They’re Keeping Pace in Indiana

Belying expectations, the Indiana Pacers have not dropped off the face of the earth. Their title aspirations have not gone up in smoke.

NBA suspensions resulting from a Nov. 19 brawl at Auburn Hills, Mich., cost them their top three scorers, but they’ll still bring the Eastern Conference’s best record into tonight’s game against the Clippers at Staples Center.

Though Coach Rick Carlisle has had as few as six players available and never more than nine, the Pacers are 3-2 since the fracas after opening a four-game trip Sunday night with a 103-95 loss to the Seattle SuperSonics.

Their season was supposed to be a shambles when the suspensions were handed down: All-Star forward Ron Artest, out for the season; guard Stephen Jackson, out for 30 games; All-Star forward Jermaine O’Neal, out for 25.

But they’ve carried on gamely if short-handedly, last week even laying a 106-102 Thanksgiving surprise on the Minnesota Timberwolves.

“What are we going to do, just roll up, shrivel up and die?” center Scot Pollard asked after they’d defeated the Timberwolves. “It’s what we get paid to do. The guys who don’t normally get in the game, people think they’re just roster fillers. But if you get on an NBA roster, you can play basketball. I’m just happy these guys are getting to show why they are on this team.”

Each of the Pacers’ top four post-suspension starters -- Fred Jones, James Jones, Jamaal Tinsley and Austin Croshere -- has averaged more than 39 minutes, led by Fred Jones, who has averaged more than 44.

Fred Jones, the 14th pick in the 2003 draft but a third-stringer at shooting guard behind Jackson and Reggie Miller when training camp opened, has made the most of his time, averaging 20.2 points over the last five games.

James Jones, averaging 15.8 points since the suspensions, played 43 minutes the night after the melee, 17 more than he had played as a rookie last season.

Tinsley, the only real starter left, has averaged 21.8 points over the last four games, Austin Croshere 17 points and 8.8 rebounds over the last five.

Meanwhile, Pacer players involved in the brawl at the end of a game against the Detroit Pistons will be charged in the case, Oakland County prosecutor David Gorcyca said Tuesday. He did not name specific players.

Lt. James Manning of the Auburn Hills police department said that Artest, O’Neal, Jackson and David Harrison could be charged with assault and battery for their parts in the brawl, which started when Artest was struck by a cup of liquid thrown by a fan.

The Pacers, through an attorney, would not allow investigators to interview their players, Auburn Hills police said in a statement Monday. Manning also said Monday that police had identified the fan who threw a chair during the fight but refused to name the suspect, saying only that he was a 35-year-old season-ticket holder.

The Detroit News on Tuesday reported that the fan’s attorney, Ken Karasick, identified his client as Bryant Jackson of Mundy Township, Mich., but said it was not clear to him that Jackson had thrown the chair.

Karasick did not respond to telephone calls by The Times.

Manning said that the case could be turned over to prosecutors early next week.

Artest, O’Neal and Jackson reportedly were expected to resume working out this week in Indianapolis.

They won’t play for some time, of course -- O’Neal is due back first, on Jan. 15 -- but reinforcements are on the way. Anthony Johnson, also part of the brawl, will serve the last game of his five-game suspension tonight. Miller will serve a one-game suspension when he is activated from the injured list, which could happen this week. And Jeff Foster is expected to come off the injured list next week.

“We’re not giving in to our circumstances,” Chief Executive Donnie Walsh told the Indianapolis Star. “I think that will continue even if we lose.

“Obviously, we’re not as strong. There’s not a lot of margin for error, but I’m really proud of the way they’re playing. It speaks well for the franchise and for them.”