The NBA regular season is about to get real for the Indiana Pacers with their next three games on the road against quality opponents. The trip tips off on Monday night when the Pacers visit the undefeated San Antonio Spurs.

It was a late-season loss in San Antonio last season that actually spurred the Pacers on to a strong finish. The Spurs were extremely sharp that night and the Pacers rallied from an early deficit to make things interesting and more importantly, found themselves playing the second half at a higher level, one needed to compete against elite teams.

The Pacers went on to win 11 of their next 12 games to secure a third seed in the East and head into the playoffs on a roll. One can only hope the 2012-13 Pacers can tap into that higher level of play tonight in San Antonio because because they haven't come close to competing at that level after three games.

The Pacers will need to rise up on this long trip which has the Pacers going from San Antonio to Atlanta for a game against the Hawks on Wednesday and then up to Minnesota to play the Timberwolves on Friday.

Check out the links:

• Pacers Coach Talks 'Connection' With Fans - Newsroom - Inside INdiana Business with Gerry Dick
• Pacers' patience with Lance Stephenson paying off so far this season | Indianapolis Star | indystar.com
• Game Preview: Pacers at Spurs | THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE INDIANA PACERS
• Pacers forward David West talks about food on the road | Indy Sports Day | The Indianapolis Star | IndyStar.com
• Pacers Outlast Kings | Eight Points, Nine Seconds
• Spurs Nation " Trade for Leonard still paying dividends - San Antonio Express News
• Game Preview: San Antonio Spurs vs Indiana Pacers - Pounding The Rock
• Spurs Nation " Scouting the Pacers
• Game Preview: San Antonio Spurs vs Indiana Pacers - Pounding The Rock
• Hawks’ Jeff Teague throws down poster dunk on Thunder’s Kevin Durant | The Point Forward - SI.com
• Hurricane Sandy heroes honored in tweet from NBA player Jamaal Tinsley