Pacers at Nets
THE STORY: The Indiana Pacers play the second of a four-game road trip and the New Jersey Nets seek to end a four-game losing streak when the two teams meet on Monday. Indiana won its first three games of the season before losing 96-88 to the Detroit Pistons in Saturday’s opener of the four-game swing. The Pacers visit the Miami Heat on Wednesday and the Boston Celtics on Friday. Indiana has allowed an average of 85 points in its three victories while it waits for its offense to get untracked. New Jersey lost its fourth in a row Sunday when the Cleveland Cavaliers made 16 3-point baskets while handing the Nets a 98-82 loss. New Jersey beat Washington in its opener prior to the skid. The Nets are playing their sixth game in eight nights and point guard Deron Williams is off to a slow start despite averaging a team-best 16.4 points.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Indiana (Indiana), YES (New Jersey)
ABOUT THE PACERS (3-1): Indiana is shooting a league-low 38.5 percent from the field with only center Roy Hibbert (57.5) and point guard Darren Collison (48.1) shooting above 40 percent. The Pacers figured they had upgraded the offense by adding forward David West to team with forward Danny Granger, but both players are struggling with their shots. Granger is shooting 35.1 percent (his career average is 44.1) and West is shooting only 36.7 (career 48.9) and the Pacers are averaging only 91.8 points.
ABOUT THE NETS (1-4): Williams had more turnovers (six) than assists (five) in the loss to Cleveland and has committed six turnovers in three of New Jersey’s five games. The Nets need better play from Williams to keep the season from going in the wrong direction early. Williams has only 28 assists against 24 turnovers while shooting a porous 34.9 percent. “I’m getting good looks; the shots are just not going down,” Williams said. “I’m not too worried about it. I’m worried that we’re losing.”
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Indiana won all three meetings with New Jersey last season.
2. West averaged 25 points and 12 rebounds in two games against the Nets last season when he played for the New Orleans Hornets.
3. Nets rookie guard MarShon Brooks didn’t score against Cleveland after averaging 18.3 points over the previous three games.