 | @ |  |
|---|---|---|
| 26-36 | 13-48 | |
| March 3, 2009 - 10:00PM EST | ||
| Arco Arena | ||
| Radio: 1070AM WFNI TV: Fox Sports Indiana | ||
| Probable starters: | ||
| T.J. Ford | PG | Bobby Jackson |
| Jarrett Jack | SG | Kevin Martin |
| Marquis Daniels | SF | Francisco Garcia |
| Troy Murphy | PF | Jason Thompson |
| Roy Hibbert | C | Steve Hawes |
The Indiana Pacers begin their three-game roadie tonight when they visit the Sacramento Kings. The Kings have the worst record in the NBA now, having flushed a few salaries in favor of playing time for young players they hope to develop into the core of a contending team some day. The Kings were 3-10 in February with the three wins against Oklahoma City, Memphis and the LA Clippers.
The Pacers on the other hand are 7-7 in their last 14 games. The team has played well despite the absence of Danny Granger and Mike Dunleavy, as players like Jarrett Jack, Troy Murphy and Brandon Rush have stepped up to take advantage of a bigger role in the game plan.
So, the only obvious conclusion from a quick look at both teams is that the Pacers are toast. They have a penchant for playing poorly against the lower level teams in the league and have struggled on the road (6 of those 7 losses were on the road). Seriously, what else should we expect from this game?
For a Sacramento perspective, check out Sactown Royalty.
Gameday Reading
- Jeff Rabjohns has a sobering follow up with Mike Dunleavy as he awaits an almost certain date with a surgeon. Dun's knee problem is treading on new ground so the unknowns as far as rehab and recovery make it impossible to speculate on the long-term outlook or when he might be ready to play again.
"That's a little bit of the issue that this is unchartered waters so to speak, as far as the condition I have," he said. "There have been some things similar to it that you can compare to, but nothing like what I have.
"That's a little bit of the concern with the process, but something I'll have to go through."
Dunleavy said he's visited with a number of doctors in the past few weeks, in part to determine if the surgery would be performed in Indy or elsewhere.
He's played just 18 games this year after missing only 11 his first six years in the NBA.
But when he returns to the court is far from being determined.
"A lot of it is dependent on how the surgery goes," Dunleavy said. "We won't know until you get in there and all that. We'll do that and go from there. It'll be a lengthy recovery, so I'm prepared for that."
- Jeff finds the Pacers looking for some road wins to build on their home success.
Leave your thoughts and observations in the comments.