Thursday, March 2 at 8:30 PM ET at AT&T Center
Game Preview
Halfway through their current four-game road trip, the Indiana Pacers haven’t taken any wrong turns.
On top of that, the team is moving back in the right direction after facing its toughest stretch of the 2022-2023 season.
The Pacers (28-35) can extend their winning streak to three games and avenge an early-season loss when they take on the San Antonio Spurs (15-47) on Thursday at AT&T Center.
Indiana enters the game coming off a thrilling 124-122 win over the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday in the Lone Star State. The Pacers have won three of the last four games after dropping 16 of 18.
Since the All-Star break the Pacers are 3-1, with the lone loss coming to the first-place Boston Celtics in overtime.
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Against the Mavericks, Pacers All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton dazzled by scoring 32 points to go along with seven rebounds and six assists while veteran center Myles Turner made 10 of 13 shot attempts for 24 points while collecting seven rebounds and managing four blocks.
Jordan Nwora, in just his fifth game since being traded to the Pacers from the Milwaukee Bucks, scored in double figures for a second straight game with 16 points off the bench while Jalen Smith achieved 11 points and nine rebounds in 15:35 of action for the Blue & Gold.
Following their win over the Mavs, the Pacers sat in 12th in the Eastern Conference standings – two games behind the final Play-In Tournament spot.
The Spurs enter the game holding on to a 102-94 Tuesday night win over the Utah Jazz, which snapped a 16-game losing streak. San Antonio is tied with the Detroit Pistons for the second-worst record in the NBA, trailing just the Houston Rockets (13-48).
Against the Jazz, Keldon Johnson scored 25 points while former Pacer Doug McDermott came off the bench and added 19.
Indiana will face a much different team than the one they hosted in October, as trades and injuries have reshaped the Spurs’ roster.
The Spurs’ leading scorer from the first matchup, Josh Richardson, who scored 27 points in a 137-134 Black and Silver victory, is no longer with the team after being traded to the New Orleans Pelicans in February. Additionally, Jakob Poeltl, who had 21 points, eight rebounds and five assists in the first game, is no longer on the Spurs after being traded to the Toronto Raptors.
Two other key players have also missed significant time as of late for the Spurs, as Devin Vassell and Tre Jones, both who started for the Spurs in the October game, have missed several games lately due to injuries, though both could possibly return for Thursday's contest.
Johnson leads the Spurs at 21.8 points per game and 4.8 rebounds while Vassell is putting up 19.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists. One new player the Pacers will need to account for is Devonte’ Graham, who has scored in double figures in six of the seven games for the Spurs since being traded to the team from the Pelicans.
As a team, the Spurs average just 112.3 points per game but are putting up the second-most points in the paint per game at 56.4 per contest.
The Pacers (42.7) and Spurs (42.6) have the two highest scoring benches this season.
Projected Starters
Pacers: G - Tyrese Haliburton, G - Andrew Nembhard, F - Buddy Hield, F - Aaron Nesmith, C - Myles Turner
Spurs: G - Malaki Branham, G - Keldon Johnson, F - Keita Bates-Diop, F - Jeremy Sochan, C - Zach Collins
Injury Report
Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton - questionable (sore right calf), Kendall Brown - out (right tibia stress fracture)
Spurs: Devin Vassell - probable (left knee procedure), Malaki Branham - questionable (lower back contusion), Keldon Johnson - questionable (left foot sprain), Tre Jones - questionable (sore left foot), Khem Birch - out (right knee chondromalacia), Romeo Langford - out (left adductor tightness), Isaiah Roby - out (right ankle sprain)
Last Meeting
Oct. 21, 2022: Despite scoring a franchise-record 49 points in the fourth quarter, the Pacers couldn’t overcome a slow start in a 137-134 loss to the Spurs at Gainbridge FIeldhouse.
The Pacers almost erased a 16-point deficit in the final five minutes, pulling within a point with 3.8 seconds.
San Antonio scored at least 32 points in each quarter and held a 102-85 advantage going into the final frame.
Haliburton led the Pacers with 27 points and rookie Bennedict Mathurin added 26. Richardson topped the Spurs with 27 points, Johnson and Vassell each scored 23 points and Poeltl had 21 points for the Spurs.
The Spurs shot 54 percent from the field to the Pacers’ 49 percent. The Pacers outrebounded the Spurs 42-37 and won the points in the paint 70-42.
Noteworthy
- If Haliburton tallies 10 or more assists against the Spurs, he will tie the franchise record for most 10+ assists games in a season. Haliburton currently has 30 10+ assists games while Don Buse (1976-77) and Mark Jackson (1997-98) each had seasons with 31.
- Turner is five blocks away from passing Rik Smits (1,111 blocks) for the second-most blocks by an individual in Pacers franchise history. Jermaine O’Neal currently owns the overall record at 1,245.
- Thursday’s matchup will be the 100th meeting between the Pacers and Spurs. The Spurs lead the all-time series 56-43.
- Indiana high school hoops legend Romeo Langford, a New Albany native, is expected to miss the game for the Spurs due to a thigh injury.
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), Pat Boylan (studio host)
Tickets
After a four-game road trip, the Pacers will return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse to host Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday, March 6 at 7:00 PM ET. Find Tickets >>