Matchup
Oh, how quickly things can change. This time a week ago, the Pacers were on the outside looking in on the playoff race. Now, after reeling off three straight wins, Indiana (40-40) can clinch a playoff spot with a win on Monday night in Philadelphia and a little help.
If the Pacers beat the 76ers (28-52) and either Chicago or Miami loses, the Blue & Gold will secure their sixth postseason berth in seven seasons. The Bulls host Orlando on Monday, while the Heat play the Cavaliers.
PLAYOFF PICTURE: Track the Pacers' Playoff Push »
Indiana put together arguably its best all-around offensive performance of the season in Saturday's 127-112 win over the Magic in Orlando. Just four days after setting a season high for points in a half with 68 points in the final two quarters of their win over the Raptors, the Pacers matched that total in the first half of Saturday's contest.
The Blue & Gold wound up shooting 59.2 percent from the field in the victory. Paul George was sensational once again, scoring 37 points on 14-of-22 shooting. Myles Turner added 23 points on 10-of-13 shooting, and Thaddeus Young converted 7-of-8 shots while racking up 14 points. Jeff Teague created many of those open shots, dishing out 13 assists.
The Pacers will see a familiar face when they take on the injury-plagued Sixers on Monday night. Philadelphia received an injury hardship exception from the league last week (the 76ers have six players listed as out for Monday's contest) and signed rookie forward Alex Poythress, who took part in training camp with the Pacers and then starred for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants for most of the regular season.
Poythress, who was named a D-League All-Star in February, has appeared in four games for Philadelphia, averaging 7.8 points and 5.3 rebounds.
Projected Starters
Jeff Teague
Monta Ellis
Paul George
Thaddeus Young
Myles Turner
T.J. McConnell
Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot
Justin Anderson
Dario Šarić
Richaun Holmes
Pacers: PG - Jeff Teague, SG - Monta Ellis, SF - Paul George, PF - Thaddeus Young, C - Myles Turner
76ers: PG - T.J. McConnell, SG - Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot, SF - Justin Anderson, PF - Dario Šarić, C - Richaun Holmes
Injury Report
Pacers: Glenn Robinson III - out (sore left calf), Al Jefferson - questionable (sprained left ankle)
76ers: Jerryd Bayless - out (left wrist surgery), Robert Covington - out (right knee injury), Joel Embiid - out (left knee injury), Jahlil Okafor - out (right knee soreness), Sergio Rodriguez - out (left hamstring strain), Ben Simmons - out (acute fracture, right foot)
Last Meeting
March 26, 2017: Seven players scored in double figures in the Pacers' 107-94 win over Philadelphia at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. All-Star forward Paul George led the way with 21 points, eight rebounds, and three assists. Myles Turner tallied 17 points and 16 rebounds to record his 12th double-double of the season, while Jeff Teague added 16 points and four assists.
"We were in attack mode," Teague said. "I think everybody came out just being aggressive. When we play like that, we're a good team."
Sergio Rodriguez led Philadelphia with 16 points in the loss. Rookie center Shawn Long recorded his first career double-double, finishing with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Richaun Holmes also had a double-double, collecting 11 points and 12 boards.
Noteworthy
- Philadelphia leads the all-time series with the Pacers, 96-75, including a 52-33 record at home.
- The Pacers, however, have won 11 of their last 13 regular season games against the Sixers.
- Paul George has scored 20 or more points in 10 straight games, the longest active streak in the NBA and second longest streak of his career. He accomplished the feat in 13 consecutive contests from Nov. 4 - Dec. 2, 2015.
Tickets
The Pacers will host the Atlanta Hawks for Fan Appreciation Night on Wednesday, April 12 at 8:00 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), Pat Boylan (studio host)
Please Note: For the remainder of the season, all Pacers radio broadcasts can be heard on FM 107.5 as well as AM 1070 The Fan.
Away Game Night Special
Primary Logo T-Shirt - $12. Game Night Specials can be purchased online the day of each away game from 10:00 AM - Midnight. Order Online »