Pacers at Hawks
Even the absence of John Collins could not keep the Atlanta Hawks from extending their winning streak to a season-best three games Sunday, and they may be without the developing star again Wednesday at home against the Indiana Pacers. A left ankle sprain sidelined Collins for Sunday’s 98-95 victory at Detroit, but the center duo of Dewayne Dedmon and Alex Len combined for 26 points and 22 rebounds to lead Atlanta to its first three-game winning streak since April 2017.
Len was outstanding in finishing with 15 points and a season-best 17 rebounds, leading coach Lloyd Pierce to tell reporters afterward, “Alex embraced (the challenge) and took advantage of it.” The Pacers have won nine of their past 11 games since opening December with a loss to Sacramento, and never really were threatened in Sunday’s 105-89 home victory over Washington. Indiana also is receiving strong play from the center position, as Myles Turner recorded 18 points with a career-high 17 rebounds in the victory over the Wizards for his fourth consecutive double-double. “Just going to go get the ball, as opposed to just kind of waiting for it to come to me,” Turner told the media afterward. “I think that’s the big difference.”
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, FS Indiana, FS Southeast (Atlanta)
ABOUT THE PACERS (22-12): Turner is averaging 13.8 points and 13.3 rebounds during his double-double streak, and he leads the NBA in blocked shots per game (2.88). Guard Victor Oladipo leads Indiana in scoring at 20.2 points per game, and is shooting 36.8 percent from 3-point range in his past seven games. The Pacers enter Wednesday as the only team in the NBA to not lose more than two games in a row this season.
ABOUT THE HAWKS (9-23): Collins has recorded a double-double in eight of his last nine games, averaging 21.8 points and 12.9 rebounds in that stretch. Rookie point guard Trae Young continues to seek consistency with his shooting, but in his past four games is hitting 36.4 percent of his 3-point attempts while averaging 14.8 points and 7.5 assists. Atlanta has recorded a season-high 57 rebounds in each of its past two games.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Indiana G Bojan Bogdanovic scored 22 points to lead the Pacers to a 97-89 home victory over Atlanta on Nov. 17, in the first of four matchups between the teams this season.
2. Dedmon has hit at least one 3-pointer in six consecutive games, shooting 52.6 percent from long range in that span.
3. Seven Pacers scored in double figures against Washington and Indiana is 6-1 this season when seven or more players record 10-plus points.