Pacers at Rockets
THE STORY: The Indiana Pacers are battling for playoff seeding. The Houston Rockets are battling for any kind of playoff spot as the teams prepare to meet in Houston on Sunday night. The Pacers are fifth in the Eastern Conference, but are only a half-game ahead of sixth-place Atlanta and 1 1/2 games ahead of seventh-place Philadelphia. The Rockets are seventh in the Western Conference, but lead ninth-place Utah by just 1 1/2 games.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Indiana, Fox Sports Houston
ABOUT THE PACERS (30-21): A trip through Texas is never easy, but this one is coming at a bad time for Indiana. The Pacers couldn't recover from a 22-point deficit in a 112-103 loss to San Antonio on Saturday. Indiana was torched for a 39-point second quarter and lost despite shooting 53.2 percent. Indiana has dropped two of three since a convincing win over Miami and now faces a rested Houston team, which has played once in the last four days.
ABOUT THE ROCKETS (28-24): Houston's upcoming schedule adds more significance to the matchup with the Pacers. The Rockets will head out on an unusual four-game, eight-day road trip that begins Monday in Chicago. Houston then heads back west to play the Lakers, Sacramento and Portland. The Rockets don't play another home game until April 11 and likely need to go .500 on this trip to remain in postseason contention.
BUZZER BEATERS:
1. The Pacers begin a difficult stretch Sunday in which they play six games in nine days.
2. Marcus Camby, acquired by Houston at the trade deadline, had 16 rebounds and six blocked shots in Friday's 98-89 win over Memphis.
3. Sunday's game is the only meeting between the teams this season. Houston won both games last season.