Clippers vs. Pacers: Preview, Odds and Game Thread

The Pacers (18-33) return home to play the Clippers (26-26) for the first of three consecutive games at the Fieldhouse.

The Clippers continue hanging around in the seventh spot in the West with a .500 record despite playing without Kawhi Leonard and Paul George for an extended period of time. The Pacers learned first hand that the Clippers still have plenty of offensive options after the Clips’ 139-133 win two weeks ago in Los Angeles. Center Ivica Zubac is also a late scratch, which puts Serge Ibaka into the starting lineup.

The Clips put a 115-90 beating on the Hornets on Sunday night, so the Pacers will at least get LAC on a road back-to-back after having their own issues in the same situation on Saturday in Dallas. The Pacers are were maintaining a solid player availability list and then on Monday afternoon, Domas Sabonis is out after entering the health and safety protocol which alters things drastically. Goga Bitadze is still out and Oshae Brissett, the next ‘big’ in line is also questionable. Isaiah Jackson is on until the he fouls out or the final buzzer sounds, but Terry Taylor will play the Oshae Swiss army knife role when needed.

Malcolm Brogdon is on day 10 of his 10 days off to rest his Achilles plan, and played one-on-one with TJ Warren, but still has an undetermined return date...as does Warren. The late news has slightly altered the line for the game and still has the Pacers favored.

DraftKings Odds: Pacers -1.5, O/U 222 (latest DraftKings odds here)

When: 7:00 p.m. ET

When: American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX

TV: Bally Sports Indiana

Radio: 93.5 FM/107.5 FM

Projected Starting Lineups:

Pacers: Caris LeVert, Chris Duarte, Justin Holiday, Torrey Craig, Isaiah Jackson

Clippers: Reggie Jackson, Amir Coffey, Terrance Mann, Nicolas Batum, Serge Ibaka

Injury update:

IND: Oshae Brissett - questionable (sore right ankle), Goga Bitadze - out (sore right foot), Malcolm Brogdon - out (sore right Achilles), T.J. McConnell - out (right wrist ligament surgery), Myles Turner - out (left foot stress reaction), T.J. Warren – out (left navicular fracture)

LAC: Ivica Zubac - out (knee), Paul George - out (right elbow ulnar collateral ligament tear), Keon Johnson - out (G League assignment), Kawhi Leonard - out (right knee ACL injury recovery), Jason Preston - out (right foot injury recovery)

Please leave your thoughts and observations on the game in the comments.