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LOS ANGELES -- After capping a six-game road trip on a high note, the Los Angeles Clippers begin a four-game homestand Sunday night against the Indiana Pacers at Staples Center.The Clippers (16-5) salvaged their recent journey with back-to-back victories over the New Orleans Pelicans and the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday and Friday. They started the run with a win over the Dallas Mavericks before suffering consecutive losses to the Detroit Pistons, Pacers and Brooklyn Nets before bouncing back in impressive fashion, particularly against the Cavaliers, who the Clippers hammered 113-94.One night later, Blake Griffins 27 points and 10 rebounds sparked Los Angeles to a 114-96 rout of the Pelicans to finish its stretch at 3-3. Although the players were pleased with how they finished on the road, Clippers coach Doc Rivers wasnt satisfied.I think were better than that, Rivers said, according to the Orange County Register. I dont think we should go .500 on a road trip. I think we should be better than that. Were asking a lot, but if you want to be special, youve got ask a lot.The Clippers have been solid for much of the season. Their defense has been a major reason. Although they slipped to sixth in the league for points allowed (98.6) -- Brooklyns 127-122 double-overtime decision hurt the Clippers cause -- they are second to the Golden State Warriors in points differential at 10.4 points per contest.Los Angeles, Indiana and the Atlanta Hawks are tied for second in steals at 9.2 per game.Point guard Chris Paul has been one of the teams catalyst on defense. Paul led the league in steals at 2.62 per game before Saturdays slate. Center DeAndre Jordan was third in rebounding at 12.8 boards.Griffin is the teams leading scorer, averaging 21 points per outing.Meanwhile, the Pacers (9-10) have struggled under first-year coach Nate McMillan. They were on the wrong end of a 131-109 shelling by the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday, which kicked off a five-game visit to the West Coast. The Trail Blazers scored 73 points in the first half.They came out and got whatever they wanted, said Pacers center Al Jefferson, according to IndyStar.com. Jefferson came off the bench to score 13 points against Portland.They ran their offense very well and they beat us in every way they could beat us. For whatever reason, we didnt have it. Im disappointed in the way we came out.However, the Pacers have been without All-Star Paul George, who has missed six of the last seven contests with an ankle injury. George leads the Pacers in scoring at 20.8 points and second in rebounds at 6.8.George, though, plans to play against the Clippers.I was good enough to play, but I wasnt a 100 percent, George said after the Portland loss, according to IndyStar.com. Being hurt and sitting out, little stuff like that nags on you. But thats the only thing Im hoping, that I can play without a tweak, where I have full strength where I can cut and be aggressive off the drive. Thats the only thing Im concerned about.A lack of defense has been a concern for the Pacers. Despite their status as one of the leagues leaders in thefts, the Pacers give up an average of 106.5 points, which ranked 22nd heading into Saturdays games. They were tied with the Utah Jazz at 21st in rebounding at 42.7 per game. Turnovers are another area the Pacers have had trouble limiting, committing 14.7 per game (tied for 21st).However, Indiana was fourth in limiting the oppositions 3-point shooting at 33 percent.The Clippers, though, will be shooting for revenge. Indiana pinned a 91-70 blowout on them on Nov. 27. Nike Shoes From China . The 31-year-old Spain midfielder hasnt played since Madrid lost in the Copa del Rey final to Atletico Madrid in May due to back and foot injuries. Cheap Nike Zoom From China . That left plenty of energy for pitching books and swatting away free agency questions. Anthony had 24 points and nine rebounds, and the Knicks avenged an embarrassing home loss with a rout of their own, beating the Boston Celtics 114-88 on Wednesday night for their third straight victory. http://www.cheapshoesnikechina.com/cheap-nike-basketball-shoes-from-china-147b.html . It was the kind of score that might make everyone else wonder which course he was playing. Except that Graeme McDowell saw the whole thing. Crouched behind the 10th green at Sheshan International, McDowell looked over at the powerful American and said, "Ive probably seen 18 of the best drives Ive seen all year in the last two days. Cheap Nike Running Shoes From China .25 million option on reliever Jose Veras. Cheap Air Jordan From China . Vettel was 0.168 seconds faster than Red Bull teammate Mark Webber around the Suzuka circuit. Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg was two tenths of a second off Vettel. "The car balance is decent, but I think we can still improve," Vettel said. MINNEAPOLIS -- A chronology of key events leading up to the threat by University of Minnesota football players to boycott the Dec. 27 Holiday Bowl over the suspension of several players:---SEPT. 2: The day after opening the season, several players engage in sex with a woman in the early morning hours at an apartment building near campus. That evening, the womans mother calls Minneapolis police to report that her daughter may have been sexually assaulted.SEPT. 3: The woman meets with police, describes the events of night before, including going out after drinking five to six shots of vodka. In a police report, she describes going to Carlton Djams apartment and having sex with him and roommate Tamarion Johnson. The woman describes several people watching, and her yelling to stop sending people into the room because she couldnt handle it.She says two more players, Ray Buford Jr. and Dior Johnson, entered the room and forced or tried to force her to engage in oral sex, and that Buford had intercourse with her. She told police she got dressed and eventually left.SEPT. 6: The woman meets with police, says sex with Djam may have been consensual but sexual contact with Buford, Tamarion Johnson and Dior Johnson was not. She names Kiante Hardin as someone who may or may not have been in the room and suggests police speak with Seth Green, a player in the room where she first met Djam who was not believed to have been in the apartment where the sexual contact happened.SEPT. 6: Djam shows investigators video from his cellphone taken during the sexual contact with him and others. Investigator Matthew Wente watches one eight-second clip and one 92-second clip and writes that the woman was conscious and aware of what was going on and not slurring her words. Her coordination appears to be normal, and the sexual contact appears eentirely consensual, he wrote.ddddddddddddSEPT. 7: Djam is interviewed, tells investigators the sex was consensual and identifies Hardin as also involved in the sexual activity.SEPT. 9: Investigators interview and collect DNA samples from Tamarion Johnson, Dior Johnson, Buford and Kiante Hardin. All four say the sexual activity was consensual.SEPT. 30: The case is sent to Hennepin County prosecutors for possible charges.OCT. 3: Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freemans office announces no charges will be filed, citing insufficient evidence to prove that either force was used or that the victim was physically helpless as defined by law in the sexual encounter.OCT. 4: Buford, Hardin, Dior Johnson and Tamarion Johnson, who had been suspended since the incident, are reinstated to the team.OCT. 19, 21, 22: A judge grants the womans request for restraining orders against six players asking they be required to stay away from TCF Bank Stadium.NOV. 2: A settlement is reached to drop the restraining order but require the players to stay 20 feet away from woman or have no contact.DEC. 13: Minnesota suspends Buford, Hardin, Djam, Dior Johnson, Tamarion Johnson, Antonio Shenault, Antoine Winfield Jr., Kobe McCrary, Seth Green and Mark Williams from team activities. The school gives no details, citing privacy restrictions. The university recommends expulsion for Buford, Hardin, both Johnsons and Djam, one-year suspensions for Winfield, McCrary, Green and Williams and probation for Shenault.DEC. 14: The school says 10 suspended players will not play in the Holiday Bowl.DEC. 15: The entire Minnesota football team says it will boycott all football activities until administrators explain the suspensions. ' ' '