Pacers wrap up road swing vs. Lakers

This is the first of two meetings between the clubs this season. The Pacers are scheduled to host the Lakers on February 1st at Conseco Fieldhouse.

Indiana is 2-1 on its road swing. On Sunday, Stephen Jackson had a game-high 31 points and Fred Jones added 18, as the Pacers crushed the Sacramento Kings, 108-83, at ARCO Arena.

Rookie Danny Granger scored 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds ,while Jermaine O’Neal contributed 12 points and eight boards for the Pacers, who have won two straight and three of their last four games overall.

On the injury front for Indiana, point guard Jamaal Tinsley (biceps) is expected to miss tonight’s contest. The 6-3 guard, who is averaging 11.5 points and 5.4 assists per game, has missed five straight games with the injury.

The Pacers are 8-9 as the visitor this season.

The Lakers have won two straight game. Kobe Bryant scored 50 points and hit the go-ahead bank shot in the lane with 11.4 seconds left, as the Lakers rallied from a 13-point deficit to beat the Clippers, 112-109, in another battle of Los Angeles at the Staples Center. Bryant also pulled down eight rebounds and dished out eight assists, and has poured in 98 points over his last two games since coming back from a two-game suspension.

Bryant shot 17-of-41 from the field, including 7-of-15 from three-point range. Bryant hit for 48 points and made all seven of his three-pointers in a 119-93 home win over Philadelphia Friday night. The seven-time All-Star has scored more than 30 points in five straight games and is averaging 42.2 points per contest in that span.

Brian Cook added 16 points and Chris Mihm totaled 14 points and 10 boards in the win over the Clippers for the Lakers, who have posted back-to-back wins after losing five in a row.

The Lakers are 7-8 as the host this season.

Indiana has won two of the last three meetings in this series. The Pacers have lost six straight and 12 of their last 13 at the Lakers.