Pacers, Clippers set for battle in LA

This is the second and final meeting of the campaign between the squads. On February 11th, Jermaine O’Neal scored a team-high 21 points and pulled down eight rebounds as the Pacers defeated the Clippers, 94-80, at Conseco Fieldhouse.

Indiana has won three of four and four of its last six at the Clippers. The Pacers have won three in a row in the series.

The Clippers play the first of a short two-game homestand. On Thursday, Rashard Lewis scored 31 points, including four in the final minute, as the Seattle SuperSonics edged the Clippers, 77-75, in the back end of a home-and- home set at KeyArena.

Elton Brand posted 22 points and eight rebounds in the loss for the Clippers, who had a three-game winning streak halted. Cuttino Mobley netted 18 points, while Corey Maggette scored 15 and Chris Kaman added 10 points and nine boards in defeat.

LA is a solid 20-10 as the host this season. The Clippers, who have won three in a row at home, are scheduled to host the San Antonio Spurs on Monday. They are also eighth overall in the Western Conference standings.

Indiana, meanwhile, has dropped four in a row and will continue a four-game road trip tonight at the Clippers. In Friday’s 115-90 loss to the Phoenix Suns at US Airways Arena, Danny Granger scored 20 points to lead the Pacers.

Marquis Daniels and Jermaine O’Neal added 16 points each in a losing cause. The Pacers, who are 11-16 on the road this season, are 7 1/2 games off the lead in the Central Division and sixth overall in the Eastern Conference.

Indiana will also visit Sacramento and Utah on the road trip.