Open Game Thread #19: Pacers vs. Suns

The Phoenix Suns are in town tonight bringing with them an offensive potency the Pacers are striving to reach. Look at the lineups and you'll see matchup nightmares everywhere you look. Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire, Shawn Marion, and Grant Hill certainly light up the marquee and will present plenty of problems for the Pacers' defense. But then you throw in the pesky needlers the Suns euphemize as roll players and the Pacers have to play their best ball for 48 minutes. Raja Bell and Boris Diaw can bury a team if they don't receive the proper attention. Remember Leandro Barbosa running around the Fieldhouse last year? Barbosa was ripping steals, hitting 3-balls and generally breaking the Pacers' will with his speed and timely plays.

If the Pacers can come out hitting shots like they've done at times this year (see Utah Jazz game), then this game could be a beauty. Here's Bruno's Scouting Report. Looks like everyone but Ike is expected to play. With the injury situation clearing up, O'B has confirmed a change in the starting lineup. Jeff Foster will start instead of Troy Murphy. Foster has started several games and been quite productive, providing the Pacers with plenty of front court dirty work. He's even making his fair share of bunnies, usually fed by the Tin Man. Also, the Pacers released Courtney Sims today. Could this be a vote of confidence for Jermaine O'Neal's left knee?

Here's what the efficiency numbers say: