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Friday, January 20, 2012

Indiana Pacers (9-3) at Sacramento Kings (4-10), 10 pm (ET) - MiamiHerald.com

The improved Pacers take their act out west for a three- game road trip starting with tonight's tip-off in Sacramento.

Indiana, which will play six of its next seven away from home, won its third straight game on Saturday when Danny Granger scored 21 points as the Pacers beat the Boston Celtics for the second time in nine days, 97-83.

Darren Collison and Paul George added 17 points apiece for the Pacers, who have won five of six overall to improve to 9-3 this season.

"Our defense is probably ahead of what I thought. Our rebounding is where I thought it would be and our offense is behind," coach Frank Vogel said after his latest win.

The Kings, meanwhile, are returning home for a short stop after a 1-4 road trip, culminating with Monday's 99-86 loss at Minnesota.

Five Kings players scored in double figures in that one, including 12 points apiece for Marcus Thornton, Jason Thompson and Francisco Garcia, but the team lost its third in a row and fell to 1-5 in the last six contests.

"I've got the simplest offense you can run," said Sacramento coach Keith Smart, who is 2-5 since taking over for the fired Paul Westphal. "You just move it to a spot and move it to the next spot. But for whatever reason we're trying to make the play ourselves with the defense set."

The biggest culprit in the Kings' stagnant offense has been former Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans, who has scored just 12 points in the team's previous two games.

After tonight's contest Sacramento will be right back on the road for three more games.

Indiana has won three of its past four visits to California's capital.

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