Pacers, Nuggets jockeying for position in playoff races
INDIANAPOLIS -- Just three weeks remain in the NBA season, and the playoff races are heating up in both conferences. Two teams in the middle of each race will do battle Friday night as the Indiana Pacers host the Denver Nuggets.
The Pacers (36-35) are just one game behind the No. 5 seed Atlanta Hawks (37-34), but only a game and a half ahead of the Miami Heat (35-37) for the No. 8 seed in the East.
The Pacers are in the midst of a historic run, but not the kind of history they want to make. They have alternated wins and losses in 15 straight games, one shy of tying the NBA record, set by the Buffalo Braves in 1977-'78. They hope the trend will continue for one more night, because they lost in Boston on Wednesday by a final score of 109-100.
Paul George led the Pacers with 37 points and played the entire second half. "This was a very winnable game," George told the Indianapolis Star. "They took off at the end, but I thought I saw a fight in us that we haven't seen on the road in a while. Everybody at this point in the season is giving all they've got. It's just that point in the season where it's no excuses, no finger pointing. We're just not getting it done."
The Pacers have been a completely different team at home compared to the road. They're 25-10 on their home court, 11-25 on the road.
These teams played in London earlier this season, with the Nuggets dominating 140-112. Only the Golden State Warriors have scored more points in a game against the Pacers this season (142).
"They dominated that game," Nate McMillan told Pacers.com. "It left a sour taste, and it should have. They're a really good team and they proved that to us over in London. They can put points on the board, and we've got to be ready for that."
The Nuggets (34-37) are holding on to the final playoff spot in the Western Conference by one game over the Portland Trail Blazers, who defeated the Knicks on Thursday night.
Denver just defeated Cleveland 126-113 on Wednesday night. The Nuggets have won eight of their last 12 games and have continued scoring in bunches. The Nuggets have the fifth-best offense in the NBA and have scored over 100 points in 12 straight games.
Indiana native Gary Harris has played well recently. He has averaged 16.9 points per game in March, and he scored 21 in the win over Cleveland.
"It was the most important game of the season right now just because of the playoff race we are in," Harris told Altitude Sports. "We were able to get this one, so the next one is going to be just as important. When we go to Indiana, it's going to be just as important for us just to continue to get wins."
Glenn Robinson III is questionable for the Pacers with a sore left calf. For Denver, Darrell Arthur (left knee soreness) and Wilson Chandler (right groin contusion) are probable, while Danilo Gallinari (bone bruise) is listed as doubtful.
The Pacers are 28-15 all-time against the Nuggets in Indianapolis.