10 and counting for Pacers

Indiana currently has the worst losing streak in the NBA, having dropped 10 in a row and 13 of 16 to fall into a three-way tie with New York and New Jersey for the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference.

During the 10-game slide, the Pacers have dropped seven straight on the road and three in a row at Conseco Fieldhouse. They will host Washington and Atlanta with hopes of improving an 18-13 home record, but will most likely be without star forward/center Jermaine O’Neal, who has missed the last three games with a sprained left knee. He has been sidelined a total of nine games this season and Rick Carlisle’s squad is 2-7 without him.

His importance to the team is much like how the earth spins on its axis. O’Neal leads the team in scoring (19.7), rebounds (10.0) and blocks (2.9), and is expected to return to the hardwood next week. Point guard Jamaal Tinsley has been trying to pick up the slack and scored a career-high 37 points in Tuesday’s loss to Minnesota.

Forward Jeff Foster is also hurting and was forced to leave Tuesday’s loss with lower back spasms. Foster, who is averaging 4.3 points and 8.3 rebounds this season, has 22 rebounds in 50 minutes in his last two games. He is listed as questionable for Wednesday’s showdown with Washington.

Also, guard/forward Marquis Daniels has missed the last six games and 14 of 19 overall due to a knee injury. Daniels is averaging 7.1 points and 1.8 rebounds this season, while the Pacers are only 3-11 without him in the lineup.

Indiana will play 10 of its remaining 19 regular-season games at Conseco Fieldhouse, but the rest of month will be brutal. A few teams on the upcoming March schedule are the Wizards, Rockets, Spurs, Heat, Bulls, Cavaliers and Nets. The schedule is certainly not promising, but Carlisle and Co. have to play top-notch hoops to stay alive in the Eastern Conference playoff race.