NBA: Streaking Pacers pound Clippers behind George’s 36

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Pacers strengthened their domination over Los Angeles, crushing the Clippers 106-92 behind Paul George’s game-high 36 points by way of a 12-of-17 shooting performance Saturday.

Lance Stephenson flirted with a triple double for the Pacers, who have now won three straight and five of the last seven games over the Clippers.

George went five-of-six from beyond the arc while Stephenson finished with 22 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists as Indiana won their fourth consecutive National Basketball Association game.

Danny Granger and C.J. Watson added 12 and 11 points respectively, while Roy Hibbert finished with 11 rebounds and five blocks for the Pacers in front of a crowd of 18,165 at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse arena.

Jamal Crawford came off the bench to score 22 points but Los Angeles dropped to .500 on the road this season.

Blake Griffin bagged 19 points and DeAndre Jordan had 12 points and 17 rebounds as the Clippers had their five-game win streak snapped.

Indians led 28-18 after the first quarter and were up 57-41 before losing star David West, who was thrown out of the game for hitting Griffin in the head.

Griffin actually gave Los Angeles an early lead in the first but it was shortlived as the Pacers went on a 15-0 surge to assume control.

The run began with a Stephenson jump shot at 6:09 of the first and George capped it with a short jumper four minutes later.

West was ejected just before the end of the first half after he delivered an arm to the head of Griffin, who was not seriously hurt.

West finished with four points and two rebounds.

Stephenson’s layup three minutes into the third stretched the Pacers’ lead to 20 points.

Crawford hit a jumper 1:30 minutes into the final quarter to cut the deficit to nine, but Stephenson answered by scoring the next four points to maintain the Pacers’ big lead. – Rappler.com