Tuesday, March 12 at 8 p.m. ET at the Paycom Center
Game Overview
Next up, the Indiana Pacers take on one of the best in the West.
The Pacers (36-29) will finish a two-game road trip Tuesday when they take on the Oklahoma City Thunder (45-19) at the Paycom Center. Two elite offensive teams playing with late-season urgency will face off in the Sooner State.
The Pacers are the second-highest scoring team in the NBA and have the second-best offense, while the Thunder are third in scoring and have the third-best offensive rating.
The Indiana and OKC teams are also battling for position in their respective conferences, with about a month left in the regular season.
As of Sunday night, just two games separated the four and eight seeds in the East, with the Pacers sitting in seventh place after beating the Orlando Magic 111-97. In the West, the Thunder are locked in a three-way battle for the top seed with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets, with only a half-game separating first from third.
PHOTO OF THE ELIMINAR: Follow the latest standings, potential matchups and more >>
The Pacers are 6-4 in their last 10 games, while the Thunder are 8-2 over that span.
Although the Pacers are known for their offense, they are coming off one of their best defensive performances of the season. The Pacers gave up a season-low 97 points in their win over the Magic, using a second-half surge to help end a two-game skid.
Sunday’s game was the Pacers’ first without second-year guard Bennedict Mathurin, who leads the league’s highest-scoring bench with 14.5 points per game. It was announcement this weekend, he will miss the remainder of the season with a labral tear in his right shoulder.
Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam each scored 20 points for the Blue & Gold in the win in Orlando, while TJ McConnell and Obi Toppin scored 17 points each coming off the bench. McConnell has scored in double figures in three of the last four games.
The Thunder have won three straight heading into Tuesday’s game, including a 124-93 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday.
Part of the Thunder’s rise this season can be attributed to the play of guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who has emerged as an MVP candidate. The 25-year-old Canadian is averaging 31.1 points per game, just behind Dallas’ Luka Doncic, with 6.4 assists and 5.5 rebounds.
While SGA has grabbed the headlines, sophomore forward Jalen Williams has also turned heads this season, averaging 19 points, 4.5 assists and 4.0 rebounds, and rookie center 7-foot-1 Chet Holmgren scores 16.9 points, or 7.8 points. rebounds and hits 2.5 shots every night.
This is the first matchup between the Pacers and Thunder this season, and the two teams will meet in Indianapolis on April 5.
The Pacers will have a quick turnaround after facing the Thunder, as they return home to host the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday before welcoming the Brooklyn Nets to town on Saturday.
Projected starters
Pacers: G – Tyrese Haliburton, G – Andrew Nembhard, F – Aaron Nesmith, F – Pascal Siakam, C – Myles Turner
Thunder: G – Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, G – Josh Giddey, F – Luguentz Dort, F – Jalen Williams, C – Chet Holmgren
Injury report
Pacers: Jalen Smith – questionable (illness), Bennedict Mathurin – out (right shoulder labral tear), Doug McDermott – out (right calf strain)
Last meeting
March 31, 2023: In their final meeting of the 2022-23 season, a shorthanded Pacers team earned a 121-117 victory over the Thunder at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
After a tight 36 minutes, the Pacers used a 31-point fourth-quarter performance, which included a couple of crucial shots from the charity stripe, to secure a victory at the end of March.
The Pacers, leading by three points, intentionally fouled the Thunder with 10 seconds left in the game. After Shai Gilgeous-Alexander made both attempts, Pacers rookie Bennedict Mathurin was fouled and exhausted his attempts to put the game out of reach.
TJ McConnell led the Pacers with 21 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Mathurin and Andrew Nembhard each scored 18, and Jalen Smith provided 12 points and 15 rebounds. Indiana was without point guard Tyrese Haliburton and center Myles Turner in the game.
Thunder star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a game-high 39 points, going 17 of 17 from the free throw line, with nine rebounds, and Josh Giddey scored 21 points.
Oklahoma City outshot Indiana 47.7 to 45.9 percent, but the Pacers made 12 3-pointers to the Thunder’s four threes. The Pacers won the rebounding margin 56-45.
Outstanding
- Indiana and Oklahoma City have split two games each over the past two seasons.
- Pacers forward Doug McDermott has missed six straight games with a calf strain.
- Pacers center Myles Turner is 11 blocks away from passing Jermaine O’Neal (1,245 blocks) as the franchise’s all-time blocks leader.
- The Thunder are 13-16 against the Pacers in the Oklahoma City era. OKC is 7-6 at home against the Pacers during that span and 6-10 in Indianapolis.
Broadcast information (TV and Radio Programs >>)
TV: Bally Sports Indiana – Chris Denari (play-by-play), Quinn Buckner (analyst), Jeremiah Johnson (sideline reporter/host)
Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan – Mark Boyle (play-by-play), Pat Boylan (studio host)
Tickets
The Pacers will return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse to kick off a three-game homestand against DeMar DeRozan and the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, March 13 at 7 p.m. ET. Find tickets >>
