Slumping Pacers frustrated

The Pacers have run into their first road block of the season. A 98-92 loss to Memphis gave them back-to-back losses for the first time and they've dropped three of their last four games overall.

"It's a little bit frustrating," guard Darren Collison said. "This is a game we knew we had to come out and play and we kind of let it slip from us."

The Pacers are in the middle of one of their toughest stretches of the season. They're in the midst of playing seven straight games against teams with a least a .500 record. Next they face a Denver team that has lost five straight games.

The Pacers not only have to beat the Nuggets to stop a possible downward spiral from starting, but also because the Miami Heat, who beat them by 35 points last month, are lingering around the corner as their next opponent.

"Every team goes through this, losing two in a row," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. "We have to respond -- it's that simple."

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