Timberwolves at Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are winners of back-to-back games and five of their last six with a focus on the defensive end. The Minnesota Timberwolves had a rough time on the defensive end on Thursday and will try to bounce back when they visit the Pacers on the second night of a back-to-back.
Indiana is allowing an average of 90.5 points in the last six games, with the lone loss in that span coming at first-place Cleveland 101-97 on Sunday. Paul George is leading the charge on both ends and is showing no signs of the leg injury that kept him off the floor for most of last season as he scored at least 26 points for the fifth consecutive game in Wednesday’s 102-91 triumph at Boston. The Timberwolves should be happy to hit the road, where they are 4-0, after falling to 0-4 at home with a 129-116 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Thursday. Rookie center Karl-Anthony Towns is having no trouble with home or road and posted his fourth consecutive double-double with 17 points and 11 rebounds against the Warriors.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, FSN North (Minnesota), FSN Indiana
ABOUT THE TIMBERWOLVES (4-4): Towns and reigning Rookie of the Year Andrew Wiggins are the future for Minnesota, and both continue to show signs that they are worthy building blocks. Wiggins returned from a one-game absence due to a knee injury on Thursday and contributed 19 points in 35 minutes, giving him an average of 27.7 points in his last three games. The young Timberwolves fell off the pace late but gave the defending champions a scare on Thursday, pulling within five points in the fourth quarter after a furious rally.
ABOUT THE PACERS (5-4): George added 10 rebounds on Wednesday for his fourth double-double in the last five games and he has played at least 31 minutes in each of Indiana’s nine games. "My skill set, everything's been there,” George told reporters. “I've been working out the whole time. Just a year away from the game, I was able to rehab and really just focus on myself. But I'm still trying to gain some of it back physically – not all the way there.” George is not showing any hesitation going toward the rim, either, and is averaging 7.1 free-throw attempts while shooting 85.9 percent from the line.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. The teams have split the season series in each of the last two seasons with the Timberwolves earning a 110-101 win in their trip to Indiana last season.
2. Minnesota G Ricky Rubio (hamstring) missed the last two games and is questionable for Friday.
3. Indiana G Rodney Stuckey (ankle) sat out Wednesday’s game and is day-to-day.