Friday, Feb. 3 at 7:00 PM ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse
Game Preview
The Indiana Pacers will need to immediately put a tough loss behind them when they host the Sacramento Kings on Friday for the second leg of a back-to-back.
Indiana (24-29) enters the game coming off a 112-111 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday.
With NBA All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton back in the lineup after missing 10 games due to left knee and elbow sprains, the Pacers led until there was 2:35 left in the game. In the final 35 seconds, down by a point, the Pacers had a pair of opportunities to take the lead but came up short.
Haliburton finished with 26 points and 12 assists, Aaron Nesmith scored a career-best 24 points and Myles Turner totaled 20 points to go along with 13 rebounds against Los Angeles.
The loss extended the current streak to three games for the Pacers, who have struggled as of late going 1-11 over their last 12 games. Still, the Blue & Gold are 16-11 at home.
Sacramento (29-21) has been among the biggest surprises this season in the standings, as they currently sit in third place in the Western Conference and are 5.5 games back of the first-place Denver Nuggets (35-16).
The Kings have won seven of their last 10 games and have a record of 13-10 on the road. This season, the Kings are the highest-scoring team in the NBA averaging 119.5 points per game while having the third-best field goal percentage at 49.4 percent.
The players on Indiana and Sacramento know each other well, as Haliburton and Buddy Hield were a part of the trade last season that sent forward Domantas Sabonis to the Kings.
Since the trade, Haliburton and Hield have shined in the Blue & Gold.
Haliburton, is averaging 20 points, 10.2 assists and 4.0 rebounds this season while Hield has made more 3-pointers than any other player in the league this season.
Sabonis, who was also named an All-Star on Thursday (his third overall selection), is also having a strong season, averaging 18.8 points on 61.5 percent shooting along with 12.3 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game for the Kings.
Sabonis will play in his first game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse since the trade. The last time he played against the Pacers in Indy was on Feb. 6, 2017, as a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Sacramento enters the game winning back-to-back games, most recently with a 119-109 victory at the San Antonio Spurs. Sabonis had 34 points and 11 rebounds in the game while speedy point guard De’Aaron Fox collected 31 points and 10 assists.
The Kings, however, will be without Fox on Friday as he has been ruled out due to personal reasons.
Projected Starters
Pacers: G - Tyrese Haliburton, G - Andrew Nembhard, F - Buddy Hield, F - Aaron Nesmith, C - Myles Turner
Kings: G - Davion Mitchell, G - Kevin Huerter, F - Harrison Barnes, F - Keegan Murray, C - Domantas Sabonis
Injury Report
Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton - questionable (left knee/elbow sprains), Daniel Theis - questionable (right knee surgery)
Kings: De'Aaron Fox - out (personal reasons), KZ Okpala - out (G League assignment)
Last Meeting
Nov. 30, 2022: The Pacers fell behind by double digits early before the Kings bolstered their lead in the second half by putting up 44 points in the third quarter in a 137-114 win over the Blue & Gold.
Seven Kings players scored in double figures, led by 22 points by Harrison Barnes and 20 from Malik Monk off the bench.
Jalen Smith and rookie guard Bennedict Mathurin each scored 22 points to top the Pacers. The only other Pacers player to score in double figures was Buddy Hield (17 points) while Tyrese Haliburton finished with nine points and 10 assists.
The Pacers were outrebounded 58-47 and outscored in fastbreak points 31-8, which Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said was the difference.
Noteworthy
- Thus far this season, the Pacers are 6-4 on the second legs of back-to-backs.
- Center Daniel Theis made his Pacers debut on Thursday after missing every other game due to an offseason knee surgery he was recovering from.
- Hield is one 3-pointer away from making 200 for the season.
- In the Sacramento era, the Pacers have a record of 23-12 against the Kings at home.
Broadcast Information (TV and Radio Listings >>)
TV: Bally Sports Indiana - Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter/host)
Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan - Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Eddie Gill (analyst), Pat Boylan (sideline reporter/host)
Tickets
The Pacers host Domantas Sabonis and the Sacramento Kings at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday, Feb. 3 at 7:00 PM ET. Find Tickets >>