Funny what a difference a game can make.
After losing two straight games, the Pacers seemed on their way to dropping a third as they travelled to San Antonio to face the Spurs. But Indiana surprised, pulling out a victory to complete a season sweep of San Antonio and cap its five-game road trip with a 3-2 record.
Now the Pacers (25-22) return home to face a Suns (17-30) team that they dominated just 10 days earlier in a 120-97 victory.
Indiana was without starting center Myles Turner for the duration of the road trip, and his absence was felt on defense. Over the course of the five games, Indiana averaged just 2.4 blocks per game, the lowest figure in the NBA in that span.
But even without the blocks, the Pacers' team defense remained strong on the trip, allowing just 99.7 points per 100 possessions, the fifth best mark in the league.
Greg Rappaport
http://www.nba.com/pacers/preview-pacers-suns-180124