Pacers-Kings Preview

By TAYLOR BECHTOLD
Posted Nov 29 2012 9:54PM

Still trying to find their way without All-Star Danny Granger, the Indiana Pacers appear to have taken a big step forward.

The Pacers look to keep their momentum going Friday night when they try to sweep the season series with the Sacramento Kings for the first time since 2008-09.

After fighting through a slow start without Granger, who is targeting a February return from a left knee injury, Indiana (7-8) has a chance to win for the fourth time in five games.

The Pacers put together perhaps their biggest win of the season Tuesday night when George Hill banked in a shot over Dwight Howard with 0.1 seconds left to give Indiana a 79-77 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in the opener of a four-game road trip.

Hill scored in double figures for the fourth consecutive game with a team-high 19 points for the Pacers, who had lost six of their first eight away from home.

"We need road wins to build our togetherness, our belief in ourselves and our new identity, and to build confidence," coach Frank Vogel said. "This is a big one, and one that we were looking for."

David West added 16 points, 10 rebounds and a season-high eight assists. The power forward has played well recently, averaging 21.0 points and 8.3 rebounds while shooting 55.2 percent in his last four games.

Indiana, though, has had its struggles offensively. The Pacers shot under 40.0 percent (36.7) for the seventh time Tuesday and scored less than 80 for the fourth time, but they made up for it with another impressive performance on the defensive end.

Indiana held the Lakers to a season low in points and their lowest field-goal percentage at home (31.6) since April 8, 2000. The Pacers lead the NBA in defensive shooting percentage (40.2) and rank third in points allowed per game(91.2).

Now, Indiana faces a Kings team that had averaged 107.7 points while shooting 52.8 percent from the field - 23 of 48 (47.9) from 3-point range - in three games before a 97-89 home loss to Minnesota on Tuesday.

After falling into a tie with New Orleans for the worst record in the Western Conference, Sacramento (4-10) will try to wrap up its three-game homestand with its third win in five games.

Tyreke Evans and DeMarcus Cousins each scored 20 against the Timberwolves. Evans has come on strong of late, averaging 21.0 points on 54.8 percent shooting over his last five games.

While the Kings have the third-lowest turnover average in the West at 14.6, they committed five miscues in the fourth quarter Tuesday.

"We make plays throughout the whole game and then it's either a turnover or a couple of stops we didn't get," guard Isaiah Thomas said. "We've just got to learn from it and we've got to fix it or, like I said, we're not going to win these close games."

Cousins has enjoyed some success against an Indiana team that ranks near the top of the league in rebounds (48.5) and blocks (7.4) per game. He's recorded three straight double-doubles versus the Pacers and averaged 18.0 points and 13.5 rebounds in four career meetings.

Indiana has won six of nine against the Kings, including 106-98 in double overtime Nov. 3. West and Hill each scored 18 points while Paul George chipped in 16 and a career-high 17 rebounds for the Pacers.

The Kings were led by Marcus Thornton's season-high 26 points off the bench and Cousins' 21 points and 13 boards.

West leads Pacers past Kings 97-92

By JEFFREY WEIDEL
Posted Dec 01 2012 2:03AM

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) David West follows a simple offensive approach, and it's been working quite well lately.

West had 31 points and 11 rebounds to help the Indiana Pacers edge the Sacramento Kings 97-92 on Friday night.

The forward was 13 for 20 from the field and 5 for 7 at the line in his season-best scoring performance. He is averaging 23 points over the last five games, four of them Indiana victories.

"I'm just trying to continue to build on every game and get a good comfort level," said West, who also had two assists and blocked two shots against the Kings. "I only take shots I practice and that I'm comfortable with. I felt a rhythm tonight and I got it going early."

West has become the Pacers' go-to guy in the absence of Danny Granger, who is out with an ailing left knee and might not be back until February.

"David is veteran savvy, and has all the moves, all the tricks," Indiana coach Frank Vogel said. "He's a horse. Last year he came to us and had a fit-in mentality. He does whatever it takes to win. With Danny (Granger) out we need him to score and that's what he's been doing."

George Hill had 25 points, eight assists and six rebounds for the Pacers, and reserve Sam Young scored 12.

"I'm getting better as a point guard, but it's still a work in progress," Hill said. "I had been struggling with my shot, but my teammates said to keep shooting. Tonight I was being aggressive and the shots were falling."

It was a much more difficult night for DeMarcus Cousins, who had 19 points and 16 rebounds for the Kings despite a lackluster shooting performance. Cousins repeatedly passed up perimeter shots and drove to the basket against towering Pacers center Roy Hibbert.

Cousins was 5 for 17 from the field and has struggled in two games this season against Hibbert.

"Yes, he forced too many shots tonight," Kings coach Keith Smart said. "He needs to start taking those shots that are available. That's what David West does. West takes the open shots."

Marcus Thornton scored 15 points, and reserves Jimmer Fredette and Francisco Garcia each had 12 for the Kings (4-11), who have dropped two in a row and own the worst record in the Western Conference.

Thornton missed a long 3-pointer that would have tied it with 5 seconds left. Hill secured the rebound and was fouled. He made both free throws with 2.9 seconds left, giving Indiana a 97-92 lead.

"It felt good going up, but I just missed the shot," Thornton said. "My teammates and coaches had confidence to get the ball in my hands. I wish I could have it back."

Sacramento used Thornton's two free throws to pull within two with 11.5 seconds left. After a timeout, Hill was fouled on the inbounds play and made one of two foul shots for a 95-92 lead.

The Kings played without Tyreke Evans, their leading scorer over the past five games. Evans, who leads the team in assists and is the second-leading scorer, missed his first game of the season due to a bruised left knee.

Cousins tried to rally Sacramento to a victory. He hit four straight free throws and John Salmons added two more, trimming Indiana's lead to 88-84 with 3:04 left.

The Pacers responded with six straight points. West scored, Young made a corner jumper, and West followed with a 15-footer to make it 94-88 with 56 seconds remaining.

It was a frustrating game for Jason Thompson, who got into foul trouble guarding West and finished with three points, three rebounds and four fouls in 22 minutes.

"Unfortunately for me, I got in foul trouble and couldn't put my presence on him like I've done in the past," Thompson said. "But he was making shots even though they were tough shots. When you got it going like that everything you shoot is going to go in."

West scored 15 in the first half to help Indiana take a narrow 43-40 lead into the break. Using a variety of moves in the paint, he added 10 more points and five rebounds in the third quarter.

The Kings used consecutive 3s from Thornton and Brooks, followed by a Cousins basket, to grab a 61-58 lead midway through the period. Following a timeout, West had a three-point play and DJ Augustine made a corner 3 to give the Pacers a 64-61 advantage.

Indiana led by five after three, and Hill and Young connected on back-to-back 3-pointers to extend the advantage to 80-71 at the 8:29 mark in the fourth.

NOTES: The Kings missed 14 of their first 17 shots. Fredette came in and scored six points in the final 36 seconds to get the Kings within three at 20-17 heading into the second quarter. ... Receiving some rare playing time, Garcia made his first two shots and scored nine points in the second quarter. He entered the game shooting 23 percent (4 of 17). ... In two games this season matched up against Hibbert, Cousins has missed 30 of 44 shots. The Pacers won the first game Nov. 3 in double overtime.

Notebook: Pacers 97, Kings 92

James Ham, for NBA.com
Posted Sat Dec 01, 2012 1:18 AM - Updated Sat Dec 01, 2012 1:18 AM

THE FACTS: The Indiana Pacers were able to fend off a late fourth quarter run by the Sacramento Kings, sweeping the season series and sending the Kings to yet another defeat on their home floor by a final of 97-92.

David West was unstoppable for the Pacers, leading his team in both points with 31 and rebounds with 11. George Hill anchored the backcourt, scoring an efficient 25 points on 9-for-14 shooting and added eight assists in the win.

DeMarcus Cousins led the way for the Kings, but it wasn't pretty. The third-year big man out of Kentucky scored 19 points, but needed 17 shots to get there. On the plus side, Cousins grabbed a game-high16 rebounds in the loss.

QUOTABLE: "They're still competing and playing as hard as they can possibly play, but we have to get the payoff and get the win. That's the bottom line, we have to get the win." -- Keith Smart on his now 4-11 Sacramento Kings.

THE STAT: In their two match-ups this season, Cousins has hit just 14 of his 44 shots attempts against the Pacers.

TURNING POINT: With a little over nine minutes remaining in the game, Smart had his team switch to a zone defense and the Pacers made them pay. Hill buried a short three from the corner, followed by Sam Young from the left elbow and a three-point game quickly became a nine-point lead for the Pacers. The Kings made a good fight out of it down the stretch, but those were two huge baskets in this game.

QUOTABLE II: "It felt good. I missed the shot. I wish I could have it back, but I can't." --- A disappointed Marcus Thornton on missing a late 3-pointer that could have tied the game.

HOT: After a rough shooting star by the Kings starting backcourt, Jimmer Fredette and Francisco Garcia came in off the bench and kept their team in the game. Fredette scored eight points on 3-for-5 shooting over an eight minute stretch in the second quarter, while Garcia added nine points on 4-for-6 from the filed in a little less than nine minutes before the intermission. The duo returned in the second half to more of the same, finishing with a combined 24 points on the night.

NOT: Paul George struggled mightily with his shot tonight, finishing with four points on 2-for-11 shooting and missing all six of his 3-point attempts.

GOOD MOVE: With Tyreke Evans ailing, Smart had little choice but to rely heavily on his bench. With a few other options available, Smart turned to Jimmer and Garcia and they gave the Kings a huge lift.

BAD MOVE: For the second time this season, Cousins decided to take the ball at Roy Hibbert and once again, Hibbert made Cousins work for his points. In their first match-up, Cousins shot just 9-for-27 and then backed that up with a 5-for-17 performance tonight.

NOTABLE: Evans was a late scratch in this one. The Kings starting shooting guard bruised his left knee on Tuesday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves and is day-to-day.

UP NEXT: For the Pacers, Saturday @ Golden State, Tuesday @ Chicago, Wednesday vs. Trail Blazers. For the Kings, Saturday @ Clipper, Wednesday vs. Toronto, Friday vs. Orlando.

• Pacers: Granger, Hansbrough
• Kings: Honeycutt

• Pacers: --
• Kings: --

• Lead Changes: 16
• Times Tied: 5

• Arena: Sleep Train Arena, Sacramento, CA
• Officials: #31 Scott Wall, #23 Jason Phillips, #72 JT Orr
• Attendance: 12544
• Duration: 2:15