• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Clippers lose Thornton and game to Pacers

Dec 3, 2007 - 2:02 AM By John Reger PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - Another loss, another injured Los Angeles Clipper.

The Clippers dropped their fifth consecutive game on Sunday, losing 101-95 to the Indiana Pacers, while losing rookie forward Al Thornton in the process.

Indiana guard Jamaal Tinsley scored 10 points in the last three minutes, including two 3-pointers to break an 88-88 tie and led Indiana with 29 points. He was one of four Pacers to score in double figures.

"I just hit some shots, big shots," said Tinsley, who made all three 3-pointers he attempted. "They went in tonight. I'm always confident when the balls in my hands. I don't care if I miss eight or nine shots the next one is going to go in."

Jermaine O'Neal had 20 points and Mike Dunleavy, son of Clippers Coach Mike Dunleavy, added 17 for the Pacers.

The Clippers were led by center Chris Kaman, who scored 22 points and had 22 rebounds. He is the only player who has played in every game for the injury-riddled Clippers. Corey Maggette had 17 and Tim Thomas and Cuttino Mobley each had 13.

"Chris has been great, he's been our anchor," said Clipper Coach Mike Dunleavy about Kaman. "He is getting lots of balls, he's coming long distance to get rebounds and hustle down balls and get us extra possessions."

Indiana jumped out to an 11-0 run to start the game and got the lead as high as 18. The Clippers made just one of their first seven shots from the field and didn't get their first points until a Brevin Knight jumper at 9:37.

The Clippers whittled the lead to five midway through the second quarter. They could have gotten closer after a flagrant foul by Troy Murphy and a technical on Indiana Coach Jim O'Brien at 3:50 of the second, but couldn't convert on two of the three free throws.

"I can't pinpoint one thing," Kaman said. "We have to limit the turnovers and have to play better on defense, not let so many second chance points in. our offense has to execute better."

The Clippers took the lead 51-50 with 1.6 seconds left in the first half after a free throw by Kaman. Thornton scored all 10 of his points in the second quarter, but had to leave at 1:22 with a sprained right ankle, leaving coach Mike Dunleavy to deal with yet another injury.

Thornton also missed a game on November 17 with an injury to the same ankle.

"He's been playing really well for us in practice for us," coach Dunleavy said. "We are trying to get him consistent minutes because the growth potential is there. He gave us big energy when we needed us. He did everything we wanted him to do. He has to come out of the game because of his ankle. He tried to go second half and couldn't go."

Having already lost all-star forward Elton Brand to a torn left Achilles tendon and guard Shaun Livingston with a dislocated left knee, Sam Cassell sat out his second consecutive game with a strained left calf muscle.

Dunleavy did not know if Thornton will miss the next game, Tuesday against Milwaukee.

"We are still a little shorthanded with injuries and I think this is how it's going to be the rest of the season until we get Elton or Shaun back," Kaman said.