Last Updated: Oct. 28 at 11:30 AM
Matchup
After a three-game road trip, the Pacers (2-3) return home on Sunday to host the San Antonio Spurs (4-1).
Despite missing starting center Myles Turner due to a concussion, the Pacers held their own in their first road games of the season. They very nearly rallied from a 21-point second-half deficit in Miami on Saturday, then bounced back in Minnesota to trounce the Timberwolves on Tuesday (setting a franchise record with a .667 field goal percentage in the 130-107 win), before simply running out of gas playing on the second night of a back-to-back in Oklahoma City.
If the road trip was any indication, Pacers guard Victor Oladipo is emerging as a bona fide star in his first season with the Blue & Gold. The second overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, Oladipo has yet to make an All-Star team over his first four seasons (three in Orlando and one in Oklahoma City), but that will change soon if he continues to play at the level he has through the first week of the 2017-18 season.
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Oladipo averaged 30.3 points over the road trip, going 32-for-57 from the field (56.1 percent) and 11-for-20 from 3-point range (55 percent). Through five games overall, Oladipo is currently tied for eighth in the NBA in scoring (as of Saturday morning) at 26.0 points per game and tied for sixth in steals at 2.2 per contest.
The Spurs, meanwhile, have been the most consistent NBA franchise over the last two decades, reaching the postseason in each of the past 20 consecutive seasons under head coach Gregg Popovich. They haven't missed a beat to start the new season, starting the year 4-0 before dropping their first game in Orlando on Friday night. San Antonio's success has come despite not having All-NBA forward Kawhi Leonard or future Hall of Fame point guard Tony Parker due to injury.
LaMarcus Aldridge has carried the Spurs offensively in their absence, averaging 25.6 points and 9.2 rebounds. San Antonio has also received nice contributions off the bench from veteran forward Rudy Gay, who signed with the team over the summer, averaging 12.2 points while shooting 52.3 percent from the field.
Projected Starters
Darren Collison
Victor Oladipo
Bojan Bogdanovic
Thaddeus Young
Domantas Sabonis
Dejounte Murray
Danny Green
Kyle Anderson
LaMarcus Aldridge
Pau Gasol
Pacers: PG - Darren Collison, SG - Victor Oladipo, SF - Bojan Bogdanovic, PF - Thaddeus Young, C - Domantas Sabonis
Spurs: PG - Dejounte Murray, SG - Danny Green, SF - Kyle Anderson, PF - LaMarcus Aldridge, C - Pau Gasol
Injury Report
Pacers: Glenn Robinson III - out (left ankle surgery rehabilitation), Edmond Sumner - out (left knee surgery rehabilitation), Myles Turner - out (sore neck, concussion)
Spurs: Kawhi Leonard - out (right quadriceps tendinopathy), Tony Parker - out (left quadriceps tendon surgery), Joffrey Lauvergne - out (sprained right ankle)
Last Meeting
March 1, 2017: The Pacers fell to the Spurs on the road in heartbreaking fashion. The Spurs led 98-94 with a little more than two minutes left, but the Pacers rallied back, with a C.J. Miles 3-pointer and Myles Turner jumper giving the team a one-point lead with 1:35 remaining.
Monta Ellis had a chance to extend the lead after he was fouled with nine seconds remaining, but missed both free throws. On the other end, Kawhi Leonard's fadeaway jumper over Paul George with 2.9 seconds left gave the Spurs the lead. George had a look to give the Pacers a win at the buzzer, but his 3-pointer bounced off the back iron,
allowing San Antonio to escape with a 100-99 win.
George led Indiana with 22 points and six rebounds on the night. Miles added 19 points, while Turner had 16 on 7-of-11 shooting.
Leonard led all scorers with 31 points and 11 rebounds. Pau Gasol and David Lee each scored 18 points off the bench for the Spurs.
Noteworthy
- The Spurs have swept the season series with Indiana in eight of the last 12 seasons. The Pacers are just 8-31 against San Antonio since Gregg Popovich became the Spurs' coach in 1996.
- Pacers guard Cory Joseph was drafted by San Antonio with the 29th pick in the 2011 NBA Draft and played his first four NBA seasons with the Spurs, winning an NBA championship in 2014.
- Lance Stephenson needs 16 points on Sunday to reach 2,000 career points with the Pacers.
Tickets
The Pacers return from their three-game road trip to face LaMarcus Aldridge and the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday, Oct. 29 at 4:30 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), Slick Leonard (analyst), Pat Boylan (sideline reporter/host)
Please Note: Inside Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Pacers radio broadcasts can be heard on 1080 AM instead of 1070.
George McGinnis Hall of Fame Celebration
Pacers legend George McGinnis will be honored at Sunday's game as we celebrate his recent Hall of Fame enshrinement. McGinnis will be on hand for a special halftime ceremony. In addition, all fans in attendance will receive a George McGinnis commemorative poster. Find Tickets »
Home Court Gift Shop Game Night Special
Halloween T-Shirt - $12. Game Night Specials can be purchased in the Home Court Gift Shop or any of our souvenir stands located on all levels of Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The special is also available online at PacersTeamStore.com until midnight.
Construction Note: The city's department of public works is replacing the sidewalk on Pennsylvania Street from just north of Georgia Street to Bankers Life Court. Portions of the sidewalk may be closed, but pedestrians should still have access to the Pennsylvania Street entrance of Bankers Life Fieldhouse.