Matchup
After another close loss, the Pacers (5-6) will look to snap a three-game skid on Wednesday night in Detroit, when they take on the Pistons (7-3), who are surprisingly the current sole owners of second place in the Eastern Conference.
It was a tale of two halves for the Pacers on Tuesday night.
The Blue & Gold could do no wrong through two quarters, shooting 63.8 percent on their way to 75 points, their most points before halftime in a game in over six years.
But the Pacers shot just 30.4 percent after halftime, while the Pelicans' All-Star duo of Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins dominated on the other end. Davis and Cousins combined for 40 points after halftime, while Indiana managed just 37 points as a team in a 117-112 loss.
SINGLE GAME TICKETS: Secure Your Seats Now »
One bright spot in the loss was the play of Lance Stephenson. The fan favorite had been in a major shooting slump to start the season, with just a .282 field goal percentage and .160 3-point percentage through his first 10 games, but he found a bit of a rhythm on Tuesday. Stephenson scored 14 points (his first game with more than six points since the season opener) on 5-of-9 shooting and pulled down a season-high nine rebounds, bringing good energy off the bench particularly in the second half.
The Pistons, meanwhile, have gotten off to a great start to the season, thanks to a balanced offensive attack.
Tobias Harris and Avery Bradley — acquired in an offseason trade with Boston — have led the way, averaging 19.7 and 16.3 points per game while shooting 45.9 and 42.2 percent from 3-point range, respectively. 7-foot former All-Star Andre Drummond remains a menace on the interior, averaging 14.0 points and 14.7 rebounds per game while shooting 54.5 percent from the field and even a surprisingly competent 75 percent from the free throw line, a marked improvement from his historically awful career free throw percentage of .389.
Projected Starters
Darren Collison
Victor Oladipo
Bojan Bogdanovic
Thaddeus Young
Myles Turner
Reggie Jackson
Avery Bradley
Stanley Johnson
Tobias Harris
Andre Drummond
Pacers: PG - Darren Collison, SG - Victor Oladipo, SF - Bojan Bogdanovic, PF - Thaddeus Young, C - Myles Turner
Pistons: PG - Reggie Jackson, SG - Avery Bradley, SF - Stanley Johnson, PF - Tobias Harris, C - Andre Drummond
Injury Report
Pacers: Glenn Robinson III - out (left ankle surgery rehabilitation), Edmond Sumner - out (left knee surgery rehabilitation), Domantas Sabonis - out (right calf contusion)
Pistons: Stanley Johnson - day-to-day (tightness/spasm right hip flexor), Jon Leuer - day-to-day (left ankle sprain)
Last Meeting
March 8, 2017: The Pacers rolled to a 115-98 win over the Pistons at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Indiana shot 50 percent from the field, 47.8 percent from 3-point range, and committed a season-low five turnovers in the victory.
Paul George led Indiana with 22 points and eight rebounds. Thaddeus Young added 18 points on 9-of-14 shooting and eight boards.
Tobias Harris scored a team-high 22 points off the bench for Detroit. Andre Drummond added 14 points and 15 rebounds in the loss.
Noteworthy
- The Pacers swept the season series with Detroit last year and have won eight of their last nine meetings with the Pistons.
- Pacers guard Victor Oladipo and Pistons forward Tobias Harris were teammates with the Orlando Magic from 2013-16.
- Detroit forward Anthony Tolliver played with Pacers guard Darren Collison in Sacramento last season.
Tickets
After a two-game road trip, the Pacers will return home to host James Harden and the Houston Rockets on Sunday, Nov. 12 at 6:00 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)
Away Game Night Special
Mini Hoop Set - $10. Game Night Specials can be purchased online the day of each away game from 10:00 AM - Midnight. Order Online »