Matchup
The first NBA game played in India wound up being a thriller, as the Pacers rallied from 21 points down in the first half and a nine-point deficit in the fourth quarter to force overtime and knock off the Sacramento Kings on Friday in Mumbai, 132-131.
Fans in Mumbai will be hoping for an equally competitive contest on Saturday, when the Pacers and Kings meet once more for the second and final contest of the 2019 NBA India Games.
The Pacers have four new starters to open the 2019-20 season, but their new first unit looked formidable in their first minutes together on Friday. Offseason acquisitions T.J. Warren and Jeremy Lamb combined for 50 points, while new point guard Malcolm Brogdon scored 15 points and dished out 14 assists. On the interior, Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis jelled well in their first time starting together, combining for 32 points and 25 rebounds on 14-for-26 shooting.
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The focus on Saturday will likely shift to Indiana's reserves. Head coach Nate McMillan said earlier in training camp he will likely rest both Turner and Sabonis in the second game in India to give them a break after busy summers playing for their national teams in the FIBA World Cup.
The Pacers would like to give extended minutes to their bench players on Saturday, but their top two frontcourt reserves both missed Friday's game, rookie center Goga Bitadze due to a sprained ankle and third-year forward TJ Leaf due to a right quad strain.
Still, expect to see significant minutes from a number of Pacers reserves, including returnees Aaron Holiday, Edmond Sumner, Doug McDermott, and Alize Johnson as well as offseason acquisitions T.J. McConnell, Justin Holiday, and JaKarr Sampson.
Projected Starters
Malcolm Brogdon
Jeremy Lamb
T.J. Warren
Domantas Sabonis
Myles Turner
De'Aaron Fox
Buddy Hield
Harrison Barnes
Marvin Bagley III
Dewayne Dedmon
Pacers: PG - Malcolm Brogdon, SG - Jeremy Lamb, SF - T.J. Warren, PF - Domantas Sabonis, C - Myles Turner
Kings: PG - De'Aaron Fox, SG - Buddy Hield, SF - Harrison Barnes, PF - Marvin Bagley III, C - Dewayne Dedmon
Injury Report
Pacers: Goga Bitadze - questionable (sprained right ankle), TJ Leaf - questionable (right quad strain), Naz Mitrou-Long - questionable (allergic reaction), Victor Oladipo - out (knee surgery rehab), CJ Wilcox - questionable (right quad strain)
Kings: Harry Giles III - not with team (left knee soreness), Tyler Ulis - not with team (right groin strain)
Last Meeting
October 4, 2019: T.J. Warren's 3-pointer with 7.8 seconds left in regulation forced overtime and the Pacers held on to win in the extra period, 132-131.
Warren scored a game-high 30 points and went 5-for-6 from 3-point range. Domantas Sabonis (21 points and 12 rebounds), Malcolm Brogdon (15 points and 14 assists), and Myles Turner (11 points and 13 boards) all had double-doubles in the victory, while Jeremy Lamb added 20 points.
Buddy Hield led Sacramento with 28 points in the loss, Harrison Barnes added 21, and De'Aaron Fox tallied 16 points and eight assists.
Noteworthy
- Cory Joseph signed with Sacramento this offseason after spending the past two seasons with the Pacers.
- The Kings' preseason roster features three players from the state of Indiana: former Park Tudor and Indiana University star Yogi Ferrell, former Homestead and Purdue standout Caleb Swanigan, and rookie Kyle Guy, the 2016 Mr. Basketball at Lawrence Central who helped lead the University of Virginia to a national championship last spring.
- The NBA has worked in recent years to establish a major presence in India. The league opened an NBA office in Mumbai in 2011, one of 12 NBA offices outside the United States. In 2013, the league launched the Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA Program, a comprehensive youth development initiative that aims to develop the game at the grassroots level in India. To date, that program has reached more than 10 million youth from 13,000 schools across 34 cities and has trained more than 13,000 physical instructors nationwide.
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Broadcast Information TV & Radio Listings »
TV: FOX Sports Indiana/NBA TV - Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst)
Radio: 107.5 FM/1070 AM The Fan - Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Pat Boylan (studio host)