Pacers face T’wolves without Stuckey and Turner
After winning to go above .500 for the first time all year, the Pacers turn around to host the Minnesota Timberwolves without two guys in their rotation.
WHO: Indiana Pacers (5-4) v. Minnesota Timberwolves (4-4)
WHEN: Tonight, 7 pm ET / 6 pm CT
WHERE: Bankers Life Fieldhouse (Indianapolis, IN)
TV: Fox Sports Indiana
RADIO: 1070 the Fan
STREAM: FSGO and on the FSGO app
The Pacers
Indiana goes into tonight with high hopes after a solid outing against the Boston Celtics that featured another 25+ point game from Paul George. The win boosted Indiana above .500 for the first time and pushed them to 5-1 since starting the season 0-3.
The bad news for the Blue & Gold is that Myles Turner‘s injury is a little worse than initially thought – chipping a bone on his hand that will see him out for four weeks. Additionally, Rodney Stuckey is out for tonight’s game still working on that sprained right ankle he suffered earlier in the week.
Indiana will need to keep their defensive front on the up tonight against the talented trio of Ricky Rubio, Andrew Wiggins, and Karl-Anthony Towns. Rubio has resurged as one of the better ball handlers in the league this year and the youthful combo of Wiggins and Towns brings a flight power to the Wolves that Minnesota hadn’t had. Look for George to step up offensively and hopefully a solid outing from Monta Ellis as well.
The Timberwolves
The T’wolves are undefeated on the road but are also coming off a 129-116 home loss to Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors.
Minnesota is in the top half of the league in shooting percentage and will look to rotate the ball around Indiana’s defense, looking inside to the rookie KAT, letting Wiggins penetrate and make a decision from there, or having Rubio set it all up at once.
Also one of the better free-throw shooting teams, the Pacers will need to keep them off the line and push them towards the perimeter where they have struggled so far through eight games. It’s plenty early, but Minnesota packs an unexpected punch that is different from years past. Indiana will have their hands full tonight.
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If the Pacers could win tonight, it would push them to 6-1 since their 0-3 start and keep momentum in the right direction. Without Myles Turner, minutes will be spread to those already around, and tonight is personal for Glenn Robinson III as he faces the team who showed him the door. Tipoff set for 7 pm ET.