The Indiana Pacers will look to climb above .500 for the first time this season when they return to Brooklyn to face the undermanned Nets on Monday night. Just a month ago, the Pacers suffered a 99-90 loss to the Nets, extending their road losing streak to eight games and dropping their overall record to a disappointing 9-14.
Pacers’ Recent Form
Since their last visit to New York, the Pacers have improved significantly, going 9-4 and winning 7 of their last 8 road games. At 18-18, Indiana is at .500 for the first time since a 132-121 home win over the New York Knicks gave them a 5-5 mark through their first 10 contests.
The Pacers have been in impressive form, scoring at least 120 points in three of their last four games and reaching that figure seven times during their turnaround. Their latest victory was a 126-108 home win over the Phoenix Suns, where six players scored in double figures and the team hit 15 3-pointers.
Key Players:
- Tyrese Haliburton: Haliburton has been in great form, scoring at least 27 points in consecutive games for the first time since late November. He followed his 33-point showing at Miami with a 27-point outing against the Suns.
- Myles Turner: Turner has also been performing well, coming off consecutive 20-point games for the first time this season. He scored 21 points at Miami and 20 against Phoenix.
The duo combined for 29 points in the second half against the Suns, outscoring them 70-52.
Nets’ Injury Woes
The Brooklyn Nets are dealing with several key injuries. Cameron Johnson, who scored 26 points in the last meeting against the Pacers, will miss at least the next two games with a sprained right ankle. The Nets will also be without Cam Thomas, their leading scorer, who reinjured his hamstring, and could be without D’Angelo Russell (shin) and Ben Simmons (calf).
Brooklyn is 0-3 without Johnson and on a five-game home losing streak after a 123-94 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers. The Nets matched their largest margin of defeat this season after starting the game with an 11-0 run. They lost Russell to injury at halftime when they trailed by 17, leading to their 12th loss in 16 games since a three-game winning streak in late November.
Key Player:
- Ziare Williams: With an even more depleted roster, Williams stepped up and scored 19 points, but Brooklyn shot only 41.5 percent against Philadelphia.
Outlook
The Pacers have shown significant improvement since their last visit to Brooklyn and will look to continue their winning ways against an undermanned Nets team. Brooklyn will need to find a way to overcome their injury challenges and secure a much-needed victory at home.
This game promises to be an intriguing matchup, with the Pacers looking to climb above .500 and the Nets aiming to end their home losing streak. Fans will be eagerly watching to see if Indiana can maintain their momentum or if Brooklyn can pull off an upset.
