At this time a year ago, the Indiana Pacers were 29-7 and well on their way to finishing with the Eastern Conferences best record.Suddenly, that seems like a long time ago.Fast forward to the present and the Pacers are merely fighting for a playoff spot. They head into Tuesday nights game against Minnesota at 15-24, a shining example of how fast things can change in the NBA.The biggest blow, of course, came when All-Star forward Paul George broke his right leg in a gruesome injury that occurred after running into a basketball stanchion during an intrasquad scrimmage for Team USA in Las Vegas on Aug. 1. The Pacers also lost Lance Stephenson in free agency to Charlotte and have endured one injury after another since the season began.The latest scare came in a spirted 117-102 loss at Golden State on Wednesday night, when centre Roy Hibbert landed awkwardly going for a rebound and sprained his left ankle. Hibbert, who missed four games earlier this season with an injury to the same ankle, has played through the injury since.Weve been dealing with it all year, Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. If a guy goes down, everybody else has to step up. Its nothing new to this season.Indeed.David West sat out the first 15 games with a sprained right ankle. George Hill (bruised left knee and sore left groin), Rodney Stuckey (sore right groin) and C.J. Watson (bruised right foot) also have missed time with various injuries.What has happened to the Pacers is one of the leagues most perplexing developments this season. It also has served as a lesson for some teams on top not to take the good times for granted.After all, a couple of bad breaks and they could be tumbling next.This game is so fragile, said Warriors coach Steve Kerr, whose team has gone from a perennial afterthought to the best record in the league in just a few years. Its such a delicate balance.Here are some things to watch in the NBA this week:KINGS RETURN: Cleveland is expected to get LeBron James back this week, and his return couldnt come any sooner. The Cavaliers are 1-7 since James has been out with knee and back injuries. They visit the Suns on Tuesday, Lakers on Thursday and Clippers on Friday.SOARING HAWKS: Atlanta has won eight straight and 22 of 24 games to rise to the top of the East. The Hawks hit the road for games at Philadelphia, Boston, Toronto and Chicago.BIGGEST LOSERS: About the only thing New York and Minnesota seem to be competing for is the top spot in the draft lottery. Each team has lost 15 games in a row. Its the longest single-season losing streak in Knicks history, and things are getting so bad in the Big Apple that fans are putting bags over their heads at Madison Square Garden. Minnesotas longest single-season skid is 16, which the Wolves last did during the 2009-10 season.STABALIZING PISTONS: Detroit is 8-1 since making the surprising decision to waive Josh Smith and absorb the rest of his contract. The Pistons play Toronto, New Orleans, Indiana and Philadelphia next.HOME-COURT ADVANTAGE: Oracle Arena has long been one of the NBAs loudest buildings, and the Warriors are taking advantage of it this season. They have won 14 straight and 16 of 17 at home, with the lone loss coming to the defending champion San Antonio Spurs on Nov. 11. Of course, theyre also 13-4 on the road. Golden State visits Utah, Oklahoma City and Houston this week. The Warriors also host Miami on Wednesday.___STAT LINE OF THE WEEKAndre Drummond grabbed 19 rebounds and Greg Monroe had 18 boards to help the Pistons beat Dallas 108-95 on Wednesday night. It was the first time Detroit had multiple players with at least 18 rebounds in the same game since Happy Hairston (31) and Walt Bellamy (20) did it against the San Diego Clippers on Feb. 8, 1969.___Antonio Gonzalez can be reached at: www.twitter.com/agonzalezAP Ray Allen Jersey . The Big Man finished 3-1 in Week 19, and sits at 53-24 on the season. Now Schultz is ready for more action. Nerlens Noel Jersey . Lack replaced an injured Roberto Luongo late in the first period then watched defenceman Chris Tanev score the winning goal midway through the third as the Vancouver Canucks defeated the Jets 2-1 in a tight NHL game. https://www.thunderrookiesshop.com/Danil...Edition-Jersey/. Azarenka needed exactly one hour in a 6-1, 6-0 rout of Austrian Yvonne Meusburger to start the night session at Laver Arena. Sharapova had a much easier time earlier in the day with cooler conditions and took full advantage in 6-1, 7-6 (8-6) win over Frenchwoman Alize Cornet, while Radwanska had to rally for a 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 victory over Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Kevin Durant Jersey . - The New England Patriots needed help on defence so they added three experienced players at midseason. Kevin Hervey Jersey .C. - Blair Jones scored the eventual winner in the third period as the Abbotsford Heat defeated the Oklahoma City Oil Barons 3-2 in American Hockey League action on Friday.BARCELONA, Spain - Barcelona says youth forward Munir El Haddadi has agreed to alter his contract to increase his buyout clause to €35 million ($43 million).The 19-year-old El Haddadi, a member of Barcelonas reserve squad, played well in several games too start the season for the first team.ddddddddddddHe debuted with the first team in the league opener, scoring a goal.That earned him a call-up for Spain. He made his senior international debut against Macedonia in a European qualifier. ' ' '