It’s almost time for San Antonio and Pacers to play out their back-to-back series in Paris, and the most pressing question for the Spurs is whether Jeremy Sochan will be back in uniform. San Antonio’s defensive rating has plummeted in his absence and fans know the Polish Prince is the lynchpin on the perimeter for the Silver and Black.
During his media session, he suggested that he’ll be back on the floor after missing the last five games with a back injury.
Spurs injury report
Jeremy Sochan (Questionable)
Riley Minix (Out for season)
For those uninitiated, “questionable” usually indicates that a player will suit up, barring any setbacks. Riley Minix’s status, of course, remains unchanged after his season-ending shoulder surgery following an injury sustained on January 1.
Pacers injury report
James Wiseman (Out for season)
Isaiah Jackson (Out for season)
James Wiseman has only played one game this year, and Isaiah Jackson only played in five. Both players tore their Achilles, requiring season-ending surgery, so the Pacers are as healthy as they’re going to get.
-Spurs/Pacers game preview
These will be the only two games between these teams all season, and we should expect a show. Tyrese Haliburton was a member of Team USA when they brought home the gold at the Paris Olympics half a year ago. The hometown kid, Victor Wembanyama, will want to put on a show for all the international fans who have gathered to watch this event.
Fortunately, he’ll likely have a full complement of players at his disposal, and they’ll need it for the high-scoring Pacers. Indiana has the fourth-highest offensive rating in the month of January. Having Sochan back should help slow down a three-point shooting attack more dangerous than the Miami Heat’s, who just drowned the Spurs with a barrage of deep shots.
With Sochan back, expect acting head coach Mitch Johnson to send Stephon Castle back to the bench. San Antonio has been dominated by teams with versatile bigs and dynamic wing players. Sochan will help defend both.
The Pacers had a rough start to the season, but they’ve turned it around, going 8-2 in their last ten games. San Antonio has had a rough time with Eastern Conference teams. They have a 3-6 record vs. the East. Indiana, on the other hand, is 9-4 against the West.
These teams split the season series last year. While one of these games is considered an away game, it will still be in the same arena with a crowd full of Victor Wembanyama fans. Hopefully, that will play to SA’s advantage, and they can sweep these two games. That may be asking a lot of a struggling team, but Paris is the city of dreams, where anything is possible, or something like that.
