Who: Phoenix Suns (38-27) vs. Indiana Pacers (15-50)
When: 4:00pm Arizona Time
Where: Gainbridge Fieldhouse — Indianapolis, Indiana
Watch: Arizona’s Family 3TV, Arizona’s Family Sports
Listen: KMVP 98.7
The Suns torched the Milwaukee Bucks with 24 threes on Monday to begin their six-game road trip. The Indiana Pacers are the second game on this road trip and the last team below .500. This is a game the Suns should win, and cannot afford to lose if they want to catch the spiraling Denver Nuggets or the up-and-down
Minnesota Timberwolves in the standings.
Right now, the Suns are oozing with storylines: Devin Booker is starting to turn up his play, Jalen Green is continuing to acclimate himself to the lineup with jaw dropping plays and egregious turnovers, the rookies Khaman Maluach and Rasheer Fleming are pushing for regular rotation minutes, Haywood Highsmith is playing well, and most importantly, the Suns have taken advantage of one of the weaker portions of their schedule.
Probable Starters
Injury Report
Suns
- Dillon Brooks — OUT (Broken Left Hand)
- Mark Williams — OUT (Left Foot Stress Reaction)
- Grayson Allen — QUESTIONABLE (Right Knee Injury Management)
- Jordan Goodwin — QUESTIONABLE (Left Calf Injury Management)
- Haywood Highsmith — QUESTIONABLE (Right Knee Injury Management)
Pacers
- Johny Furphy — OUT (Right ACL Tear)
- Tyrese Haliburton — OUT (Right Achilles Tendon Tear)
- Quenton Jackson — DOUBTFUL (Right Calf Soreness)
- T.J. McConnell — QUESTIONABLE (Right Hamstring Soreness)
- Andrew Nembhard — QUESTIONABLE (Low Back & Neck Soreness)
- Aaron Nesmith — QUESTIONABLE (Right Ankle Injury Management)
- Taelon Peter — QUESTIONABLE (G League Two-Way)
- Pascal Siakam — DOUBTFUL (Right Knee Sprain)
- Jalen Slawson — QUESTIONABLE (G League Two-Way)
- Ethan Thompson — QUESTIONABLE (G League Two-Way)
- Ivica Zubac — QUESTIONABLE (Left Ankle Sprain)
What to Watch For
The Indiana Pacers are the worst offensive team in the NBA with a 108.6 defensive rating. The Pacers are in full tank mode after making the NBA Finals last season, so if the Suns bring their intense pressure and aggressive defense, this game should be a comfortable win for the Suns.
The Suns will likely play almost everyone on the roster, including Ryan Dunn, whose minutes continue to be reduced, and Jamaree Bouyea and Amir Coffey. Offensively, the Suns need to attack the paint because the Pacers are second-to-last in the NBA in points allowed in the paint.
Expect to see Booker and Green on the attack and scoring at the rim or generating wide-open threes from their paint touches. The duo of Green and Booker has found a little bit of a rhythm in the last two games, and this Pacers matchup is another opportunity to build Green’s confidence and continuity with the rest of the team.
Key to a Suns Win
The Pacers will present some challenges for the Suns with their size and length. Rebounding the basketball on the offensive end continues to be a strength for the Suns, and defensive rebounding continues to be a struggle for the Suns. Ighodaro, Maluach (who grabbed zero rebounds against the Bucks), Fleming, and the rest of the Suns need to limit Indiana to one shot and then get out and run. If the Suns can rebound and push the ball, it makes life much easier on the offensive end and will allow the Suns’ young athletes to shine.
Prediction
The Suns race to a 126-112 victory over the Pacers.
Suns 126, Pacers 112
