Pacers Lose at Home, Bulls Take On the Pistons

On Tuesday, the Indiana Pacers (46-14) fell to the Golden State Warriors (37-24) 98-96 on their home court. As the league’s top team at home, Indiana’s record includes only four losses there (29-4). For the Warriors, it was their first win in Indy since Feb. 5, 2007.

With 0.6 seconds remaining in the game, Klay Thompson nailed a jumped and enabled Golden State to get the win. Overall it was a good quarter for the player as he scored 16 points in it over the last 12 minutes (25 for the night) after starting out by hitting his initial three shots. Stephen Curry added 19 points but went cold in the final quarter.

Things have been going Golden State’s way as they’ve won their last five of six games and following the All-Star break, have gone 6-2. With Tuesday’s road win, they’ve tied last year’s road win total (19)–the first time they’ve done so in two consecutive seasons since 1970-71 and 1971-72.

Against the defensive-minded Pacers, Golden State shot 44 percent from the field and hit 10 of their 20 3-pointers as well as 14 of 20 free throws.

David West

In addition to a rare loss at home for the Pacers, the team needed a win to clinch a playoff spot. The loss also snapped its five-game win streak.

David West led in scoring with 27 points and seven rebounds while Paul George followed with 26 points and 12 rebounds. He got off to a great start in the first quarter with 12 points and eight rebounds. In the fourth quarter he missed a 3-pointer at the 23.9 second mark that would have given the Pacers a go ahead as well as a buzzer beater.

West said of the game via CBS Sports.com, “Mentally, we’ve got to be way tougher than we are because it’s time, you know, it’s just time. It’s just not something that you can just say a week before the playoffs, say, ‘OK.’ You’ve got to work your way into it. But as a group, it’s time. We’ve got a tough three-game trip coming up and it’s just time.”

So who’s on the Pacers’ road trip? They will travel to play the Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday, followed by the Houston Rockets (Friday) and the Dallas Mavericks (Sunday).

Vegas is unsure of Wednesday’s winner but give the Pacers 11/4 to win the 2014 NBA Championship. Golden State sits at 18/1 to do so.

In other Central Division action, the Chicago Bulls (33-27) will play the Detroit Pistons (24-36) on Wednesday.

The Bulls are coming off a disappointing Monday loss to the Brooklyn Nets, 96-80. This included 28 turnovers (30 points for the Nets) and 46.4 percent shooting.

The loss snapped a four-game win streak for the Bulls and they now sit a half game behind the Toronto Raptors for the Eastern Conference’s No.3 spot.

Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau said of Monday’s loss after a big Sunday win against the New York Knicks (21-40), “Things can change quickly. So the important thing is to study this one, make our corrections, get ready for the next one. Sometimes you’re not going to play great. When you don’t play great, you have to bounce back and get the next one.”

Andre Drummond

The Pistons are seeking their second consecutive win–a feat last done on Feb. 7-10. They’re coming off a 96-85 Monday win over the Knicks, which ended a four-game losing streak for them. Andre Drummond had a career-high night for rebounds (26 and matching Dwight Howard); he added 17 points and saw double-double No. 44.

Over the last three games, Drummond has averaged 16.3 points  and in his four previous games, a 12.3 rebound average. He doesn’t fare as well against the Bulls with a 7.3 point average in his six career games against them

Chicago has lost its last two of three games against Detroit but on Wednesday, they’ll get the win (-3.5, 192 o/u).