Matchup
Indiana (12-12) is looking to snap its three-game losing streak on the road Wednesday night as they take on the Brooklyn Nets (14-12) at Barclays Center. The Blue & Gold have won six straight regular-season contests at Brooklyn and are 10-4 overall at the venue.
The Pacers will catch a bit of a break when visiting the Nets. Brooklyn will be playing on the second night of a back-to-back. Additionally, the hosts will be without the services of Kevin Durant (29.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, 5.2 assists per game) until at least Feb. 12 due to the league's contact tracing protocols. Nonetheless, the club poses a difficult challenge for the traveling Pacers. They currently hold a 10-5 record when playing at home.
Built to chase a championship, the Nets are loaded with a veteran presence. Nine players on the Nets' roster have six or more years of NBA experience. Three have more than 10 years under their belt.
The squad is anchored by its "big three" of Durant, James Harden, and Kyrie Irving, although Indiana will see just two of the trio in this matchup. The Pacers last saw James Harden on Jan. 6 playing with the Houston Rockets. The Nets acquired the star point guard in a four-team trade on Jan. 14. Indiana was one of the teams involved in that trade, sending Victor Oladipo to the Rockets and receiving Caris LeVert from Brooklyn and two future second-round draft picks.
As of Tuesday morning, Harden currently ranks 16th in the NBA in points per game (24.1) and currently leads the league in assists (11.3). Irving, known for his scoring prowess, averages the second-most points per game on Brooklyn's roster behind Durant (27.5 points per game).
Much like the Blue & Gold's last opponent, the Utah Jazz, Brooklyn is keen on shooting the long ball. The Nets are averaging the 10th-most 3-point attempts per game this season (36.8), and are fourth in the league in 3-point percentage (39.9 percent).
However, having mainly offensive stars appears to be a bit of a pitfall for the Nets. As of Monday, the team currently tallies the fourth-worst defensive rating in the NBA, allowing 114.2 points per 100 possessions. Look for a high-scoring affair between these two experienced rosters.
Projected Starters
Malcolm Brogdon
Jeremy Lamb
Justin Holiday
Domantas Sabonis
Myles Turner
Kyrie Irving
James Harden
Joe Harris
Jeff Green
DeAndre Jordan
Pacers: PG - Malcolm Brogdon, SG - Jeremy Lamb, SF - Justin Holiday, PF - Domantas Sabonis, C - Myles Turner
Nets: PG - Kyrie Irving, SG - James Harden, SF - Joe Harris, PF - Jeff Green, C - DeAndre Jordan
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)
Nets: Kyrie Irving - probable (right index finger sprain), Nicolas Claxton - out (right knee tendinopathy), Spencer Dinwiddie - out (right knee partially torn ACL), Kevin Durant - out (health and safety protocols), Reggie Perry - out (G League two-way contract), Iman Shumpert - out (left hamstring strain)
Last Meeting
Feb. 10, 2020: The Pacers dropped a tight 106-105 decision to the Nets after Spencer Dinwiddie hit the go-ahead bucket with 3.8 seconds remaining in regulation. It was the fifth straight home loss for the Blue & Gold and the sixth consecutive overall as the squad neared the All-Star break.
Domantas Sabonis notched his fourth triple-double of the season, recording 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists. His final bucket of the night with 9.9 seconds remaining appeared to seal the win for the Blue & Gold. However, after a Nets timeout, Dinwiddie received the ball at the top of the key. Squaring off against Malcolm Brogdon, Dinwiddie opted for a step-back jumper. It sank without a doubt.
"It's tough," Sabonis said. "I think collectively as a group we played a lot better...the feeling was great out there, it's just a tough way to lose."
Four other Blue & Gold players had solid nights, finishing in double figures. T.J. Warren finished with 19 points on 8-of-13 shooting, while Myles Turner added 15 points and five rebounds. Doug McDermott notched 13 points and four boards off the bench, and Victor Oladipo finished with 12 points, four rebounds, and three assists.
Noteworthy
- Brooklyn's last home win against Indiana came on Oct. 28, 2016.
- The Nets have the third-oldest roster in the NBA with an average age of 28.0 years. Only the Los Angeles Clippers (28.2) and the Los Angeles Lakers (29.0) have older rosters. Meanwhile, the Pacers rank 14th with an average age of 25.8 years.
- Indiana leads the all-time series, 108-74.
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 »
Broadcast Information TV & Radio Listings »
TV: FOX Sports Indiana - Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (stuio host)
Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan - Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Pat Boylan (studio host)