San Antonio Spurs vs Indiana Pacers Prediction and Match Preview - April 19th, 2021 | NBA season 2020-21
The San Antonio Spurs take on the Indiana Pacers tonight at Bankers Life Fieldhouse as they aim to continue their winning ways.
Both sides have been in indifferent form lately. The San Antonio Spurs head into this contest seeded tenth in the Western Conference, while the Indiana Pacers are seeded ninth in the Eastern Conference.
Match Details
Fixture - San Antonio Spurs vs Indiana Pacers | 2020-21 NBA Season
Date & Time - Monday, April 19, 8:00 PM ET (Tuesday, April 20th, 5:30 AM IST)
Venue - Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN.
San Antonio Spurs Preview
The San Antonio Spurs' second half of the current NBA campaign hasn't been as great as they would've wanted it to be. They were well above the .500 mark with an 18-14 season record before the break but are now .491 with a 27-28 season record.
Nevertheless, they have shown glimpses that they still have it in them to play well, with three wins in their last five outings. They will be upbeat after decimating the surging Phoenix Suns' 111-85 in their previous game.
Despite playing without their best player, DeMar DeRozan, and multiple key players who were rested, Greg Popovich's side put on a brilliant team performance on both ends of the floor.
Rudy Gay led the charge with 19 points, while five other players scored in double digits on the night.
The San Antonio Spurs shot 50.6% from the field and recorded nine blocks and 10 steals, holding the likes of Devin Booker and Chris Pto for a combined total of just 21 points.
Key Player - DeMar DeRozan
DeMar DeRozan will be returning for this game after a well-deserved rest. He has been the San Antonio Spurs' most sensational player so far this season, averaging a team-high 21.2 points and 7.2 assists per contest.
They will once again need him to be at his best offensively as the Indiana Pacers possess some of the best defensive players in the league.
If DeRozan can win the battle against the likes of Domantas Sabonis, Caris LeVert and Myles Turner, it will give the Spurs a solid chance to win against the Indiana Pacers.
Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Dejounte Murray l Shooting Guard - Derrick White l Small Forward - DeMar DeRozan l Power Forward - Keldon Johnson l Center - Jakob Poeltl.
Indiana Pacers Preview
The Indiana Pacers aren't in the best of form coming into this matchup. They have recorded just one win in their last four games, which came against the struggling Houston Rockets a couple of games back.
Their last game was against the Atlanta Hawks, which they lost 117-129. They put on a strong fight for most of the game, but the Hawks made some key shots, which derailed the Indiana Pacers' fight-back on multiple occasions.
Guard Malcolm Brogdon scored 29 points, while Domantas Sabonis and T.J. McConnell had 18 points apiece. The Pacers struggled from beyond the arc, shooting just 31.2% from long-range.
Key Player - Domantas Sabonis
Domantas Sabonis has been a terrific player for the struggling Indiana Pacers this season. The All-Star is a solid presence on both ends of the floor, who can chip in with a 15-point + game on a nightly basis, and also do a great job with his rebounding and defensive ability in general.
He is averaging 19.9 points, 11.6 rebounds, six assists and 1.1 steals per contest and will need to be at his all-round best against the San Antonio Spurs.
His main challenge on the night will be to neutralize their best offensive player DeRozan as much as possible, which could swing the tie in the favor of the Pacers massively.
Predicted Lineup
Point Guard - Malcolm Brogdon l Shooting Guard - Caris LeVert l Small Forward - Justin Holiday l Power Forward - Domantas Sabonis l Center - Myles Turner.
Spurs vs Pacers Match Prediction
The San Antonio Spurs will be the favorites to win this tie as they have momentum on their side post their monumental victory over the Suns.
But the Indiana Pacers are now back at full strength and have their strongest starting five available to them, which the Spurs should be mindful of.
Overall, both teams seem well-matched, and it should be an interesting game to look forward to.
Where to watch Spurs vs Pacers
The game between the San Antonio Spurs and the Indiana Pacers will be televised locally on Bally Sports Indiana and Bally Sports Southwest. International audiences can watch the game on the NBA League Pass.