Cavaliers, Pacers clash at Quicken Loans Arena

This is the third of four meetings between the clubs this season. The teams split the first two contests, as both squads picked up a victory at home.

Indiana has lost four straight and five of its last six at Cleveland. The Cavaliers have won four of the last five contests in the series.

The Pacers are scheduled to host the Cavaliers on March 27th at Conseco Fieldhouse.

Cleveland is in second place in the Central, two games behind the division- leading Detroit Pistons.

The Cavaliers enter tonight’s contest on a four-game winning streak. Superstar LeBron James finished with 32 points, eight rebounds and nine assists, the last one to Anderson Varejao for the game-winning layup with 11 seconds left, as Cleveland defeated the Milwaukee Bucks, 94-92, at the Bradley Center.

Donyell Marshall added 19 points off the bench for the Cavaliers, who have won seven of their last 10 games overall. Drew Gooden ended with 13 points for Cleveland, which has won six straight against Milwaukee.

The Cavaliers, who have won three in a row at Quicken Loans Arena, are 23-8 at home this season. They will host Mike Bibby and the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday.

The Pacers are the seventh seed in the East and own a slim one-game lead over The New York Knicks and Orlando Magic.

Indiana has lost a season-worst eight in a row, and plays the first of a two- game road trip this evening. On Saturday, Andre Iguodala poured in 25 points as the streaking Philadelphia 76ers held off the slumping Pacers, 100-96, at Conseco Fieldhouse.

Troy Murphy and Danny Granger both scored 18 points in the loss to the Sixers for Indiana, while Mike Dunleavy and Ike Diogu finished with 17 points apiece in defeat.

Indiana was without the services of All-star Forward Jermaine O’ Neal, who is out for at least a week with a sore left knee. O’Neal leads the Pacers in scoring (19.7 ppg) and rebounding (10.0 rpg) in 54 games this season.

The Pacers are just 11-19 on the road this season. They will visit Kevin Garnett and the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday at the Target Center.