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2023-24 NBA Regular Season
New Orleans Pelicans v Indiana Pacers
Smoothie King Center
New Orleans, Louisiana
Saturday 2 March 2024
Tip-off at 03:00
The playoffs is far from a certainty for either
New Orleans Pelicans or Indiana Pacers as they prepare to lock horns at the Smoothie King Center on the morning of Saturday, March 2.
The Pelicans (6th) are better placed and have an identical record (34-24) to Phoenix Suns (5th) in the Western Conference, although they face stiff competition from Sacramento Kings (7th) and Dallas Mavericks (8th).
Willie Green's team allowed the Kings and Mavs to close within 0.5 games of them after suffering successive home defeats to Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls.
Image copyright: Getty Images
The Southwest Division franchise had 19 turnovers in a 114-106 loss to the Bulls on February 26, with the returning Brandon Ingram giving the ball away nine times alone.
They led by 12 in the third quarter but Chicago responded by scoring 11 points without reply to close out the period and Green admitted his players gave the opponents to many easy baskets.
"That segment definitely swung the moment a bit, but it came down to us," Green said. "We turned the ball over, not giving ourselves [a chance] to come down and run good offense. They're getting out in transition and getting easy baskets."
The Pacers (7th) are in the mix to qualify for the playoffs from the Eastern Conference as Miami Heat (6th) have a marginally better record than them (32-25 compared to 33-26).
Rick Carlisle's team closed right up on the Heat after embarking on a three-game winning streak before going down 130-122 to Toronto Raptors on February 27.
Bennedict Mathurin matched a career-high 34 points against the Raptors, but Tyrese Haliburton had an off night, adding just nine after shooting just two of 11 from the field.
However, Mathurin felt he did a poor job of marking RJ Barrett, who scored 24 points - one of seven Toronto players who got double figures.
"Defense was our main thing and I'll go ahead say it, I was really bad on defense tonight," he said. "So I'm looking forward to the next game."
New Orleans Pelicans v Indiana Pacers - Head-to-head, Regular Season
Games played: 46
Pelicans wins: 19
Pacers wins: 27
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