In San Francisco this Friday, the Golden State Warriors will aim for a season sweep against the Indiana Pacers as both teams intensify their pursuit for favorable playoff positioning.

The Pacers, currently in sixth place in the Eastern Conference with a 39-31 record, are determined to secure a spot that avoids the play-in tournament following a dominant 122-103 victory over the Detroit Pistons.

In the recent win, Pascal Siakam showcased his talent by recording 25 points and eight rebounds, complemented by Tyrese Haliburton‘s contribution of 20 points and nine assists, maintaining his position as the NBA’s assist leader with 11.2 per game.

Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said the obvious that the duo of Siakam and Haliburton feeding off each other is crucial for the Pacers in their late-season push.

“(Siakam) really is a spectacular player, but does things in an understated way,” Carlisle said. “When you’re a first-team All Star (like Haliburton), you don’t get many easy looks. Everybody’s gunning for your No. 1 guy on every scouting report.”

“One guy’s flying at you, and if you get by him, there’s another guy coming. There’s been a real good synergy between Tyrese and Pascal.”

Since his trade to the Pacers from the Toronto Raptors in January, Siakam has been the leading scorer for Indiana with 20.7 points per game on an efficient 55 percent shooting from the field, alongside 7.6 rebounds. Haliburton has been contributing an average of 20.4 points each game, showcasing the potent offensive capabilities of the Pacers, who lead the league in scoring at 122.8 points per game.

The Indiana offense features multiple players scoring in double figures, with six active players achieving this milestone. Despite losing Bennedict Mathurin to a season-ending shoulder injury in early March, the Pacers have found additional scoring support in T.J. McConnell, who has excelled in their recent games with consistent performances.

Facing Golden State, who are eager to notch a season sweep after their victory against the Memphis Grizzlies, the Warriors look to climb higher from the Western Conference play-in spot they currently occupy. Despite some inconsistencies in their recent performances, the Warriors possess a potent offense ranking seventh in the league with an average of 118.6 points per game.

In their quest for improved defensive stability, Golden State aims to contain the Pacers’ offense, noted for allowing an average of 120.7 points per game.

“It’s been a very up-and-down year for our team,” Warriors guard Chris Paul said. “Every time we come to the arena, we’re not sure who’s playing, which is unfortunate, but it’s part of the league. So we get excited when we see everybody in the lineup. It gives us a comfort level.”

“Playing in this league for so long, you know this time of year what it means.”

Stephen Curry‘s exceptional 42-point display against Indiana in their previous meeting remains a standout performance for the Warriors. With an average of 26.8 points per game this season, Curry’s offensive prowess will be a focal point in the upcoming clash between the two playoff-hungry teams.