NBA Preview from The Sports Network
Friday, November 23rd
(All times Eastern)
San Antonio Spurs (9-3) at Indiana Pacers (6-7), 8 p.m.
(Sports Network) - The Indiana Pacers would love to duplicate their most
recent performance on the floor. If they can do that on Friday night against
San Antonio, it should lead to their first victory over the Spurs since 2007.
The Pacers have not bested the Spurs since a 100-99 home win on April 1, 2007.
They have lost 10 in a row in this series since, including four straight in
Indiana, and saw that losing streak extended with a 101-79 defeat in San
Antonio on Nov. 5.
Tim Duncan paced five Spurs players in double figures with 14 points and 11
rebounds, while Gary Neal had a game-high 17 points off the bench.
George Hill led the Pacers with 15 points as the club shot just 34.2 percent
from the floor and hit just 6-of-20 from 3-point range.
Indiana had its scoring touch on Wednesday versus the New Orleans Hornets,
shooting 43.5 percent and going 15-of-27 from behind the arc in a 115-107
overtime victory.
Paul George exploded for a career-high 37 points, all but four of those coming
after halftime, and set a Pacers record with nine 3-pointers. That surpassed
the original mark established by Reggie Miller and George impressed even
further by not turning the ball over once in the win.
"After a couple of them dropped, from that point on I just felt like I was in
the zone," said George. "I was comfortable, I was playing within my team, my
teammates were finding me. I wouldn't say it was easy, but I was just in a
flow from that point on."
Roy Hibbert was also huge with his first career triple-double. That came on 10
points, 11 rebounds and a career- and franchise-high 11 blocks as the Pacers
won two straight for the first time all season.
"I just wanted to make sure I stayed aggressive," said Hibbert. "I was trying
to protect the paint as much as possible."
Hill and David West each chipped in 16 points in the victory.
The Spurs won the opener of a six-game road trip on Wednesday, besting the
Boston Celtics 112-100. Duncan had 20 points and 15 rebounds, while Tony
Parker totaled 26 points on 12-of-17 shooting with six assists.
Tiago Splitter was also efficient, going 9-of-11 for a season-high 23 points
off the bench, as the Spurs shot 58.4 percent from the floor.
"We are a team that shares the ball, and I am feeling good and getting
touches," said Splitter, who logged 13 of his points in the fourth quarter.
The Spurs moved to 5-1 on the road this season.
11/23 10:47:49 ET

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