Indiana Pacers Team Report - November 13

(Basketball News) - Indiana is reeling with consecutive losses and a laundry list of injured players. The Pacers suited up the league minimum of eight players in Friday night’s 106-104 overtime loss Philadelphia in the City of Brotherly Love.

Jermaine O’Neal poured in a career-high 39 points before fouling out early in the overtime for the Pacers, who have dropped back-to-back games after starting the season with four straight wins.

In his return, Ron Artest added 29 points, six rebounds and five helpers after missing Indiana’s previous two games for what head coach Rick Carlisle termed "compromising the integrity of the team."

The Pacers were without center Scot Pollard (sore back), forward Jonathan Bender (viral infection), guard Fred Jones (quad strain) and center John Edwards (personal reasons). Not to mention, Reggie Miller (hand), Anthony Johnson (hand) and Jeff Foster (hip) are also out.

Jones, Pollard and Bender could return in time for tonight’s game against New York at Conseco Fieldhouse, which is Indiana’s fourth in five days.

Indiana has split its first two home tilts, including Wednesday’s franchise- worst 102-68 defeat to the Los Angeles Clippers at Conseco.

The Pacers have won five of six and seven of the last nine meetings in this series. Nonetheless, the home team has taken 10 of the last 12 meetings overall. All-time, New York owns a 71-53 advantage in this series.