tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-244116352011-04-21T14:48:39.644-07:00basketball basketball news basketball playoffs basketball standings basketball scoresindianahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244344266331853712noreply@blogger.comBlogger11100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24411635.post-1142876961810112392006-03-20T09:42:00.000-08:002006-03-20T09:49:21.830-08:00Remember, these are the<a href="http://www.wagerweb.com"> Indiana Pacers</a>, the same team that continues to baffle observers by losing to teams that are already thinking about this year's draft lottery.<br />The Pacers dropped yet another game Sunday to a team that has a losing record, falling to the <a href="http://nbabostonceltics.blogsbyindia.com">Boston Celtics</a> 103-88 at Conseco Fieldhouse.<br />"For whatever reason we play well against teams with the better records and don't play well against the lottery teams," Pacers point guard Anthony Johnson said as the majority of his teammates dressed quickly and left the building. "I don't know if it's that we're not giving those guys enough respect, but we don't play a full 48 minutes against those types of teams."<br />The Celtics (28-39) have joined Atlanta and Toronto as teams with losing records who have humbled the Pacers this season. The three teams are a combined 8-0 against the Pacers. The Pacers, who also lost by 32 points to the <a href="http://www.BobCat.Blogia.com">Charlotte Bobcats</a>, are 13-17 against teams with losing records. Six of the Pacers' past seven losses have come against teams with losing records.<br />"We've been together for awhile and we have a lot of veteran guys, so for whatever reason we should be beyond that," Johnson said. "I think our maturity level should have kicked in by now. For whatever reason, it's not in yet. We all have to look in the mirror."<br />The Pacers (33-31) have only 18 games left in the regular season and they're in a tight playoff race in the Eastern Conference. The Pacers fell back to the sixth seed and have only a three-game lead on eighth-seeded Philadelphia.<br />"We're in a precarious position here," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. "We're in the playoff race. We have a playoff spot right now, but nothing is a lock. For us to be able to make the playoffs, we're going to have to play with more urgency on the court on a consistent basis.<br />"It's going to be up to these guys to decide how important winning is.<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/24411635-114287696181011239?l=indiana-indiana.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>indianahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244344266331853712noreply@blogger.com0