Hornets-Pacers tonight at the Ford. Tip is at 7pm CT. Chris Paul, David West and Peja Stojakovic are still out, while Bobby Jackson will probably be allowed ten minutes of PT, max. Our Hornets are of course coming off their worst offensive showing of the season, have lost ten of their past twelve, and have yet to win a game on their current homestand.

So yeah, the Hornets suck. But how 'bout them Pacers?

• Indiana are currently 17-16 on the season, good enough for the seventh seed in the mighty Eastern Conference. They've lost their last two games, most recently Thursday at Dallas (excusable), and last Saturday at home to the 9-23 Bobcats (inexcusable).
• Jermaine O'Neal is still the alpha male up there, averaging about 20 and 10 on the season, and blocking three shots a night, too, just for the hell of it. He's been on a tear recently, averaging 24 points, 13.7 rebounds and 4.3 blocks in the Pacers' last three games. See his full game log here.
• Al Harrington (i.e. the guy Indy were able to sign thanks to the Peja trade with the Hornets) seems to be strugglingwith consistency, but he's scoring 16 and grabbing 6 a night, while knocking down 46% of his triples.
• The Pacers All-Star dance candidates ain't as hot as the Hornets All-Star dance candidates.
• The Hornets have played the Pacers once already this season, way back in early November when us fans were still full of ill-founded optimism and Linton Johnson actually got some PT. The Hornets won that game, 100-91. Refresh.
• Apparently the Pacers have been struggling in the fourth quarter lately, and they have yet to win more than two games in a row this season. They've also been dismal from three in their last four games, knocking down just 15-of-72.
• Just found what I think is the only Pacers fan blog on this internet thing, and thus learned that Jermaine O'Neal isn't a happy bunny.
• Gotta love this picture of Rick Carlisle. Maybe Byron could try praying during games, too.

Blah blah blah. I could go on, but I don't want to.

You know what's fun? Reading Bob Licht's view of the Hornets' current situation, then comparing that with John DeShazier's view in today's T-P. The truth lies somewhere in between.

• AP game preview
• Pacers.com game preview
• Pacers team stats
• Pacers Insider