INDIANAPOLIS – Andrew Nembhard had 28 points and a season-high 12 assists, and helped Indiana regain control in the fourth quarter as the Pacers beat the Sacramento Kings 116-105 on Monday night.

Bennedict Mathurin added 25 points and Pascal Siakam scored 23 for the Pacers, who matched a season best with their second straight win and improved to 6-18 overall. Indiana has won four of six after starting 2-16.

Russell Westbrook finished with 24 points, 14 assists and 13 rebounds for the Kings in his fourth triple-double this season and the 207th of his career. DeMar DeRozan added 20 points and Zach LaVine had 16.

Indiana was in control much of the way, extending a 66-51 halftime lead to 77-58 on Nembhard’s layup with 8 1/2 minutes remaining in the third quarter. But the Kings used a 37-point quarter to trim it to 92-88 going into the fourth, then reeled off an 11-0 run to open a 101-97 lead on Westbrook’s basket midway through the period.

Nembhard made a 3-pointer to stem the tide and Mathurin followed with one of his own to put Indiana back on top at 103-101. Nembhard followed with another 3 and a layup to extend the Pacers’ lead to 108-101.

The Kings (6-18) were coming off a victory in Miami on Saturday and trying to win two in a row for the second time this season.

Heat player pleads not

guilty in gambling case

Miami Heat player Terry Rozier pleaded not guilty Monday to charges he helped gamblers placing bets on his performance in NBA games.

The 31-year-old point guard formally entered the plea during his arraignment in federal court in Brooklyn on wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy charges, and was released on $3 million bond secured by his home in Florida and another property. Prosecutors say Rozier conspired with friends to help them win bets on his performance in a March 2023 game when he played for the Charlotte Hornets.

He was also instructed not to gamble, have firearms or to have any contact with victims, co-defendants and witnesses in the case. Rozier, who’s from Ohio, additionally surrendered his passport and was restricted to traveling between Florida, Ohio and New York unless granted prior approval.

Rozier didn’t speak in court other than to answer the judge’s “yes” or “no” questions. He declined to comment afterward, but his lawyer, Jim Trusty, said his client was excited to begin mounting his defense against the charges.

Trusty said at a hearing later with the five other defendants that he would soon be filing a motion to dismiss the case based on constitutional grounds. He also urged the judge to proceed with the case on a speedy timeline, saying Rozier is dealing with “multiple layers of litigation,” including arbitration with the NBA.

But U.S. District Judge LaShann DeArcy Hall brushed those concerns aside, saying “arbitration with the league is of no concern for me.”

She set the next hearing for March 3.