PACERS at DALLAS MAVERICKS
Tuesday, 8:30ht, 7:30, American Airlines Center
TV: FSI Radio: 1070 The Fan
Injury Report presented by Ortho Indy

Jim O'Brien
Scouting Report
The Pacers started this difficult schedule stretch – 10 of 13 on the road, eight against teams with winning records – by blowing another double-digit lead and losing in Miami 109-100. They've led in the fourth quarter in three of their last four losses; in the other, they were as close as two in Chicago before fading. They're well-conditioned but not particularly deep, which could explain in part why they've had so much trouble finishing games strong. Turnovers have been a huge problem. The Pacers average 19.4 turnovers leading to 21.3 points for the opposition in their seven losses, compared to 12.6 turnovers and 11.4 points in their five victories. Dallas (6-7) is bouncing back from a terrible start in Rick Carlisle's first season at the helm with four straight big wins, averaging a 13-point margin while holding opponents to 89 points in the streak.
Rick Carlisle

T.J. Ford
Point Guard
Given T.J. Ford's struggles of late and Jason Kidd's size advantage, it wouldn't be surprising to see an early entry for Jarrett Jack off the bench. Ford has shot 25-of-69 (.362) in the last five games and in the last four has produced 12 assists against 10 turnovers. Kidd (10.2 points, 8.1 assists, 7.5 rebounds, 2.46 steals, 3.46 turnovers) is still a triple-double waiting to happen.
Jason Kidd

Marquis Daniels
Shooting Guard
Coming off consecutive 25-point games, Marquis Daniels is on a roll heading into his former NBA home. He's playing at the highest level since the Pacers traded Austin Croshere for him in 2006 with averages of 16.3 points and 5.9 rebounds. Gerald Green has been starting for the Mavs but not producing all that much, totaling 15 points on 6-of-21 shooting in the last six games. He's extremely athletic but very inconsistent.
Gerald Green

Danny Granger
Small Forward
Both players may be something less than 100 percent. Danny Granger sprained his left ankle in the fourth quarter in Miami. Though he returned to the game, it remains to be seen how the ankle will respond over time. Granger has fallen into the 3-point habit of late, making 16-of-33 (.485) in the last five games but averaging just 4.6 free throws. In his first six games he averaged 7.7 free-throw attempts. Josh Howard is listed as day-to-day, also with a left ankle sprain. His current averages (20.3 points, 8.2 rebounds) would be the best of his career.
Josh Howard

Troy Murphy
Power Forward
A productive rebounder (averaging 13.3 in the last four games), Troy Murphy has lost his shooting touch, going 3-of-18 (.167) from the 3-point line in his last six and 4-of-13 (.308) from the free-throw line in his last 10. The Mavs' streak has coincided with Dirk Nowitzki's tear. He's averaging 30 points and 11.5 rebounds in the last four and was named the Western Conference Player of the Week on Monday.
Dirk Nowitzki

Rasho Nesterovic
Center
Rasho Nesterovic is producing consistently in several key areas, including points (13.0), rebounds (8.8), blocked shots (1.5) and assists (2.5) in the last four games. The Pacers' offense doesn't run to the post anymore but it does run through the post to take advantage of Nesterovic's passing ability. Former Pacers first-round pick Erick Dampier is a solid defender and rebounder who has been a valuable role-player for the Mavs.
Erick Dampier

Jarrett Jack
Bench
Brandon Rush has the first double-figures scoring game of his young career in Miami with 10 points and played with a confidence and aggression that might indicate he's in the process of taking the next step toward more consistent productivity. Roy Hibbert, on the other hand, has totaled just seven minutes in the last five games including two DNP-CDs. O'Brien knows what he's going to get out of Jack and Jeff Foster. The depth of the rotation will depend on how the rookies evolve. Dallas leans heavily on veteran Jason Terry, who has averaged 21.2 points in the last five. Former Pacers forward Shawne Williams, dealt to the Mavs in the preseason, has made four appearances averaging 14.3 minutes, 2.8 points and 3.5 rebounds.
Jason Terry