OAKLAND – The Warriors will seek a successful conclusion to their five-game homestand Monday night, when they face the Indiana Pacers at Oracle Arena.
The Warriors have won three of four over the past nine days at home and 13 of their last 14 overall. They also own the NBA’s best record (17-3) and rank No. 1 in scoring (119.1 points per game).
The Pacers (10-10), however, will be a very different team than that which the Warriors pasted 120-83 two weeks ago in Indianapolis. All-Star forward Paul George, terrific young center Myles Turner and guard C.J. Miles all missed that game with injuries.
Indiana is coming off a 111-102 victory Sunday night over the Clippers in Los Angeles. The Pacers wiped out a 13-point second-half deficit to take the win.
BETTING LINE
Warriors by 13.5
Sports
MATCHUP TO WATCH
Kevin Durant vs. Paul George. Both are oversized “small” forwards with high-end athleticism. Durant is having an MVP-level season, while George has been a tick below his usual lofty standard, partly because he has been fighting injuries. He’s healthy now. This battle of elite players is deserving of a spotlight.
LAST 10
Warriors: 9-1.
Pacers: 6-4.
INJURY REPORT
Warriors: No injuries listed.
Pacers: No injuries listed.
ROSTER NOTE
Warriors: C Damian Jones is on assignment with Santa Cruz of the D-League.
SERIES HISTORY
The Warriors won the first meeting, 120-83, on Nov. 21 in Indianapolis, and have won three straight and five of the last six. The Warriors have won seven of the last nine at Oracle Arena.
THREE THINGS TO WATCH
Ball security. The Warriors can get sloppy at times, often against mediocre opponents, but Indy’s active defense is good enough to make them pay. The Pacers are tops in the league in forcing turnovers (16 per game) and second in steals.
Pound the glass. Though the Warriors are not a particularly strong rebounding team, ranking 19th in rebounding percentage, they’ll need to be good enough to take advantage of a Pacers team that ranks dead list in that category.
Contain Myles. Pacers center Myles Turner came to Oakland as a 19-year-old rookie last season and spent the evening punishing the Warriors, ringing up 31 points – his career-high. The Warriors had no answer for the 6-foot-11, 280-pound specimen, who happens to be a spectacular athlete.
