The Pacers are back on the road for their next three games including two in a row in Detroit.
The Indiana Pacers (29-37) tip off a long ‘weekend’ in the Motor City when they play the fist of consecutive games against the Detroit Pistons (15-52) on Saturday night.
The Pacers find the Pistons limping down the home stretch of the regular season riding a ten game losing streak with a bulging injury list and no apparent concern for the mounting losses. Detroit currently holds the worst record in the league which puts them right where they want to be for a shot at Victor Wembanyama.
As for the Pacers, they are 5-2 in their last seven games with Tyrese Haliburton which includes losses to the Celtics and 76ers. At this point, there is no sense in analyzing the Pacers without Haliburton since his impact is so immense and his recent play so elite. The lead guard is back on the injury list with a few other players, listed as questionable which always raises the question of the team’s motives from game to game.
One player we know will be out is rookie Bennedict Mathurin after he suffered a rough ankle sprain early in the win over Houston on Thursday. Keep an eye on status reports for the rook as we all hope he can return to play over the final four weeks of the season.
DraftKings Odds: Pacers -6, O/U 229.5 (latest DraftKings odds here)
When: 7:00 p.m. ET
Where: Little Ceasars Arena, Detroit, MI
TV: Bally Sports Indiana/Bally Sports + app
Radio: 93.5 FM/107.5 FM
Projected Starting Lineups:
Pacers: Tyrese Haliburton, Andrew Nembhard, Buddy Hield, Aaron Nesmith, Myles Turner
Pistons: Killian Hayes, Rodney McGruder, Isaiah LIvers, Marvin Bagley III, James Wiseman
Injuries
IND: Tyrese Haliburton – questionable (bruised left knee), T.J. McConnell – questionable (sore back), Myles Turner – questionable (sore lower back), Kendall Brown – out (right tibia stress fracture surgery), Bennedict Mathurin – out (right ankle sprain)
DET: Marvin Bagley III – probable (sore right ankle), Bojan Bogdanovic (out – left achilles tendinopathy), Alec Burks – out (sore left foot), Cade Cunningham – out (left tibia stress fracture), Hamidou Diallo – out (right ankle sprain), Jaden Ivey – out (health and safety protocols), Isaiah Stewart – out (left shoulder impingement)
Please share your thoughts and observations on the game in the comments.