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Clippers open tough stretch against Pacers

Mar 20, 2012 - 2:50 PM (Sports Network) - The Los Angeles Clippers are set to become a victim of the NBA's condensed schedule and will play three straight road games in as many nights, starting with Tuesday's matchup with the Indiana Pacers.

The Clippers will also visit the Thunder and Hornets on the back-to-back-to- back set and completed a six-game homestand with two straight victories over Houston and Detroit. Los Angeles went 3-3 on the residency and is coming off Sunday's 87-83 overtime win over the Pistons, as Nick Young made his debut by scoring nine points and recording two steals in 28:30.

Young came to the Clippers as part of a three-team deal with the Washington Wizards and Denver Nuggets before the trade deadline.

Chris Paul scored nine of his 19 points in overtime and handed out a season- high 15 assists, while Blake Griffin had a game-tying tip-in with 19.2 seconds left in regulation and finished with 17 points for the Clippers, who are 1 1/2 games behind the Lakers for the Pacific Division lead and seeded fourth in the Western Conference standings.

"They beat us on the boards, but we were able to control things when we needed to," said Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro after his team was outrebounded 47-40. "We were able to open up the floor for Chris [Paul]. We had guys stepping up today and found a way. A solid win for us."

The Clippers are 3-1 when Paul has at least 14 assists this season and 11-10 as the visitor.

Del Negro's club is up-and-coming much like the Pacers and will have its hands full this evening with a team that is fifth in the East standings.

Indiana has stumbled a bit since ripping off six straight wins and has dropped six of eight games, including Saturday's 102-88 loss to the New York Knicks in the back end of a home-and-home series.

Roy Hibbert had 24 points and 12 rebounds, while Paul George totaled 18 points for Indiana, which shot 40.5 percent and committed 15 turnovers for 20 New York points. The Pacers lost at New York the night before. Darren Collison and Danny Granger scored 15 and 11 points, respectively, in a losing cause.

"I thought our guys played with a lot more fight than they did last night," Pacers head coach Frank Vogel said. "We closed the gap, but couldn't get over the hump."

The Pacers are 13-6 at home and 9-3 against the Western Conference this season, and have won four straight against teams outside the East.

Indiana and the Clippers are meeting for the first time this season and have split a home-and-home series in each of the past five seasons. Los Angeles has lost 15 of 18 trips to the Hoosier State.