L.A. CLIPPERS 104, INDIANA 89
So much for the perfect record
By Conrad Brunner | Nov. 7, 2007
Two unbeaten teams with high-powered offenses clashed for the second time this week in Indianapolis but, this time, there was a little something missing.
Like, for example, one of the unbeaten teams.
Unable to knock down shots either in quality or quantity, the Pacers were overwhelmed by Sam Cassell and the Los Angeles Clippers 104-89 Wednesday night before 10,122 in Conseco Fieldhouse. The Pacers (3-1) last for the first time in four games while the Clippers (4-0) remained undefeated.
"The Clippers really played a great game of basketball with people banged-up," said Pacers Coach Jim O'Brien. "Sam Cassell was fantastic. He’s an awful tough guard. I’ve seen him put up big points over the years. He’s a load to handle when he’s on like he was tonight."
Indiana shot 38.6 percent overall but a woeful 27 percent in the second half. While the Pacers couldn't hit, Cassell couldn't miss. The 37-year-old point guard dominated his matchup with Jamaal Tinsley and nearly scored his age, racking up 35 points on 13-of-20 shooting while adding eight assists and two steals. Tinsley produced just three points, two assists and three turnovers.
Granger led the Pacers with 16 but shot 6-of-17 and committed five turnovers. Mike Dunleavy scored 15 with eight rebounds but fell to 5-11 in career matchups against teams coached by his father. Jermaine O'Neal, his playing time still restricted by the team's medical staff until he regains full conditioning, scored 13 with five rebounds and five assists.
"I thought we had a lot of great looks but we just missed shots," O'Brien said. " I don't think our shot selection was necessarily bad, we just couldn't knock them down and they beat us up on the boards."
The Pacers were outrebounded 53-40 by a Clippers team missing its premier big man, injured power forward Elton Brand. Center Chris Kaman filled the void nicely with 15 points and 22 rebounds, one short of his career high.
“We got good looks but we missed a lot of the shots that we normally make," said Granger. "You can’t win a game shooting that way and getting outrebounded. We couldn’t fast break because we couldn’t get stops. I think we had a lack of concentration and focus on the game plan and didn’t execute. They played well.”
The announced attendance was the smallest for the Pacers in Conseco Fieldhouse history. The previous low was 12,258 last Feb. 25 against Sacramento.
"People are not going to come back after three or four games," said Jeff Foster. "We have to prove ourselves on the court and off the court to get people back in here."
The Pacers led 58-55 at the break but the Clippers took control in the third period, outscoring the home team 32-14. Cassell scored seven in a 12-0 run that pushed the visitors' lead to 80-67 and the deficit remained in double digits the rest of the night.
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