Matchup
The Pacers enter Thursday's game against the Timberwolves looking to snap the two-game losing streak that closed out their road trip.
After beating the Wizards in D.C., the Pacers (40-22) have now dropped two in a row, falling to the Pistons and Mavericks.
On Wednesday night, against rookie phenom Luka Doncic, Indiana was unable to complete a fourth quarter comeback, eventually losing 110-101.
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Indiana was without the services of Domantas Sabonis, who suffered a sprained left ankle in the closing minutes of Monday's loss to Detroit, and Tyreke Evans, who was dealing with a bout of food poisoning.
With a meeting against the Timberwolves (29-32) less than 24 hours away, it's likely that the Pacers will remain a shorthanded unit.
Despite the loss, Indiana got strong minutes from TJ Leaf, who made all four of his shots and hauled in seven rebounds. The Pacers can also be encouraged by yet another impressive scoring performance from newcomer Wesley Matthews, who poured in 20 points against his former squad.
The Pacers will have their hands full on Thursday as they attempt to slow down Karl-Anthony Towns, who is currently averaging an eye-popping line of 23.6 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game.
Although they lost their most recent matchup to the Hawks, the T-Wolves have still notched wins in four of their last six games as they attempt to rally for one of the final playoff spots in the crowded Western Conference.
After the Timberwolves, Indiana will face two more teams with sub-.500 records (Magic, Bulls) before the schedule ramps up in terms of difficulty. With a 2-2 mark since the All-Star break ended, the Pacers will need to capitalize on every opportunity they have as the season enters its final stretch.
Projected Starters
Darren Collison
Wesley Matthews
Bojan Bogdanovic
Thaddeus Young
Myles Turner
Jeff Teague
Josh Okogie
Andrew Wiggins
Dario Saric
Karl-Anthony Towns
Pacers: PG - Darren Collison, SG - Wesley Matthews, SF - Bojan Bogdanovic, PF - Thaddeus Young, C - Myles Turner
Timberwolves: PG - Jeff Teague, SG - Josh Okogie, SF - Andrew Wiggins, PF - Dario Saric, C - Karl-Anthony Towns
Injury Report
Pacers: Tyreke Evans - out (food poisoning), Alize Johnson - out (sore left foot), Domantas Sabonis - out (sprained left ankle), Victor Oladipo - out (right knee surgery)
Timberwolves: Luol Deng - questionable (sore left Achilles), Jeff Teague - questionable (left knee soreness), Robert Covington - out (right knee bone bruise)
Last Meeting
October 22, 2019: Facing the Timberwolves on the road, the Pacers brought a one-point lead into the fourth quarter of the Target Center, but ended up falling 101-91 in the early-season matchup.
During the final quarter, the Timberwolves embarked on a 20-6 run to take over the game, preventing the Pacers from pulling out the road victory.
"I thought our offense frustrated us," Pacers head coach Nate McMillan said after the loss. "I thought our shot selection was poor, we didn't have ball movement. Basically, we were taking quick shots and taking quick contested shots."
Victor Oladipo led the Pacers with 20 points. For the Timberwolves, Jimmy Butler led the way, scoring 20 points of his own.
Noteworthy
- The Pacers lead the all-time series 36-21 against the Timberwolves, but have lost two straight to Minnesota.
- Timberwolves guard Jeff Teague was a member of the Pacers during the 2016-17 season and is a graduate of Pike High School in Indianapolis.
- Minnesota hasn't recorded a series sweep of the Pacers since the 2006-07 season.
Tickets
The Pacers return to Bankers Life Fieldhouse to host Karl-Anthony Towns and the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday, Feb. 28 at 7:00 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/1070 AM 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.