Things have been bad enough for Brooklyn without having to endure a visit from Eastern Conference-best Indiana, but that's what the Nets face Monday. It keeps getting worse for the Nets, with the latest blow a fractured right foot for leading scorer Brook Lopez, who reportedly needs season-ending surgery. The Pacers are getting stronger with forward Danny Granger back after missing all but five games last season with a knee injury and the first 25 games this season with a strained calf.
Indiana rebounded from its first back-to-back losses of the season to win its past two contests by an average of 30 points, including a 106-79 rout of visiting Boston on Sunday. "We're starting the game off with high energy and we're ending the game with high energy and in between we're maintaining that energy," Pacers leading scorer Paul George told reporters. "It wears teams down, and I think that's been the case these past couple games." Brooklyn has lost consecutive games, including a 121-120 overtime defeat at Philadelphia on Friday.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FSN Indiana, YES (Brooklyn)
ABOUT THE PACERS (22-5): Indiana already has five starters averaging double-digit scoring with George (23.9) leading the way, and now it adds Granger, who averages 18.1 points for his career. Lance Stephenson (13 points, 6.7 rebounds, 5.1 assists) also is capable of taking over a game like he did with his third triple-double of the season against the Celtics. The amount of offensive firepower the Pacers have amassed is a frightening notion for opponents considering Indiana also leads the league in scoring defense at 89.5 points per game.
ABOUT THE NETS (9-17): Lopez's injury comes as Brooklyn was beginning to play somewhat better with point guard Deron Williams returning to form following a nine-game stint on the bench with a sprained ankle. Williams has averaged 17.8 points and 10 assists in six games since his return, and veteran Paul Pierce has come to life in the past two games, averaging 25.5 points and eight rebounds. Mirza Teletovic (6.6 points, 3.6 rebounds) is likely to step into Lopez's spot in the starting lineup after matching his career high with 18 points on six 3-pointers against the 76ers.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Indiana is 14-0 when holding opponents under 90 points and 20-1 when allowing fewer than 100.
2. Stephenson is the first Pacers player with three triple-doubles in a season since Detlef Schrempf had four during the 1992-93 season.
3. Lopez, who was averaging a career-high 20.7 points, had surgery to repair the same injury in December 2011 and had the screw in the foot replaced this offseason.