Preview: Suns at Pacers, 4:30 p.m., FOX Sports Arizona
Streaming live on FOX Sports GO
The good vibe that the Suns were feeling following a 7-5 stretch in late December and early January has faded recently with four losses in their last five games.
One of those losses was a 120-97 blowout at the hands of the Indiana Pacers in Phoenix on Jan. 14. The Suns (17-30) will try to right the ship and exact some revenge as they conclude a four-game road trip at Indiana (25-22) on Wednesday night.
The Suns are coming off a 109-105 setback at Milwaukee on Monday night. One positive note is guard Troy Daniels set a franchise record by making a 3-pointer in 27 consecutive games. Daniels hit five treys against the Bucks.
"He gives us a chance," coach Jay Triano said. "We put him in games a lot of times just to give (Devin) Booker rest, but he's also a scoring punch for us. That's why he continues to stay in the game when we bought 'Book' back."
Daniels is seeing improvement in the Suns, a young team like the Pacers.
"I feel the chemistry is almost there," Daniels said. "We have to figure a couple of things out, minor tweaks on the defensive end, but I think we are almost there. I really do."
Daniels, who is shooting 42 percent from 3-point range, is averaging career highs of 8.6 points and 18.8 minutes. Booker leads the Suns with 25 points per game, which ranks ninth in the league, along with 4.7 assists and 4.0 rebounds, but he was bypassed when the selections for next month’s All-Star Game were announced on Tuesday.
https://twitter.com/FOXSPORTSAZ/status/956225267814481920
Suns forward Marquese Chriss is listed as questionable. Chriss has missed five straight games with a right hip strain.
The Pacers are back at home after winning three of five games on a road trip that began in Phoenix and ended with a 94-86 win over San Antonio on Sunday.
"We've always been a resilient team, that is going to continue to fight and continue to believe in each other," Pacers forward Thaddeus Young said. "We play for one another each and every game, so the fight is always there no matter what the outcome of the game. We go out there and we play hard."
The win over San Antonio gave Indiana its first sweep of the Spurs since the 1994-95 season.
"It was a great win for this young team to come into San Antonio, where they only lost two games," Pacers coach Nate McMillan said. "(San Antonio) has always been a tough place to play. To end the road trip when you are a little fatigued or tired, the challenge was mentally giving the effort, staying together, staying connected."
The Pacers have one All-Star selection: Guard Victor Oladipo, who is averaging 24.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists. He’s making 48.4 percent of his shots and has scored in double figures in all 42 games he’s played. He had a team-high 19 in Sunday’s win over the Spurs.
Pacers center Myles Turner, who has been sidelined with a right elbow injury, isn't sure if he can return to action against the Suns.
"It's a little sore, but I knew that was going to come with it," Turner said. "Just being able to shoot again is good for my confidence. It's tough (sitting on the bench), especially when I see ways I can help out there, that's the hardest part."
Reserve rookie forward T.J. Leaf is listed as questionable as well with a sprained right ankle.