Autumn Allison

autumn.allison@indystar.com

Pacers at Raptors%2C 7%3A30 p.m. Friday%2C FSI

Indiana Pacers guard C.J. Miles scored a season-high 30 points off the bench that helped the club nearly overcome two large deficits to the Los Angeles Clippers.

However, the Pacers were unable to close the deal as the Clippers' Jamal Crawford made it a two-possession game late with a 20-foot, off-balance jumper that gave Los Angeles the space it need to ran away with the game to a 103-96 finish. Indiana has now lost its last six games.

"Nobody likes it. I definitely don't like it," said Miles. "... I've been trying to get back into it to help this team. You get excited about that during the game because you get a chance to make some plays and hopefully you've got a chance to pull it out. But when the game is over it doesn't matter. You still have to put a number in that L column. The weird thing is if I've got to score three and we win then that's what's going to happen."

Loss or not, the impact of Miles' play was the main takeaway from the game.

"He was big time," said Pacers coach Frank Vogel. "Making every shot. Making defensive plays too. That's what I was happy with. He seemed to be continuing to grow in regard playing how Pacers play, you know with defensive rebounding first and high motor on the offensive end, and the shot making is coming."

Miles was also pleased with his defensive performance.

"That was one of the biggest things I felt like I needed to step up when I wasn't shooting the ball about one and two," he said. "I had to have a way to affect the game. I think being able to keep that while doing the offensive things will help a lot because I know I'm going to have to guard guys, especially if I get it going offensively and end up playing minutes like I did last night.

"(When) we're acting defensively and getting stops, it makes it even easier for me to use my athleticism and things like that."

Miles was signed to provide an offensive boost but entered the game shooting 29.0 percent from the field, 23.8 on 3-pointers, and averaging 7.9 points. He scored his 30 points on 11-of-22 shooting, 7-of-14 on 3-pointers.

While Miles' athleticism on both ends of the court made him the most productive Pacer on Wednesday, his performance was just a wider showing of a solid minutes from the bench that were arguably better than the starting five.

The bench combined for 66 of the team's 96 points with only Chris Copeland and Rodney Stuckey making a major offensive contribution for the starters.

Now 0-6 since Nov. 28 when the Pacers beat the Magic, a significant shake-up in the lineup would be in order, right? Maybe. Maybe not.

"I'm not set," said Vogel. "I haven't made any final decisions but I feel good that we have enough to get over this hump."

Oddly enough, the productiveness of the second tier is part of why Vogel is unsure.

"Part of it is if you change the starting line-up then you disrupt a group that's playing really, really well so that will factor into the decision," he said.

The selflessness and understanding of the team that in order to win something must change has Vogel sure that the players will be alright with lineup changes.

If there are any.

Follow Star reporter Autumn Allison on Twitter: @Aallison25.

PACERS AT RAPTORS

Tipoff: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Air Canada Centre, Toronto, Ontario.

TV: Fox Sports Indiana.

Radio: WFNI-FM-107.5, 1070-AM.

PACERS (7-15)

Projected starters

Pos. Player PPG Key stat PG Rodney Stuckey 12.7 2.8 rpg SG Solomon Hill 10.9 5.1 rpg SF Chris Copeland 11.0 3.5 rpg PF David West 11.6 5.9 rpg C Roy Hibbert 11.9 7.4 rpg 6th C.J. Miles 9.3 28.6 3FG%

RAPTORS (16-6)

Projected starters

Pos. Player PPG Key stat PG Kyle Lowery 20.1 7.5 apg SG Greivis Vasquez 9.2 3.2 apg SF Terrence Ross 11.9 3.0 rpg PF Amir Johnson 10.3 5.0 rpg C Jonas Valanciunas 12.1 8.6 rpg 6th Louis Williams 13.9 37.1 3FG%

STORYLINES

Returning soon(ish): Point guard George Hill, who has yet to play in a regular season, participated in a semi-contact shell defensive drill at the end of practice Thursday for the first time. While the return to part of practice shows he is mkaing progress, there is still no exact date for Hill's return, according to coach Frank Vogel. The timetable for Hill to rejoin the game was last reported at mid- to late-December.

Graceful losers: Despite losing six consecutive games, the Pacers we're remarkably cheery during Thursday's practice. Open practice showed a hustling squad working to improve and even some smiles. "I think our spirits good. I think we understand where we're at and still have a strong belief that we can have a really good season," said Vogel. "We've just got to keep teaching, keep grinding, keep working."

Prediction: Vogel knows something has to change with the Pacers. Toronto is a young team but loaded with weapons at every position, spearheaded by Lowry. Early holes have been the death of the Pacers in recent games (the team has trailed by 10 or more points in the first quarter of their last three) and Toronto has enough firepower to make that early jump. If Indiana's starting five doesn't make changes (lineup- or chemistry-wise) Toronto will trample the Pacers.The Raptors rank of second in the NBA in points per game (108.5) and fourth-fewest for least turnovers committed (11.5) leaves little opportunity for an underperforming Pacers squad. Toronto 113, Indiana 94.

— Autumn Allison