Preview: Nets at Pacers

[December 23, 2017]  The last time the Indiana Pacers were on their home floor they walked off with their heads hanging low. After righting the ship with a road win against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, the Pacers return to Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Saturday looking to end a three-game home losing streak when they host the Brooklyn Nets.

Indiana made a startling comeback against the Boston Celtics in its last home game before blowing a five-point lead in the closing seconds with a bad turnover by Bojan Bogdanovic leading to the game-winning basket for the visitors. Bogdanovic came back with 19 points and a pair of steals in Wednesday's 105-95 win over the Hawks, as the Pacers were able to put the gut-wrenching loss in the rear view mirror. "That's what it's all about, responding," guard Lance Stephenson told the team's website about Bogdanovic. "You make a mistake, you respond the next game. When you've got a good group of teammates who encourage you to keep pushing and don't worry about mistakes, it's always a blessing to have that. I think he was mad, but he got over it and you saw in the next game he played unbelievable." The Nets snapped a four-game losing streak that included a loss to Indiana with a 119-84 rout of Washington at home Friday night.

TV: 7 p.m. ET, YES (Brooklyn), FSN Indiana

ABOUT THE NETS (12-19): Brooklyn gave up an average of 111 points during its four-game slide but turned the tables by holding the Wizards to 36.6 percent shooting, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson led the way with 21 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, while Spencer Dinwiddie buried 4-of-5 3-pointers en route to 15 points. Backup Nik Stauskas also hit four triples and he is 10-for-19 beyond the arc since being acquired from Philadelphia earlier this month.

 

ABOUT THE PACERS (18-14): Victor Oladipo scored 23 points to lead the scoring for Indiana in Wednesday's win and is averaging 29.1 points on 50.5 percent shooting this month. Center Myles Turner followed up his worst game of the season (two points, 0-of-3 shooting) in the loss to the Celtics by recording 20 points, six rebounds, three blocks and two assists versus the Hawks. Turner is averaging 18.5 points on 62.5 percent to go along with 10 rebounds and three blocks in a pair of wins over Brooklyn this season.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Pacers PG Darren Collison is 9-for-14 from 3-point range over his last six games.

2. Brooklyn outrebounded Washington 60-35.

3. Indiana has won five straight meetings.

PREDICTION: Pacers 110, Nets 99

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