Clippers Are Left Wondering About Pacers That Got Away

INDIANAPOLIS —  Forward Loy Vaught lingered in the shower, letting the water wash away the pain.

Vaught, the Clippers’ most consistent player, missed a potential game-winning shot with 1.4 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter and the Clippers lost their third consecutive game, 103-96, in overtime to the Indiana Pacers on Sunday before 16,289 at Market Square Arena.

With the score tied at 91 after Antonio Davis made a follow shot with 7.6 seconds remaining in regulation, the Clippers used a timeout to set up a play.

The ball went inside to Vaught, who missed a wide open layup as the ball rolled around the rim. Vaught may have had to alter his shot after a weakside defender rushed at him.

“I just wish I could do it over again,” Vaught said. “That was a tough one to miss, but I’m not going to dwell on it though.”

Vaught, who missed six of his final nine shots after making all five shots he took in the first half, said he shouldn’t have missed the shot despite the late defender.

“They challenged me, but looking back, I should have made it,” Vaught said. “What’s done is done.”

The Clippers, who have lost the first three games of a seven-game trip, are eighth in the Western Conference, a game behind the Phoenix Suns and 2 1/2 games ahead of the Sacramento Kings.

“This is a crusher,” Clipper Coach Bill Fitch said with a sigh after his team squandered a 15-point first-half lead. “He had a layup. He missed a layup, but layups are sometimes harder to make than 20-foot jumpers.

“Everybody did what they had to do. The ball just didn’t do what it was supposed to do. There wasn’t anybody there but the guy he went around. It was clear for him.”

Fitch said the Clippers, contending for their first playoff spot in four seasons, can still qualify.

“We have to win six [of their final 11 games],” Fitch said. “We have to continue to grow. We have to take advantage of situations like this one.”

The Clippers couldn’t stop center Rik Smits, who made four of five shots and had eight points as the Pacers outscored the Clippers, 12-5, in overtime.

“We don’t have anybody who can stand up and look Smits in the eye,” Fitch said. “We knew it was going to be tough [to check Smits]. Loy and Lorenzen [Wright] did the best they could and that’s all you can ask for.”

Smits, who scored 11 of the Pacers’ last 15 points, made 17 of 28 shots and scored a season-high 40 points in 42 minutes. It was only four points shy of his personal best, set against the Clippers two seasons ago.

“You can’t stop a guy when you can’t see the top of his head,” Clipper swingman Bo Outlaw said of the 7-foot-4 Pacer center.

The Clippers shot 20% in overtime, missing eight of 10 shots.

“I didn’t shoot it well when we needed it,” said guard Malik Sealy, who had a team-high 24 points, but missed three of four shots in overtime. “That’s part of the game, but you can’t be afraid to shoot it. I had a good first half, but I had some easy shots in the second half and didn’t make them.”

“It’s disheartening,” guard Brent Barry said. “They came out and played harder in the third quarter and they got all the momentum. A play here and a play there and we win the game.”