Clippers vs. Pacers Preview
INDIANAPOLIS, IN – While the Indiana Pacers have struggled at home this season, the Los Angeles Clippers can’t seem to win no matter where they play.
The Pacers look to avoid a third straight home defeat while trying to extend the banged-up Clippers’ losing streak to eight games Thursday night.
Indiana (4-5) went 23-18 at Conseco Fieldhouse in 2009-10, but has dropped three of its first five there this season. With the expect ion of a 144-113 rout of Denver on Nov. 9, the Pacers have failed to score 100 points in their other four home contests.
Oddsmakers from online sports book Sportsbook.com have made the Pacers -8.5 point spread favorites for Thursday’s game against the Clippers. Current NBA Public Betting Information shows that 58% of more than 309 bets for this game have been placed on the Pacers -8.5.
A 16-point third quarter doomed Indiana in a 102-92 home loss to Atlanta on Tuesday. Danny Granger scored 22 points and Roy Hibbert added 18 with a career-high 15 rebounds, but the Pacers went 4 of 18 from 3-points range.
“We just have to take this and go on,” guard Mike Dunleavy told the Pacers’ official website.
A visit from the Clippers (1-11) could help the Pacers turn things around.
Though Los Angeles won the teams’ last meeting, 88-72 at home Dec. 5, and taken two of three in Indiana, the Clippers have the NBA’s worst record and allowed 109.1 points per contest during a seven-game skid that followed a 107-92 win over Oklahoma City on Nov. 3.
“The guys are battling, fighting,” coach first-year Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro said.
Still without injured veterans Chris Kaman (sprained left ankle), Baron Davis (knee) and Randy Foye (strained hamstring), the Clippers were competitive during a 113-111 loss at Minnesota on Wednesday.
Eric Gordon scored 30 points and rookie Blake Griffin had 26 and 17 rebounds, but neither could prevent Michael Beasley from hitting the winning jumper with 2.3 seconds to play.
“We’re right there,” Gordon said. “We’ve been in this situation seven, eight times and we just let them off the hook.”
The Clippers have dropped 10 consecutive road games and 34 of 38 away from home.
“There’s nothing you can do but keep grinding it out, get ready for (Thursday),” Del Negro said. “We definitely need to get a win here, but if we keep battling and sharpen some things up we’ll have some opportunities.”
The Clippers shot 48.3 percent against the Timberwolves, but committed 17 turnovers that led to 26 Minnesota points. Los Angeles’ 205 turnovers rank among the highest in the NBA.
“If you look at it statistically we’re doing some good things, but the turnovers really hurt us,” Del Negro said.
Gordon has been one of the few Clippers to play consistently well, averaging 26.6 points and 5.9 assists in seven November games. However, the Indianapolis native who starred collegiately in his lone season at Indiana has totaled 21 points on 7-of-20 shooting and recorded two assists in two games against the Pacers in his hometown.
The Pacers hope to have starting guard Darren Collison and key reserve Tyler Hansbrough back after ankle injuries kept both out of Tuesday’s contest.
Collison is averaging 15.1 points and 4.1 assists.
Check out the latest odds for this game and all 2010 NBA Odds.