Matchup
The Pacers (29-16) can secure a winning record on their five-game Western Conference road trip on Friday night if they can handle their business against the Golden State Warriors (10-36).
Wednesday's 112-87 win in Phoenix improved Indiana's record to 2-1 on its current road trip, which ends on Sunday night in Portland.
T.J. Warren bounced back from a four-point outing in Monday's loss at Utah, going off for 25 points on 11-of-18 shooting against the Suns, who traded him to Indiana last summer for cash considerations. Warren has scored 20 or more points in 10 of his last 17 games and is shooting 54 percent from the field and 39.1 percent from 3-point range in January.
The Warriors are dramatically different this season from the team that has dominated the NBA for the last half-decade. While Golden State has been to five straight NBA Finals and won three championships in that span, that run will almost certainly come to an end this season, as the Warriors currently own the NBA's worst record.
Myriad factors have contributed to the Warriors' mini-rebuild. All-Star guard Klay Thompson is expected to miss the entire season as he rehabs a torn ACL suffered in the Finals, Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins departed in free agency, Shaun Livingston retired, and Andre Iguodala was traded. When two-time MVP Stephen Curry fractured his left hand four games into the season, the Warriors' playoff hopes were effectively extinguished.
Still, the Warriors do have some talent on their roster, including a pair of former All-Stars in Draymond Green and D'Angelo Russell. Russell, acquired over the summer in a sign-and-trade with Brooklyn, leads Golden State in scoring (23.4 points per game) and assists (6.4 per contest).
Projected Starters
T.J. McConnell
Jeremy Lamb
T.J. Warren
Domantas Sabonis
Myles Turner
D'Angelo Russell
Damion Lee
Glenn Robinson III
Draymond Green
Willie Cauley-Stein
Pacers: PG - T.J. McConnell, SG - Jeremy Lamb, SF - T.J. Warren, PF - Domantas Sabonis, C - Myles Turner
Warriors: PG - D'Angelo Russell, SG - Damion Lee, SF - Glenn Robinson III, PF - Draymond Green, C - Willie Cauley-Stein
Injury Report
Pacers: Goga Bitadze - questionable (illness), TJ Leaf - questionable (sore right knee), JaKarr Sampson - questionable (sprained left ankle), Malcolm Brogdon - out (concussion), Victor Oladipo - out (right knee surgery rehab)
Warriors: Stephen Curry - out (left hand fracture), Kevon Looney - out (left abdominal soreness), Klay Thompson - out (left ACL rehabilitation)
Last Meeting
March 21, 2019: The Warriors cruised to a 112-89 win over the Pacers, sealing a winless four-game road trip for the Blue & Gold.
"I think we struggled," said assistant coach Dan Burke, who served as acting head coach while Nate McMillan missed the game for personal reasons. "You have to give their defense a lot of credit, they have so much flexibility and versatility and that switching is like a stoplight for us. We can’t allow that to happen. We have to move the ball."
Tyreke Evans led Indiana with 20 points off the bench on 8-of-17 shooting. Thaddeus Young was the only Pacers starter to reach double figures in the loss, finishing with 18 points on 7-of-13 shooting, seven rebounds, and two steals in 24 minutes of action.
DeMarcus Cousins led the Warriors with 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting, 11 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks. Klay Thompson added 18 points, eight rebounds, and four assists, Stephen Curry tallied 15 points, four boards, and seven assists, and Kevin Durant finished with 15 points and six dimes.
Noteworthy
- The Pacers have dropped five of their last six games at Golden State.
- Warriors forward Glenn Robinson III is a Gary, Ind. native and played for the Pacers from 2015-18.
- Pacers forward Justin Holiday was a member of the Warriors team that won the NBA championship in the 2014-15 season.
Tickets
After a five-game road trip, the Pacers will return home to host the Chicago Bulls at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Wednesday, Jan. 29 at 7:00 PM ET. All-Star guard Victor Oladipo plans to make his season debut that night. Find Tickets »
Broadcast Information TV & Radio Listings »
TV: FOX Sports Indiana/NBA TV - Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter/host)
Radio: 93.5/107.5 FM/1070 AM The Fan - Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Eddie Gill (analyst), Pat Boylan (studio host)