Game Time Change Notice
The start time for Monday's game has been pushed back to 10:00 PM ET.
Matchup
Seeking back-to-back wins for the first time since Feb 11-13, the Pacers (17-20) will wrap up their three-game Western Conference road trip with a bout against the Denver Nuggets (22-16) on Monday night at Ball Arena.
The Blue & Gold are coming off a solid 122-111 victory over the Phoenix Suns in which Domantas Sabonis notched his fifth triple-double of the season and Caris LeVert made his long-awaited debut. LeVert finished with 13 points and seven boards in 27 minutes of action in his first appearance since his pre-trade MRI scan revealed a mass on his kidney that needed surgical removal.
Meanwhile, Denver is coming off its first loss in its last six games after falling to the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday, 116-103. Jamal Murray (20.9 points, 4.6 assists per game) struggled once again for most of the night and finished with just 10 points on 4-of-13 shooting. The high-scoring guard has scored only 13 total points over the last two Denver contests. However, Indiana should expect him to return to form quickly.
In addition to Murray and the presence of All-Star center Nikola Jokic (27.1 points, 11.1 rebounds, 8.6 assists per game), the Blue & Gold will also have to lock down Michael Porter Jr. The third-year forward from Missouri is averaging a career-high 15.1 points this season and has scored 21 points or more in the last three Denver games. He is 24-of-36 (66.7 percent) from the field during that span, including 11-of-18 (61.1 percent) from long range.
Pacers guard Jeremy Lamb (10.9 points, 3.6 rebounds per game) sat out Saturday's contest due to a sore left knee. His status for Denver's game remains uncertain.
Projected Starters
Malcolm Brogdon
Caris LeVert
Justin Holiday
Domantas Sabonis
Myles Turner
Jamal Murray
Will Barton
Michael Porter Jr.
Paul Millsap
Nikola Jokic
Pacers: PG - Malcolm Brogdon, SG - Caris LeVert, SF - Justin Holiday, PF - Domantas Sabonis, C - Myles Turner
>Nuggets: PG - Jamal Murray, SG - Will Barton, SF - Michael Porter Jr., PF - Paul Millsap, C - Nikola Jokic
Injury Report
Pacers: Jeremy Lamb - questionable (sore left knee), T.J. Warren - out (left foot stress fracture)
Nuggets: R.J. Hampton – out (health and safety protocols), Gary Harris – out (left adductor strain), Monte Morris – out (left quad strain)
Last Meeting
March 4, 2021: Despite fighting off several Denver runs throughout the game, the Pacers dropped their final game before the All-Star break, 113-103, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Nuggets used a 12-0 run midway through the fourth quarter to seal the win. Three Denver players finished with 20 points or more, including Michael Porter Jr. with a game-high 24 on 9-of-14 shooting, including 5-of-9 from deep.
All five Pacers starters finished in double figures, including Myles Turner's team-high 22, but it wasn't enough down the stretch. After trailing 13-2 early, Indiana used 17 unanswered — eight from Turner — to grab and maintain a lead until the second quarter. Denver's reserves then surged ahead in the second, extending the lead to as many as 12 before the end of the half. Indiana managed to trim the deficit to single digits, 61-52, before the half.
Denver led by 12 early in the third before Indiana clawed back once again. The Blue & Gold mounted a 14-2 rally, including two triples from Justin Holiday, to tie the game at 68. However, the Nuggets earned the lead once again, rattling off a 10-2 spree to take an 82-74 lead into the final frame.
With 8:55 to play, Jeremy Lamb's layup cut Indiana’s deficit to 87-81 with 8:55 to play. Indiana then failed to score for the next 4:22. During that span, the Nuggets broke the game wide open behind a pair of Porter threes. The Pacers didn't threaten again.
Noteworthy
- Denver leads the all-time series, 47-46.
- Denver drafted current Pacers forward Doug McDermott 11th overall in the first round of the 2014 NBA Draft. He was traded to the Chicago Bulls on draft night for the rights to Gary Harris and Jusuf Nurkic.
- Indiana is just 1-11 in their last 12 road games against Denver.
Tickets
A limited number of tickets for all upcoming Pacers home games from March 17 - April 21 are now on sale. Tickets for the final nine regular season home games will go on sale on Monday, April 19. 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 (studio host)
Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan - Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Pat Boylan (studio host)