Celtics at Pacers
Two of the hotter teams in the Eastern Conference meet Saturday night when host Indiana puts a seven-game winning streak on the line against surging Boston. The Pacers' run is their longest since they opened the 2013-14 season with a 9-0 mark and it has pushed them into seventh place in the Eastern Conference, a game ahead of Charlotte and 3 1/2 behind Milwaukee. Indiana pulled closer to the Bucks with a 109-103 victory in overtime on Thursday.
The Celtics improved to 2-0 since star guard Isaiah Thomas was sidelined with back and elbow soreness after rallying for a 95-88 win over Orlando at home Friday night. Evan Turner did more than enough to pick up the slack, scoring a season-high 30 points - 16 in the fourth quarter - to give Boston its eighth win in 11 games. The teams had a combined record of 27-45 after the Pacers took the previous meeting Jan. 9, but they are 31-25 since.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBATV, CSN New England (Boston), FSN Indiana
ABOUT THE CELTICS (28-36): Boston head coach Brad Stevens talked early in the season about wanting his team to improve on the defensive end to take that next step forward. The Celtics have responded, limiting opponents to an average of 90 points during a three-game winning streak and holding five of their last six foes under 100, winning each of those affairs. Boston's last two victims have combined to commit 41 turnovers.
ABOUT THE PACERS (30-34): Rodney Stuckey's surge continued with 24 points in the win over Milwaukee, which came after he produced a season-high 34 points on a career-high six 3-pointers. All three of his 30-point efforts have come in the last 10 games and the reserve guard is finding time to help out in other ways, posting 22 assists against just six turnovers over the last four games. Stuckey was held to six points in 29 minutes in the last meeting with Boston and missed the initial encounter in November due to an injury.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Pacers C Roy Hibbert (elbow) sat out the win over Milwaukee but is considered probable for this one.
2. After shooting 2-of-14 in his first two games back from an ankle injury earlier this month, Celtics C Kelly Olynyk is shooting 51.7 percent while averaging 12.7 points over the last three contests.
3. The Celtics are 6-1 in their last seven games when playing the second half of a back-to-back.