Suns at Pacers
THE STORY: The Indiana Pacers have a tough act to follow up when
they host the Phoenix Suns on Friday. Indiana trailed by 22 points in
the first half against the Washington Wizards before finally overcoming
Washington on Paul George’s 3-pointer with 1:01 to play in an 85-83
victory. Phoenix has lost back-to-back games to the Miami Heat and
Orlando Magic after posting a season-best four-game winning streak. The
Suns are 10th in the Western Conference.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Arizona (Suns), FS Indiana (Pacers)
ABOUT THE SUNS (23-24): Center Marcin Gortat has hit a rough stretch
after being Phoenix’s best player in the first half of the season.
Gortat has reached double digits in rebounds only once in the last eight
games and has scored in single digits three times during the span.
Gortat had only four points on 1-of-7 shooting when he matched up
against Dwight Howard, the player he used to back up in Orlando. “He
basically destroyed me and the whole team so that’s what happened,”
Gortat said after Howard had 28 points and 16 rebounds. Gortat is
averaging 15.7 points and 10.0 rebounds.
ABOUT THE PACERS (27-18): Forward David West impressed his
teammates with some tenacious offensive rebounding after dislocating his
left pinkie in the third quarter of the game with Washington. West had
three offensive boards in the final 70 seconds of the contest that
helped set up and then protect Indiana’s victory. “Seriously, he
dislocated his finger and he was able to tip the ball out,” center Roy
Hibbert said. “It shows how strong-willed he is. He was putting on an
offensive rebounding clinic down there.” West scored 13 points to end a
three-game stretch of single-digit scoring outings.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. Phoenix has won 11 of the last 14 meetings after Channing Frye hit
the game-winning shot in overtime in a 110-108 victory over the Pacers
on Feb. 27.
2. Indiana is 2-13 when scoring less than 90 points after defeating the Wizards.
3. Suns guard Steve Nash had only two assists against Orlando after averaging 12.9 in his previous eight outings.