Game #68 Pacers vs Pistons

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  • owl
    Member
    • Mar 2004
    • 17699

    #1

    Game #68 Pacers vs Pistons

    The tank is going to take a hit the next couple games...






    Saturday, March 11 at 7:00 PM ET at Little Caesars Arena


    Game Preview



    While thereโ€™s only about 20 percent of the 2022-2023 regular season schedule remaining, the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons still have plenty of minutes to play against each other.

    The two Central Division teams have three more matchups listed on the calendar, starting with the first of two straight in the Motor City on Saturday. Indiana (30-37) will then play at Detroit (15-52) again on Monday before the Pistons come to Indianapolis on April 7.

    Detroit has the worst record in the NBA. The Pistons have not won a Central Division (0-11) game his season and are 8-26 at home.


    PLAYOFF PICTURE: Track the Latest Standings, Remaining Schedules, and More >>

    Indiana will face a much different team from the one they took on in October due to both injuries and a trade.

    Among the players who have missed significant time this season for the Pistons is Cade Cunningham, the No. 1 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, who has been out since December and will not return to action after he had surgery to repair a left tibial stress fracture. Cunningham was averaging 19.9 points, 6.2 rebounds and 6.0 assists before the injury.

    Another key player who has missed significant time for Detroit is former Pacer Bojan Bodanovic, who hasn't played since March 1 with an Achilles injury and may not return this season. He has recorded 21.6 points and 3.8 rebounds per game this season.

    Isaiah Stewart, who recorded a double-double against the Pacers in the first matchup, is also expected to miss the remainder of the season due to a shoulder injury.

    Since the last matchup between Indiana and Detroit, a 124-115 Blue & Gold victory, the Pistons were also involved in a four-team trade that landed them former Golden State Warriors center James Wiseman and sent Saddiq Bey to the Atlanta Hawks.

    Wiseman, in his nine games as a Piston, is averaging 25.8 minutes, 12.3 points and 8.3 rebounds per game. The seven-footer was the No. 2 pick in the 2020 draft by the Warriors.

    In the previous matchup between the longtime conference rivals, Bey had 20 points and 11 rebounds, Cunningham finished with 22 points, four rebounds and four assists and Bogdanovic recorded 16 points and five assists.

    The Pacers enter the game coming off a 134-125 overtime win over the Houston Rockets (15-51). Against Houston, the Pacers went up big early before the Rockets stormed back in the fourth quarter to force extra time.

    Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton scored 12 of his teamโ€™s 19 points in overtime and finished with 29 points overall to go along with a career-high 19 assists. Pacers center Myles Turner had 21 points, five rebounds and seven blocks and Jordan Nwora supplied 18 points off the bench for the Blue & Gold.

    Also in the winning effort, however, Pacers standout rookie Bennedict Mathurin exited in the first quarter with a right ankle sprain and did not return. Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said postgame he dosenโ€™t expect Mathruin to play either game in Detroit.

    Indianaโ€™s offense has been humming as the season sunsets, averaging 126 points per game since the All-Star break. A large part of that can be attributed to enhanced play by Haliburton, who is averaging 27.8 points on 54.6 percent shooting, 13.3 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game during that span.

    Detroit, which has lost 10 straight games, is coming off a 113-103 loss to the Charlotte Hornets. The Pistons trailed by eight after the first quarter and were outscored 28-27 in the second and 34-33 in the third before both teams put up 20 points in the final frame.

    Jaden Ivey, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft from Purdue, and Wiseman each scored 16 points and Cory Joseph had 17 points in a reserve role.

    Detroit shot 44.9 percent in the loss and made just seven 3-pointers total. The Pistons turned the ball over 19 times in the loss.


    Projected Starters



    Pacers: G - Tyrese Haliburton, G - Andrew Nembhard, F - Buddy Hield, F - Aaron Nesmith, C - Myles Turner

    Pistons: G - Killian Hayes, G - Rodney McGruder, F - Isaiah Livers, F - Marvin Bagley III, C - James Wiseman


    Injury Report



    Pacers: 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)

    Pistons: 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)


    Last Meeting



    Oct. 23, 2022: Three Pacers recorded double-doubles and Mathurin dropped 27 points as the Blue & Gold earned their first win of the season by downing the Pistons 124-115 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

    Indiana trailed 35-25 after the first quarter but held the Pistons to 21 points in the second quarter and 23 points in the third โ€“ behind three 3-pointers from Mathurin โ€“ to build an 88-79 lead going into the final 12 minutes of play.

    In the fourth quarter, both teams scored 36 points as the Pacers held on for the win.

    All five Pistons starters scored in double figures. Cunningham led the Pistons with 22 points, Bey added 20 points and 11 rebounds and Stewart had 11 points and 17 boards.

    After Mathurin, who also had seven rebounds, Haliburton finished with 24 points and 10 assists, Jalen Smith had 19 points and 15 rebounds and Goga Bitadze โ€“ who is now with the Orlando Magic โ€“ had 14 points and 15 boards.

    Indiana held Detroit to 38.9 percent shooting while outrebounding the Pistons 59-53.


    Noteworthy
    • Indiana leads the all-time regular season series against Detroit 106-100.
    • As of Thursday night, the Pacers were 12th in the Eastern Conference and sat 1.5 games behind the final Play-In Tournament berth.
    • The Pistons won last yearโ€™s series against the Pacers 3-1.


    Broadcast Information (TV and Radio Listings >>)



    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)




    {o,o}
    |)__)
    -"-"-
  • rimrattler
    Member
    • Jan 2011
    • 3120

    #2
    Damn looks like half the players for both teams are game time decisions or out for tonight's game.

    Trying to out tank each other lol

    Comment

    • rock747
      Member
      • Dec 2007
      • 12531

      #3
      This is a must miss game with Haliburton out. Wonder how many of these injuries are legit and how legit the talk of making the play in tournament really is from the players. This seems like a tank move.
      Last edited by rock747; 03-11-2023, 08:09 PM.
      "We've got to be very clear about this. We don't want our players hanging around with murderers," said Larry Bird, Pacers president.

      Comment

      • rimrattler
        Member
        • Jan 2011
        • 3120

        #4
        This is about as good as the IU game was lol

        Comment

        • BornIndy
          INDIANA
          • May 2013
          • 8917

          #5
          Pistons have 2 former #2 overall picks that are busts

          Comment

          • rimrattler
            Member
            • Jan 2011
            • 3120

            #6
            Keep playing the smallest team in the NBA Rick Stealth Tanker

            Comment

            • kent beckley
              Member
              • May 2012
              • 5029

              #7
              Challenge 5 minutes into the game??

              Bold strategy!

              Comment

              • McKeyFan
                Intuition over Integers
                • Jan 2004
                • 15186

                #8
                Originally posted by BornIndy
                Pistons have 2 former #2 overall picks that are busts
                Who besides Darko?
                "Look, it's up to me to put a team around ... Lance right now." โ€”Kevin Pritchard press conference

                Comment

                • BornIndy
                  INDIANA
                  • May 2013
                  • 8917

                  #9
                  I feel like Nembhard is a better lob passer than Haliburton

                  Comment

                  • kent beckley
                    Member
                    • May 2012
                    • 5029

                    #10
                    Buddy, George Hill, and James Johnson all on the floor together, lol

                    Comment

                    • Pacersalltheway10
                      B U T L E R..U a Bulldog!
                      • Jun 2010
                      • 3716

                      #11
                      Rick is trying his best to match the Pistons tanking prowess.

                      Comment

                      • rimrattler
                        Member
                        • Jan 2011
                        • 3120

                        #12
                        Originally posted by BornIndy
                        Pistons have 2 former #2 overall picks that are busts
                        I wouldn't call Wiseman a bust yet. He didn't fit GS playing style and didn't really get a chance to play.

                        Comment

                        • BornIndy
                          INDIANA
                          • May 2013
                          • 8917

                          #13
                          Originally posted by McKeyFan

                          Who besides Darko?
                          Wiseman and Bagley

                          Comment

                          • rimrattler
                            Member
                            • Jan 2011
                            • 3120

                            #14
                            Duren is NICE

                            Comment

                            • BornIndy
                              INDIANA
                              • May 2013
                              • 8917

                              #15
                              Originally posted by rimrattler

                              I wouldn't call Wiseman a bust yet. He didn't fit GS playing style and didn't really get a chance to play.
                              He got traded before the end of his rookie contract. That's sad. GS needs a big man too.

                              And all GS got back were 2nd rounders

                              Comment

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