Matchup
Super Bowl Sunday falls a little over a quarter of the way through the NBA season, but the Pacers still find themselves facing elite competition on the day of the big game. Indiana (12-11) will host the NBA's current top team, the Utah Jazz (18-5) on Sunday afternoon at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
The Jazz own the best record in the league and have only lost once in the past month. Utah reeled off 11 straight wins before falling in Denver on Jan. 31, then bounced back with three more wins entering Sunday's contest. The Jazz haven't just been winning, they've been dominating, as 13 of their 14 wins over the past month have been by double digits.
All-Stars Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert are the two-way anchors of a Utah team that ranks fourth in offensive rating (115.7 points per 100 possessions) and third in defensive rating (107.4). 6-foot guard Mitchell is averaging 23.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 4.6 assists while shooting 41.5 percent from 3-point range. 7-foot center Gobert is averaging 13.1 points and 13.4 rebounds while shooting 60 percent from the field and ranks second to Indiana's Myles Turner in blocks, swatting 2.7 per game.
The Pacers, meanwhile, are hoping to avoid their first three-game losing streak of the season. Indiana never led in a blowout loss in Milwaukee on Wednesday and trailed by 18 in the third quarter of Friday's game against New Orleans before mounting a memorable rally.
A unit of starting forward Justin Holiday and four reserves sparked a fourth-quarter rally with their infectious energy and a barrage of 3-point shots. The group actually took the lead midway through the final frame and head coach Nate Bjorkgren rolled with them rather than returning his starters to the game. The Blue & Gold made 10 3-pointers in the fourth quarter alone, but came up one bounce short in a 114-113 loss to the Pelicans.
The hope is that the spark lit during that comeback carries over to Sunday's contest. Look for bounce-back games from leading scorers Malcolm Brogdon and Domantas Sabonis, who managed just 21 points against New Orleans while sitting out the entire fourth quarter, their lowest combined output in any game this season.
Projected Starters
Malcolm Brogdon
Jeremy Lamb
Justin Holiday
Domantas Sabonis
Myles Turner
Mike Conley
Donovan Mitchell
Bojan Bogdanovic
Royce O'Neale
Rudy Gobert
Pacers: PG - Malcolm Brogdon, SG - Jeremy Lamb, SF - Justin Holiday, PF - Domantas Sabonis, C - Myles Turner
Jazz: PG - Mike Conley, SG - Donovan Mitchell, SF - Brandon Ingram, PF - Royce O'Neale, C - Rudy Gobert
Injury Report
Pacers: Brian Bowen II - out (G League two-way contract), Jalen Lecque - out (G League assignment), Caris LeVert - out (medical condition), Cassius Stanley - out (G League two-way contract), T.J. Warren - out (left foot stress fracture)
Jazz: Udoka Azubuike - out (G League assignment), Trent Forrest - out (G League two-way contract), Elijah Hughes - out (left ankle sprain)
Last Meeting
Jan. 20, 2020: The Pacers fell to the Jazz in Utah on the second night of a back-to-back, 118-88. The loss snapped a five-game win streak for Indiana.
"Just one of those nights," Pacers center Myles Turner said after the loss. "Some people call it a schedule loss, but I think that they came out and they moved the ball very well, forced our defense to work and we weren't hitting shots so it's a recipe for disaster."
Turner led Indiana with 12 points, five rebounds, and six steals in the loss. Aaron Holiday added 12 points off the bench, Jeremy Lamb had 11 points and four rebounds, and Domantas Sabonis tallied 10 points and eight boards.
Donovan Mitchell had a game-high 25 points on 11-of-19 shooting for the Jazz, who never trailed on their way to a 30-point victory. Rudy Gobert added 20 points and 14 rebounds, while Bojan Bogdanovic scored 16 points.
Noteworthy
- Jazz forward Bojan Bogdanovic spent two seasons in Indiana from 2017-19. The Croatian sharpshooter averaged 16.1 points and 3.7 rebounds while shooting 41.3 percent from 3-point range with the Blue & Gold, only missing a total of three games over two seasons.
- The Pacers have won two straight and six of their last eight home games against Utah.
- Myles Turner is 15 blocks away from swatting 800 shots in his career.
Tickets
A limited number of tickets for all upcoming Pacers home games from January 24 through March 4 are now on sale. Single Game Tickets » Health & Safety Guidelines »
Health Screening
Coming to the game? To ensure the screening process is quick and seamless, fans must complete the Ascension St. Vincent "Screen & Go" online health screening prior to arrival and show confirmation before entering the Fieldhouse. Those without smart phones must complete the same screening verbally prior to being allowed to enter. Adults accompanying young children will be asked to answer screening questions on the children's behalf. Complete Health Screening »
Broadcast Information TV & Radio Listings »
TV: FOX 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 (sideline reporter/host)
Please Note: Inside Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Pacers radio broadcasts can be heard on 1080 AM instead of 1070.