Thunder, Pacers try for respective 8th seeds

(SportsNetwork.com) - Two teams battling for the eighth playoff spot in their respective conferences duke it out Sunday night when the Oklahoma City Thunder visit Bankers Life Fieldhouse to face the Indiana Pacers.

The Thunder are tied for the final postseason berth in the Western Conference with the New Orleans Pelicans, who visit the Houston Rockets on Sunday night.

The Pacers trail both the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets for the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. Boston hosts the Cleveland Cavaliers Sunday afternoon, while the Nets travel to Milwaukee to face the Bucks.

OKC put the brakes on a four-game losing streak Friday night with a 116-103 home victory over the Sacramento Kings.

Russell Westbrook finished with 27 points and 10 assists to lead the Thunder. Enes Kanter chipped in with 25 points, Dion Waiters added 22 and Anthony Morrow made five 3-pointers en route to 19 points off the bench for Oklahoma City.

"We have to go on the road and take care of business," Westbrook said.

The Thunder host the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday and close the campaign in Minnesota on Wednesday.

The Pacers are doing all they can to make the postseason. They've won four straight and three in a row at home, where they'll be on Tuesday against Washington before putting a bow on the season Wednesday in Memphis.

On Friday, the Pacers outlasted the Detroit Pistons, 107-103, at The Palace of Auburn Hills.

It was a former Pistons player, Rodney Stuckey, who proved to be the difference for Indiana. Stuckey scored eight of his 24 points in the fourth quarter to lift the Pacers.

Stuckey averaged only 8.7 points in the three previous matchups against the team that drafted him, but Detroit could not slow him down on Friday.

C.J.Miles knocked down 5-of-9 attempts from beyond the arc en route to 24 points for Indiana, which received 10 points in 14 minutes from Paul George.

"This is probably the toughest part of our season because of the circumstances," said George. "Every game counts right now. If we take care of our business, hopefully it results in the playoffs."

George Hill finished with 13 points and nine assists, while David West supplied 10 points and nine assists for Indiana.

The Pistons led 96-95 with 3:39 remaining in regulation before Stuckey scored six consecutive points on mid-range jumpers to give Indiana a lasting lead. Hill converted all six of his attempts at the charity stripe over the final 1:21 of the game to seal the decision.

The Thunder defeated the Pacers by 13 in Oklahoma City on Feb. 24, but Indiana is 2-1 the last three times OKC visit Indianapolis.