Indiana @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 8, 2019 ) Detroit 106, Indiana 112

The Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons will come to an early conclusion in their four-game season series when the Central Division rivals meet Friday in Motown. The teams met twice in a six-day span in October, with the Pistons winning both times, and then again Nov. 8 in Indiana, where the Pacers won 112-106.

The two early losses to Detroit were part of Indiana's 0-3 start, but the club is 14-4 since then after rallying for a 107-100 win at Oklahoma City on Wednesday behind T.J. Warren's 24 points. "In the second half, we did a better job on both ends of the floor getting stops, continuing to move the ball," coach Nate McMillan told reporters of his team's 58 points after the break. "I thought that in the first half, we played in traffic a little bit, but the second half, we had better ball movement and guys were able to knock down shots." The Pistons earned a pair of blowout wins before losing by 24 to the Eastern Conference-leading Milwaukee Bucks at home Wednesday night. "They're at the top of the league, really, for a reason," forward Blake Griffin, who had 16 points and 10 rebounds in the loss, told the media. "It was a good test for us, the second time we played them on the second night of a back-to-back. But we've just got to be better."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, FS Indiana, FS Detroit

ABOUT THE PACERS (14-7): Six others scored in double figures Wednesday and the Pacers turned it over just eight times -- one more than their season low at Detroit on Oct. 28 -- while improving to 5-5 on the road. Warren was 9-of-15 from the floor and he's averaging 22 points on 60 percent shooting in a six-game span since he was held to a season-low two points against Orlando on Nov. 23. Domantas Sabonis recorded 17 points and 13 rebounds versus Oklahoma City for his 16th double-double, which ranks fourth in the league.

ABOUT THE PISTONS (8-14): Griffin and Andre Drummond (23 points and 14 rebounds) finished with double-doubles against the Bucks but received little support from their fellow starters, who combined for 13 points on 5-of-20 shooting. Langston Galloway contributed 20 points off the bench and the veteran -- who averaged 8.4 points last season -- has reached double digits in 16 of his last 18 games. Guard Luke Kennard missed the game due to a knee issue and is day-to-day.

BUZZER BEATERS

1. Kennard scored 29 points to lead all players in the last meeting.

2. Pacers SF Doug McDermott scored 14 points in 18 minutes off the bench Wednesday.

3. Drummond is averaging 20 points, 14 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 3.5 blocks and 3.5 steals over his last two games.

PREDICTION: Pacers 110, Pistons 107