The Pacers schedule is going to soften up... just not today. After losing nail-biters to Boston and New York in successive games, the Pacers once again have to take on a formidable opponent in the Kings. In the previous two outings, it was frustrating to see the team fail to seize winnable games with Tyrese Haliburton sitting on the bench.

That's no disrespect to Andrew Nembhard, who has filled in admirably for Tyrese during his injury spell. Nevertheless, the gap between the two is significant and the contests with New York and Boston have reinforced what the entire world already knew: the Pacers desperately need Tyrese Haliburton if they want to be more than a first round exit.

The Kings

Though T.J. McConnell has been missed while out of the rotation due to an illness he contracted from his son, he couldn't have picked a better night to come off the injury report. During the last matchup with the Kings, McConnell was dominant. He finished with 20 points and 10 assists and succeeded in making DeAaron Fox look like the second best point guard on the floor. Behind his leadership – and Bennedict Mathurin's 25 points – the Pacers beat the Kings for a much need road win on a grueling West Coast trip.

The Kings will look to return the favor tonight at Gainbridge. Over the past two weeks the Kings are 4-1. On the season their offense has been surprisingly average compared to their historic outputs from a season ago. Nevertheless, the Kings have been top-10 defense in opponents points-per-possession during their last 5 games. That trend will be put to the test tonight against a Pacers team that has no trouble scoring, even when riddled with injuries.

Even on a back-to-back after a tough loss in New York, this is a game the Pacers should be able to win.

Injuries

Depth will be key again tonight. With Myles Turner out, Isaiah Jackson should see minutes off the bench. The Pacers do get a reprieve with the return of Mathurin and T.J., however.

How to Watch

Tipoff is at 7:30 PM ET.

TV: Bally Sports Indiana, NBA League Pass

Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan

See ya in the comments!

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