noted that Haliburton is encouraged that the issue is not severe. Indiana will attempt to rebound when they host the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday.