The Los Angeles Clippers play host to the Indiana Pacers at Crypto.com Arena on Monday.

The Pacers (40-32) have been playing some stellar ball recently, entering this matchup winning five of their last eight games. That's a really good stretch considering Indiana is in the middle of a West Coast road trip, winning in Golden State just a few nights ago. What makes this team so interesting is that they play at the fastest pace in the NBA. That has them as one of the highest-scoring teams but it also makes them one of the worst defenses as well. It remains to be seen if that can be successful in the postseason, but many people forget that the Pacers made it all the way to the championship of the In-Season Tournament earlier in the year.

The Clippers (44-26) have been middling in the second half of the season, posting a 10-11 record across their last 21 games. They actually had the best record in the two months prior, so it's hard to understand why they've hit a bit of a wall. In any case, a .500 stretch over a 21-game span is nothing to be concerned with, especially since all of the superstars have stayed healthy. Kawhi Leonard, James Harden and Paul George look as good as ever, posting some monster lines over the last week. That's arguably the best trio in the NBA, and it makes LA one of the most dangerous clubs in the fast-approaching postseason.

These teams played on December 18, with Los Angeles winning, 151-127. That gives LA five wins in their last seven matchups with Indiana in total.