There will be no easing back into action after the All-Star break for the Indiana Pacers when they face the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday night in Indianapolis.
Indiana coach Rick Carlisle knows his squad will need to be switched to on from the opening tip against one of the league’s most dangerous teams.
“Playing Memphis as the first game back, you’re getting thrown into the deep end in terms of physical, competitive, high-level (opposition),” Carlisle said. “They’re No. 2 in the West — they’ve had a great year. They play a style that’s a very difficult style to defend. They play fast, they play physical and they’ve got star players.”
The Pacers have been idle since Feb. 12, when they overcame a 19-point deficit to notch a 134-130 overtime win against the Washington Wizards, who own the worst record in the NBA (9-45).
Obi Toppin scored a season-high 31 points and Bennedict Mathurin added 28, with both players providing a punch off the bench for an Indiana team that has been inconsistent over its past five games. The Pacers have gone 2-3 during that stretch.
Indiana guard Tyrese Haliburton admitted that the Pacers needed to rest some tired bodies during the break, but they have since hit the court running.
“Every first practice after All-Star break is typically just a lot of running,” Haliburton said. “You know, you’re playing, you’re doing a bunch of different things. … I feel like as a group we might have been looking a little tired over those last six or seven games. So, want to be better, you know, these last 29 (games). Hopefully, the break was refreshing for everybody.”
Pacers center Myles Turner is expected to return from a cervical (neck) strain, sustained when he was accidentally hit in the head by Mathurin against the Los Angeles Clippers on Feb. 6.
“(Turner) is fine,” Carlisle said. “I didn’t hear anything from the trainers prior to practice. I asked (them), and they said he’s been fine since Saturday.”
Pascal Siakam was the only Pacer to take part in Sunday’s All-Star Game tournament, while three Grizzlies players — Jaren Jackson Jr., Zach Edey and Jaylen Wells — participated. Siakam and Jackson were selected as All-Stars, but Edey and Wells were simply part of the Rising Stars team.
Memphis guard Ja Morant didn’t get selected for the midseason extravaganza, as his campaign has been thrown off course by injuries. He has played in only 32 games this season. The two-time All-Star missed Memphis’ 128-114 loss to the Clippers on Feb. 12 due to right knee soreness.
A cleaner bill of health for Morant is much-needed for the Grizzlies, whose first three games after the break will be on the road against top-seven seeds in the Eastern Conference.
Jackson, who is averaging a career-best 23.0 points per game this season, relished his second All-Star experience. But as soon as it was over, it was back to business.
“Now that it’s over, my mind has completely pivoted back to Memphis,” Jackson said. “My mind is definitely in Memphis as soon as the buzzer went off. My mind is back with our team, and I’m just ready to get back to the team, honestly.”
–Field Level Media
