Pacers at Thunder
The Indiana Pacers are getting a chance to prove they belong among the best teams in the league during a brutal road trip, and they are doing just that. The Pacers will conclude their five-game trip when they visit the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday. Indiana took down the Los Angeles Clippers and fell in a close game at the Portland Trail Blazers before knocking off the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday to improve to an NBA-best 18-2.
The Pacers also beat the Utah Jazz on the trip but will have worked their way through four of the top five teams in the West by the time they finish up with Oklahoma City. The schedule does not get any easier when Indiana returns home to face Miami on Tuesday. “I can’t remember a stretch like it,” coach Frank Vogel told the Indianapolis Star. “Two back-to-back road games like (San Antonio and Oklahoma City) and then coming home for Miami. I can’t remember a stretch like it but our guys are excited.”
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN Indiana, FSN Oklahoma (Oklahoma City)
ABOUT THE PACERS (18-2): Indiana trailed early in San Antonio but stormed back to grab a 111-100 win behind 28 points from Paul George. The Pacers are the top scoring defense in the league but are having a little trouble on that end on the road trip, allowing three of their first four opponents to hit the century mark. Indiana is making up for it on the other end and shot 53.5 percent against the Spurs as George went 9-for-14, including 4-of-4 from beyond the arc.
ABOUT THE THUNDER (14-4): Oklahoma City will be another difficult test for that Indiana defense as it is tied for fifth in the NBA in scoring average at 104 points. The Thunder are finding an option beyond Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook on the offensive end in Serge Ibaka, who is averaging 15.9 points over the last eight games. “We challenge Serge Ibaka to play consistent every night,” coach Scott Brooks told the team website. “So now we expect him to play with that kind of consistency night in and night out.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Oklahoma City has taken four of the last five meetings, including both in the 2012-13 campaign.
2. Durant is averaging 30.3 points and nine rebounds over the last four games.
3. Indiana G Danny Granger (calf) has yet to play this season but is participating in practice and could return soon.