by Dan Favale
Feels a bit chippy here, doesn't it?
Last time the Golden State Warriors and Indiana Pacers played, they engaged in a heated on-court scuffle that took center stage in Indy's win.
Since they haven't squared off in nearly a year, tensions could have cooled, or there could still be some residual resentment. Who knows?
What we do know is the Pacers are looking to extend their four-game winning streak while the Warriors are hoping to snag the convincing victory they didn't get against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Eastern Conference power meets Western Conference hopeful in what will be one of the most well-balanced battles we could see this season.
Seriously, you won't want to miss it.
Time: Monday, Jan. 20, 10:30 p.m. ET
Location: Oracle Arena, Oakland, California
TV: TNT
Injury Report
Indiana Pacers
No injuries reported.
Golden State Warriors
Festus Ezeli out (knee), Nemanja Nedovic out (hamstring) and Jermaine O'Neal out (wrist).
The Pacers have to play like the Pacers against Golden State.
Indy has the league's best record because it's consistent, plays defense and makes effective in-game adjustments. Allowing itself to deviate from that blueprint in the first of a five-game road trip won't help bolster its 11-6 record away from home.
Taking down Golden State on its own turf requires the Pacers to capitalize off the Warriors' cursory ball-protection while bird-dogging their wave of three-point shooters.
The Warriors cough up the ball an alarming 16.8 times per game, the second-highest mark in the NBA. For a top-ranked defense, though, the Pacers don't force many turnovers, checking in at 14th, by coercing opponents into only 14.7 miscues a night.
A strong, consistent defense like the one they field, however, should be able to make Golden State pay for its over-passing and questionable man-to-man reads.
Preventing the Warriors from drilling three-pointers will be the real challenge.
Though the Pacers rank first in long-ball defense, holding opponents to a 32.1 percent clip from beyond the arc, the Warriors are burying 38.7 percent of their outside shots. And they're shooting them frequently, attempting 24.5 treys a night, the league's sixth-highest mark.
Source:- http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1929161-golden-state-warriors-vs-indiana-pacers-full-preview-and-predictions
Feels a bit chippy here, doesn't it?
Last time the Golden State Warriors and Indiana Pacers played, they engaged in a heated on-court scuffle that took center stage in Indy's win.
Since they haven't squared off in nearly a year, tensions could have cooled, or there could still be some residual resentment. Who knows?
What we do know is the Pacers are looking to extend their four-game winning streak while the Warriors are hoping to snag the convincing victory they didn't get against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Eastern Conference power meets Western Conference hopeful in what will be one of the most well-balanced battles we could see this season.
Seriously, you won't want to miss it.
Time: Monday, Jan. 20, 10:30 p.m. ET
Location: Oracle Arena, Oakland, California
TV: TNT
Injury Report
Indiana Pacers
No injuries reported.
Golden State Warriors
Festus Ezeli out (knee), Nemanja Nedovic out (hamstring) and Jermaine O'Neal out (wrist).
The Pacers have to play like the Pacers against Golden State.
Indy has the league's best record because it's consistent, plays defense and makes effective in-game adjustments. Allowing itself to deviate from that blueprint in the first of a five-game road trip won't help bolster its 11-6 record away from home.
Taking down Golden State on its own turf requires the Pacers to capitalize off the Warriors' cursory ball-protection while bird-dogging their wave of three-point shooters.
The Warriors cough up the ball an alarming 16.8 times per game, the second-highest mark in the NBA. For a top-ranked defense, though, the Pacers don't force many turnovers, checking in at 14th, by coercing opponents into only 14.7 miscues a night.
A strong, consistent defense like the one they field, however, should be able to make Golden State pay for its over-passing and questionable man-to-man reads.
Preventing the Warriors from drilling three-pointers will be the real challenge.
Though the Pacers rank first in long-ball defense, holding opponents to a 32.1 percent clip from beyond the arc, the Warriors are burying 38.7 percent of their outside shots. And they're shooting them frequently, attempting 24.5 treys a night, the league's sixth-highest mark.
Source:- http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1929161-golden-state-warriors-vs-indiana-pacers-full-preview-and-predictions
