Nets at Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are struggling through their longest losing streak of the season and have the NBA-best Milwaukee Bucks looming in the finale of a four-game homestand later this week. The Pacers will try to snap their five-game slide before the matchup with the Bucks when they first host the Brooklyn Nets on Monday.
"We're not closing," Indiana head coach Nate McMillan told reporters after a 124-117 home loss to a shorthanded New Orleans team on Saturday. "We're not getting it done on either end of the floor." All five starters scored in double figures for the Pacers, but the team was outrebounded 53-37 and had its bench get ouscored 45-26. The Nets saw their bid for a third straight win go by the board in a 119-118 loss at Toronto on Saturday. Star guard Kyrie Irving (knee) missed his third straight game and already has been ruled out for this one.
TIME: 7 p.m. ET. TV: YES, FS Indiana, Sportsnet Now+
ABOUT THE NETS (23-28): Caris LeVert has filled the void left behind by Irving's injury and he hit 6-of-7 3-pointers en route to a career-high 37 points at Toronto. "I'm not really into moral victories," LeVert told reporters. "I would much rather have played OK and got the win." Spencer Dinwiddie, who averaged 24 points in two earlier matchups with the Pacers, chipped in 21 points and 11 assists in Saturday's loss.
ABOUT THE PACERS (31-22): Jeremy Lamb scored 12 of his team-high 26 points in the first quarter against New Orleans, and he was rather blunt in his postgame assessment of the loss. "They made shots, we didn't," Lamb told the media. "They got stops, we didn't." Indiana actually outshot the Pelicans from the floor by hitting 53 percent of its shots but the visitors grabbed 16 offensive rebounds, compared to two for the Pacers.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Pacers SG Victor Oladipo sat out Saturday's contest for rest as he continues his recovery from knee surgery.
2. Nets C DeAndre Jordan had 15 points and 14 rebounds Saturday for his first double-double since Jan. 2.
3. Indiana won the first two meetings - both in Brooklyn.