[9:10 PM] Pacers @ Suns

Who will WIN this matchup?

Indiana Pacers (10-11)

@ Phoenix Suns (6-14)

 

• The Indiana Pacers look to start putting an end to their road woes with improved defense when they visit the struggling Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night. The Pacers, who entered Tuesday ranked 25th in the league in scoring defense, have lost seven of nine games away from home after giving up 60 points to Klay Thompson in a 142-106 loss at Golden State on Monday.

• The Suns dropped to 3-10 on the road Tuesday with a 112-105 loss at Utah and come home where they have won three of eight contests. The backcourt trio of Eric Bledsoe, Devin Booker and Knight combined for 50 points in the loss to the Jazz and lead an offense that stands eighth in the league in scoring despite Phoenix sitting tied for 13th in the Western Conference standings.

• Paul George is 10-for-25 from the field in two games since returning from an ankle injury and leads the team at 20.4 points per game overall. Point guard Jeff Teague, in his first season with Indiana, tops the team in assists (6.6) and is averaging 18.7 points over the last three games while leading rebounder Myles Turner (7.4) is coming off a rough outing against Golden State (six points, 24 minutes). The Pacers assigned rookie forward Georges Niang (11 total points, 13 games) to Fort Wayne of the NBA Developmental League.

• Phoenix managed just 14 assists on 39 made field goals and turned the ball over 17 times Tuesday, but rallied from 19 points down in the fourth quarter to tie the game before falling short. Bledsoe, who scored 27 in the loss to Golden State on Saturday, was held to 14 by Utah and Booker scored 21 on 9-of-13 shooting from the field. The Suns are also one of the league’s worst defensive teams and have held just three opponents to fewer than 100 points —including the Pacers, Orlando and Minnesota.

• The Suns’ victory last month was the fifth in the last seven games against the Pacers.

 

StreakSmarts Pick: Indiana Pacers

Confidence: 4/10

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