INDIANAPOLIS -- Andrew Bynum provided the energy boost Indiana needed early. David West delivered all the big shots late. Together, the Pacers tag-team inside tandem simply overpowered the Celtics. West scored 24 points Tuesday while Bynum finished with eight points and 10 rebounds in 16 minutes, helping the Pacers pull away from Boston, 94-83. "He (West) is our backbone. Hes the one that lifts us and hes our best late-game playmaker and shot maker," Paul George said. "We always rely on David and he always digs us out of holes." The Pacers desperately needed Wests closing punch after losing a season high four straight. They also needed Bynums presence. Indiana played without backup centre Ian Mahinmi (bruised left rib) and backup point guard C.J. Watson (sprained right elbow), then lost George with two fouls just 7 minutes into the game. George wasnt the only having trouble Tuesday. Indianas other big perimeter shooter, Lance Stephenson, went 4 of 12 from the field and was shut out in the first half. Starting point guard George Hill appeared to hurt his right hand in the fourth quarter and All-Star centre Roy Hibbert finished the game despite a hard fourth-quarter fall. Yet the re-emerging West and Bynum, who played for the first time in almost 2 1/2 months, made up for those problems. "I felt great. I couldnt do anything wrong today," Bynum said. "All the rebounds came my way. I just grabbed them." The win gives Indiana a 1 1/2-game lead over Miami in the Eastern Conference standings. The Pacers also became the first team to win 30 home games and are still a league-best 30-4 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. While West stole the show on the court, Bynum created the most buzz off of it. For six weeks, Pacers fans waited to see No. 17 take the court. The 7-foot former All-Star drew a rousing ovation when he entered with 4:22 left in the first quarter and by the time the period ended, Bynum already had four points, five rebounds and one assist. Afterward, Bynum downplayed the impact he had. West, however, thought Bynums presence made a huge difference -- one that could help Indiana get back on track and stay on track through June. "He had an opportunity and he took advantage of it tonight," West said. "Hes going to make the game simple from my perspective when hes on the floor. Weve got to play through him offensively. Hes solid." Jared Sullinger led Boston with 17 points and nine rebounds, Kris Humphries added 15 points, but it wasnt enough to win a third straight as the Celtics lost more ground in their chase to make the playoffs. And even though the Celtics twice got within one point of the Pacers in the fourth quarter, first-year coach Brad Stevens contended the Pacers recent struggles were nothing compared to what most other NBA teams face on a nightly basis. "Theyre 47-17, right? They aint got no troubles," said Stevens, who left nearby Butler to take the Boston job last summer. "I know weve got to make a story out of something, but its really not. And Ive lived it on the other side where youre almost over cynical to a really good team and that becomes hard, too. The challenge becomes to continue on and not get too down or too high and theyre good at it." As well as Bynum and West played at times Tuesday, the Pacers still struggled to put this one away. Bynums first basket, a dunk, broke a 14-14 tie and the Pacers never trailed again. Indiana led by as much as 14 in the second quarter and was up 49-40 at the half. The Pacers rebuilt a 65-50 lead late in the third quarter before the Celtics rallied. They got to 69-61 after three, closed to 69-66 early in the fourth and then got as close as 77-76 when Sullinger scored with 6:44 left. "We finally got a couple of baskets without interference late in the game," Stevens said. "But those are hard to come by against these guys." West answered with a 21-foot jumper, Stephenson scored on a layup, Hibbert knocked down a 19-footer and the Celtics couldnt get closer than five. "Weve still got a lot of work to do," West said. "Weve got to get back to playing our style of basketball, being aggressive and playing with a little more confidence." NOTES: The Pacers pulled off their first four-game sweep of Boston since 1997-98.... The Celtics are now 2-14 on the first night of back-to-backs this season. ... Stephenson and George had a combined four points through the first 2 1/2 quarters. George finished with 12, Stephenson with nine. Jordan Montgomery Yankees Jersey . -- Officials have approved a deal to build a new $672 million stadium for the Atlanta Braves away from the downtown Atlanta area that has traditionally been its home. Tyler Wade Jersey . -- The Oakland Athletics and free agent right-hander Bartolo Colon have agreed to terms on a US$2 million, one-year contract, bolstering their depleted starting rotation. https://www.cheapyankees.com/2121g-randy...ey-yankees.html. Lawrie was hit on the hand by Cincinnati pitcher Johnny Cueto in the second inning of Sundays 4-3 loss to the Reds. CC Sabathia Yankees Jersey .Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg have been neck and neck all season, with 17 points separating the rivals and double points on offer for the race.Tensions between them have spilled over during the campaign and the pairs fragile relationship was evident during Thursdays pre-race news conference, when Rosberg goaded Hamilton by advising him to race cleanly. Billy Martin Jersey . The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Wednesday because the league hasnt announced the award. Crawford was the Clippers third-leading scorer and the NBAs top-scoring reserve with 18. SEATTLE -- George Springer hit the first pitch he saw in three days for a home run. The Houston rookie right fielder wasnt done, hitting another later in the game to help power the Astros past the Seattle Mariners 9-4 on Saturday night. "Thats pretty impressive, to sit out a couple games then the first pitch you see, you take it out the opposite way," Astros manager Bo Porter said. "Thats definitely good to see." Springer injured his right hip flexor on a ninth-inning pickoff play Wednesday in Anaheim. He then sat out the first two games of this series, both Seattle victories. But after Jose Altuve walked to open the game, Springer hit a 90-mph fastball from Brandon Maurer (1-3) into the right-field seats. He also connected on a 1-1 cutter from Maurer for another two-run homer in the Astros five-run sixth. He added an RBI in the sixth for a career-high five, in his 33rd big league game. Oberholtzer (1-6), recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City before the game, allowed two runs in the first, and then settled in, retiring 10 straight during one stretch. He finished with three runs allowed -- two earned -- with one walk and a career-high eight strikeouts. "He did a great job of attacking the strike zone," Porter said. "He did a good job pitching in. When he pitched his first stint here, he had gotten away from his effectiveness, on the inner-third of the plate. He got that back today and really attacked both sides." In his only other start against Seattle on Sept. 1 last season, Oberholtzer threw a complete-game shutout, allowing four hits, walking one and striking out five. He is 2-0 with a 1.20 ERA in 15 innings against Seattle. "I felt I pitched good," Oberholtzer said. "Before the game, I told myself, whatever happens, happens. Throw strikes and have fun. Its been a while since Ive had fun." Maurer went 4 1-3 innings for the Mariners, allowing six runs on six hits. He walked one and struck out two. The Mariners rallied for two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Stefen Romero walked, then Robinson Cano singled to right. Cano has reached base safely in 31 consecutive games, hitting .372 with 11 extra-base hits and 20 RBI during the streak. It is the longest streak of his career, and longest active in the majors. Justin Smoak followed with a single, loading the bases for Kyle Seager, who bounced a potential double-play grounder to first. But first baseman Marc Krauss threw wildly to second, allowing Romero and Cano to score. After Springers first homer, Maurer then retired the next 11 straight, nine on flyballs. But the Astros rocked him in the fifth. Chris Carter opened with a double to left and Alex Presley singled to right, with Carterr holding at third.dddddddddddd Jonathan Villar bounced a grounder to Cano, who tried to start 4-6-3 double play but bobbled the ball and settled for a Presley tagout as Carter scored. Altuve singled to right and Villar, running on the pitch, scored from first to make it 4-2. Springer followed with his sixth home run on a 1-1 fastball from Maurer into the left-field bullpen. "Hes unbelievable," Springer said of Altuve. "When he goes, our offence goes. Hes always on base. Hes a big guy for us. Im happy to hit behind him and happy to play with him. He can run and with him on base, it makes it easier for me to be more selective and still aggressive. "The home runs were all on him. He got me in a good hitting count and we go from there." Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon said Maurer has had "a few times where he is on a run and one thing or another goes wrong and he doesnt seem to get it back together." Asked about that, Maurer said: "I lost conviction. I wasnt throwing with confidence in my pitches. I dont know, it just went away, I guess." Tom Wilhelmsen entered and yielded an RBI single to Krauss as the Astros matched their season high for runs in an inning. It also was the most runs allowed in an inning by the Mariners this season. The Astros scored two more in the sixth, one on a wild pitch by Wilhelmsen and the other on Springers RBI groundout. Wilhelmsen had entered with a 13 2-3-inning consecutive scoreless streak. The Mariners added a run in the sixth on Michael Saunders bases-loaded groundout. In the eighth, John Bucks groundout sent Kyle Seager home from third. NOTES: RHP Taijuan Walker, sidelined since spring training with a sore shoulder, likely will be sent out on a rehab assignment Wednesday. He will start for Triple-A Tacoma and be limited to 75 pitches. "Im excited to get back there Wednesday, get into my regular five-day routine again," Walker said. Walker is the Mariners top pitching prospect. . Oberholtzer was recalled before the game with LHP Rudy Owens, who started Friday and optioned back to Triple-A Oklahoma City. Astros manager Bo Porter said the spot starts by Oberholtzer and Owens "allows all those guys (regular starters) to get an extra day rest. It just makes good sense to take care of the guys whove been so good for us all year." ... It was a "Turn Back the Clock" night for the Mariners, back to 1979. NBA great Lenny Wilkens, coach of the citys only major championship that year, tossed out the first pitch. Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon caught it. ... James Jones single in the second extended his hitting streak to 14 games. Its also a continuing club rookie record for his first 14 career starts. ' ' '