The Indiana Pacers will seek to complete a holiday hat trick by finishing an unbeaten western swing with a win over the Golden State Warriors on Monday night in San Francisco.
The Pacers, who were just 10-15 on Dec. 8, benefited from greater depth created by improved health in wins at Phoenix and Sacramento to open their three-game trip.
Seven Pacers players scored in double figures and two recorded double-doubles in a 122-95 shellacking of the Kings on Sunday afternoon.
A win Monday night would return Indiana to the .500 mark for the first time since it was 5-5. Thanks to some additional time off created by the NBA Cup scheduling coming at just the right time, Pacers coach Rick Carlisle insisted he’s not surprised by the upswing.
“The practice time the last two weeks has helped us. It’s helped us regain an edge defensively,” he said. “Our full-court defense is more of a factor. We just need teams to feel us. Even if we’re not the most physically bruising team, they need to feel our persistence at both ends.”
A visit to San Francisco gives the Pacers a chance to say hello to old pal Buddy Hield, who played parts of three seasons in Indiana before getting dealt to the Philadelphia 76ers last February. Hield averaged 15.4 points in 158 games with the Pacers.
The Warriors acquired Hield from the 76ers during the offseason as part of a six-team blockbuster that also saw Golden State acquire Kyle Anderson from the Minnesota Timberwolves while losing Klay Thompson to the Dallas Mavericks.
Hield is the Warriors’ fourth-leading scorer in the early going, playing almost exclusively off the bench and averaging 14 points per game. He contributed 11 points in 21 minutes when Golden State snapped a three-game losing streak with a 113-103 win at Minnesota on Saturday.
Golden State, which has lost nine of 12 after a 12-3 start, will play eight of its next nine games at home. The only trip won’t be a long one when the Warriors take on an in-state rival, the Los Angeles Clippers, on Friday.
Monday’s game, meanwhile, will give Pacers fans an opportunity to see one of their own in Golden State’s Trayce Jackson-Davis.
Jackson-Davis was a star at both Center Grove High in Greenwood, Ind., and played collegiately at Indiana.
The second-year pro has struggled this season to recapture the magic of a surprising rookie campaign, but he could be looking at increased playing time after making 9 of 11 shots and totaling 22 points and 16 rebounds in Golden State’s past two games.
“The coaches have stayed with me,” Jackson-Davis said. “My teammates have continued to bring my confidence, and I’ve just got to continue to go out there, play aggressive and try to finish strong.”
The Pacers and Warriors will meet for the first time this season. The clubs split their two-game season series last year, with Indiana’s win at Golden State giving it five straight on the Warriors’ court.
The teams will conclude the season series Jan. 10 in Indianapolis.