Pacers Look To Halt Skid, Visit Rockets

Paul George and the Pacers haven’t lost three in a row all season.

Looking to avoid a first three-game losing streak of the season, the Indiana Pacers travel to Texas Friday to face a Houston Rockets side that continues to impress.

Tip-off at the Toyota Center is scheduled for 9:30 p.m. ET.

Indiana (46-15, 17-11 road) has had a rough week of it, first losing to the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday and then suffering an embarrassing loss against the Charlotte Bobcats the following evening.

The loss to the Bobcats – a 109-87 defeat in Charlotte – was undeniably the low water mark of the season for Frank Vogel’s side. All-Star Paul George scored just two points while the Bobcats’ Al Jefferson tallied 34 points. The Pacers were limited to 41 percent shooting and forced into 18 turnovers as Charlotte led the game wire-to-wire.

Despite the defeat, other results in the Eastern Conference went Indiana’s way and the Pacers became the first team this season to qualify for the playoffs. But recent form suggests the team’s postseason run might not last as long as expected.

After beginning the year 33-7, the Pacers have more than doubled their loss tally in the last six weeks, posting a 13-8 record since January 22. The side is just 7-5 since February 9, a trend that had some questioning whether the Pacers have lost their edge?

Indianapolis Star columnist Bob Kravitz believes things could get worse before they get better – nine of Indiana’s next 13 are on the road – but he doesn’t believe the side is in any real trouble.

“It’s a long, long season,” he writes. “Guys lose their edge and their legs. It happens. In the end, they’ll still win 60-plus games; still have the first or second seed. No worries.”

But the difference between the No. 1 and No. 2 seed could be huge. The Pacers would much prefer to meet the Heat with home court advantage come the Eastern Conference finals.

So for Vogel and the Pacers, it’s time to find a track once more to winning ways, and that starts in Space City on Friday night.

Unlike the Pacers, Houston (42-19, 24-7 home) has found its form at the right time of year. The Rockets have won 13 of their last 15 contests and owns the best record in the league since January 1 (20-6).

This is a trend that has seen Kevin McHale’s side climb into third place in the Western Conference standings. The Rockets might be content with that finish come April, but with 21 games left on the docket, the side could push the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs for the No. 1 spot.

The Rockets came from behind to defeat the Orlando Magic in front of a hostile crowd on Wednesday, taking the game 101-89. The team will be happy to return to the friendly confines of the Toyota Center on Friday.

With a quarter of the season left, Houston owns the fifth best home record in the NBA, and has won six straight and nine of its last 10 at the Toyota Center. A seventh consecutive win will serve as a statement win for sure.

This will be the second time the Pacers and Rockets have met this season. Indiana comfortably defeated the Rockets in the first encounter, cruising to a 114-81 victory. Paul George had 24 points and nine rebounds in the game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, while Lance Stephenson added 16 points, six rebounds, and six assists.

Dwight Howard tallied 19 points, 12 rebounds, and five blocks, but the rest of the Rockets were cold, including James Harden, who shot 3-for-14 on the night. The Pacers held the Rockets to 38 percent shooting, and limited the ordinarily sharp-shooting Houston side to 4-for-22 from beyond the arc.

It was Indiana’s fourth straight win over Houston, and eighth in the last 10 meetings. Perhaps more importantly, it snapped the Pacers’ only other two-game losing streak this season.

Indiana Pacers vs. Houston Rockets odds for 03/07/2014

With home court advantage and a purple patch in the form book, Houston opened as the favorite when lines were released for this game.

Indiana will hope its recent form over the Rockets is enough to induce an upset.

The spread opened at 3.5 and has climbed to 4.5.

Both Indiana (32-27-1 ATS) and Houston (32-26-3 ATS) have fared well against the spread this season, but that’s not been the case more recently.

While Houston has posted a 10-5-0 ATS record over the last 15, Indiana hasn’t covered the spread in its last five and is just 2-10-1 ATS over the last 13. On current form you have to favor the Rockets.

However, Indiana has covered the spread in each of the last four meetings between the sides and eight of the last 10. The Pacers have also beaten the spread in three straight games at the Toyota Center as well as four of their last five trips to Houston.

The total opened at 202.

Both Indiana (27-32-2) and Houston (28-31-2) have favored the under this season. The under has also been prevalent in the head-to-head series.

16 of the last 23 matchups between the Pacers and Rockets have seen the total go under as have 13 of the last 18 contests the two sides have played in Houston. The under certainly looks like the smart bet in this one.

Dwight Howard and the Rockets will look for a 14th win in 16 games.

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