Clippers-Pacers Game Preview: How to Watch

Sometimes, there's so much going on with the Clippers that it's easy to forget that at the heart of it all, there's a basketball team that has to play basketball games.

Tonight, the Clippers play the fourth game of their 5-in-7 road trip, taking on the Indiana pacers in Indiana, and in very un-Clips Nation-like fashion, we're going to go away from our normal in-depth preview, because, well, I've been pre-occupied with the only Clipper who won't be at the game tonight: Blake Griffin.  If you don't know already, well, click here and here and here.

The Clippers must move past this debacle to face a struggling Indiana team that's now down to 8th in the Eastern Conference at 23-21.  Indiana is a very good team, and Paul George is one of the best players in the NBA, but the Pacers are 1-5 in their last 6 games, with losses to Boston, Washington, Denver, Golden State, and Sacramento.  If some of those teams can beat the Pacers, why can't the Clippers without Blake Griffin?

Tonight's game will be at 7 P.M. EST (4:00 pacific time) on Prime Ticket.  The Clippers will start Chris Paul, J.J. Redick, Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, Paul Pierce, and DeAndre Jordan.  The Pacers will likely start George Hill, Monta Ellis, Paul George, Lavoy Allen, and Ian Mahimni.  Mahimni is listed as a game-time decision with a sprained ankle.  C.J. Miles is also a huge contributor for Indiana.

Also, don't forget that Lance Stephenson started his career and played 4 seasons with the Pacers, working from second-round reserve, to rotation player, to starter, to near-All-Star talent before leaving for Charlotte in free agency and becoming a league-wide laughingstock.  If Lance gets a chance tonight, he could play with something to prove to his former team.