Thunder Face Streaking Pacers Ahead Of Cleveland, Golden State

Russell Westbrook and the Thunder travel to Indiana to take on the red-hot Pacers tonight, a 6:00 p.m. CT tip.

The Pacers have won six-straight since playing .500 ball for the first half of the season. Now 28-22, Indiana is squarely in the playoff mix in the East. Paul George leads the way averaging 22.6 points and 6.1 rebounds per game and 20-year-old center Myles Turner adds 15.6 points and 2.3 blocks in his sophomore season.

The Pacers will be without starting power forward Thaddeus Young due to a left wrist sprain. Reserve Lavoy Allen had 18 points and 11 rebounds in Indiana’s last game starting in place of Young.

It’s the second night of a back-to-back for the Thunder, which beat Portland yesterday behind Russell Westbrook’s 42 points and Victor Oladipo’s 24 points and 13 rebounds. Andre Roberson tied his season-best with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Oklahoma City is 2.5 games behind Utah in the NBA’s Northwest Division.

While every game is important for the Thunder, especially every win without sixth-man Enes Kanter, the team has two really big opportunities later this week when its hosts Cleveland and Golden State. For OKC to win at Indiana, it can’t get caught looking ahead to a pair of revenge games.