Last Updated: Oct. 20 at 4:40 PM ET
Matchup
After a tough loss on Friday night in Milwaukee, the Pacers (1-1) return home to Bankers Life Fieldhouse to complete their first back-to-back of the 2018-19 season against the Brooklyn Nets (1-1).
What do we know about this Pacers team after two games? It's hard to say after the Blue & Gold found themselves on opposite ends of two lopsided affairs.
They probably won't hold teams under 30 percent shooting and outrebound them by 29 on a regular basis, like they did in an Opening Night win over Memphis. They also probably won't surrender 17 threes very often, like they did on Friday as the Bucks opened the brand-new Fiserve Forum in downtown Milwaukee.
Drawing too much from either game is probably unwise, but one trend stands out from both games. Indiana must take better care of the ball. The Pacers had 20 turnovers against the Grizzlies and 17 against the Bucks. On Friday, they had just 14 assists.
Coach Nate McMillan, a former point guard, will not be happy with those numbers. Look for the Pacers to try to limit their mistakes on Saturday against Brooklyn.
The Nets aren't seen by many as a playoff threat, but they do have a young core that is improving under coach Kenny Atkinson. One of those young talents is third-year guard Caris LeVert, who had 28 points, six rebounds, and five assists and scored the game-winning basket in a 107-105 win over the Knicks on Friday night.
Projected Starters
Darren Collison
Victor Oladipo
Bojan Bogdanovic
Thaddeus Young
Myles Turner
D'Angelo Russell
Caris LeVert
Joe Harris
Jared Dudley
Jarrett Allen
Pacers: PG - Darren Collison, SG - Victor Oladipo, SF - Bojan Bogdanovic, PF - Thaddeus Young, C - Myles Turner
Nets: PG - D'Angelo Russell, SG - Caris LeVert, SF - Joe Harris, PF - Jared Dudley, C - Jarrett Allen
Injury Report
Pacers: TJ Leaf - out (sprained left ankle), Domantas Sabonis - out (bruised right knee)
Nets: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson - questionable (personal), Allen Crabbe - probable (left ankle sprain), DeMarre Carroll - out (right ankle arthroscopy), Shabazz Napier - out (right hamstring strain), Alan Williams - out (right ankle sprain)
Last Meeting
Feb. 14, 2018: The Pacers gutted out a win in Brooklyn in their final game before the 2018 All-Star break, holding off the Nets in a 108-103 victory.
Victor Oladipo led all scorers with 25 points, while Cory Joseph (15 points and 11 rebounds) and Myles Turner (11 points and 14 boards) both recorded double-doubles in the win.
Allen Crabbe led the Nets with 24 points, going 5-for-11 from 3-point range, while DeMarre Carroll added 21 points and 10 rebounds.
Noteworthy
- The Pacers acquired Thaddeus Young from Brooklyn for the 20th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, which the Nets used to take LeVert.
- The Pacers have won seven straight games and 10 of their 12 last matchups with the Nets.
- Brooklyn has dropped six straight contests at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Nets last won in Indianapolis on March 21, 2015.
Tickets
Opening Week presented by Kroger continues as the Pacers return home to Bankers Life Fieldhouse to take on D'Angelo Russell and the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday, Oct. 20 at 7:00 PM ET. Find Tickets »
Broadcast Information TV & Radio Listings »
TV: FOX Sports Indiana - Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter/host)
Radio: 107.5 FM/AM 1070 The Fan - Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Slick Leonard (analyst), Pat Boylan (sideline reporter/host)
Please Note: Inside Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Pacers radio broadcasts can be heard on 1080 AM instead of 1070.