Bucks at Pacers
The Indiana Pacers have clinched a playoff spot and now turn their focus toward protecting the second seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race when they host the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday. Indiana became the fourth team to wrap up a postseason berth when the Philadelphia 76ers lost to the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday. Milwaukee is in eighth place in the East but has a commanding lead over Philadelphia and Toronto for the final spot.
The Bucks lost to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday to snap a two-game winning streak. Milwaukee has scored 94 or fewer points in three of its last five games after averaging 109.7 over the previous seven straight outings. Indiana is well behind the Miami Heat in the East but has its sights on winning the Central Division title for the first time since 2003-04. “Honestly, it doesn’t really change that much,” Pacers coach Frank Vogel said Thursday, referring to the clinched playoff spot. “We’re competing not to make the playoffs, but to win the two seed and to win our division.” Indiana has a one-game lead over the New York Knicks.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Wisconsin (Milwaukee), Fox Sports Indiana
ABOUT THE BUCKS (34-33): Center Larry Sanders has six consecutive double-digit rebounding efforts, the best stretch of his career. The board work comes at a good time with forwards Ersan Ilyasova (hip) and Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (toe) both sidelined. Sanders is averaging 12.7 points and 11.8 rebounds during the span. Guard Monta Ellis experienced a forgettable game against the Hawks, scoring just five points on 2-of-14 shooting. Ellis averaged 30 points in Milwaukee’s previous two games. Guard Brandon Jennings has three 20-point outings over the last four contests.
ABOUT THE PACERS (42-26): Swingman Gerald Green and forward Tyler Hansbrough have both given noteworthy efforts over the past two games. Green has outings of 20 and 15 points after not seeing any action in six of the previous eight games, while Hansbrough has back-to-back double-doubles while filling in for injured David West (back). Hansbrough has averaged 16 points and 12.5 rebounds in the two starts. “You can get into a rhythm when you have kind of a steady flow of minutes and get a feel for yourself and let the game come to you versus coming off the bench,” said Hansbrough after having 14 points and 14 rebounds in Tuesday’s victory over the Orlando Magic.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Milwaukee has won two of this season’s three meetings.
2. The Bucks scored a season-low 80 points when losing by 15 on Jan. 5 in their first visit to Indiana.
3. West will sit out his third straight game and F Danny Granger (knee) will miss his ninth in a row.