The Indiana Pacers did a good job at keeping the game close against the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday. But come the fourth quarter, things quickly went south for them, leading to a horrible defeat. After the game, Malcolm Brogdon and Caris LeVert criticized their own play against the elite squad.

According to LeVert, the Pacers should have put their best defensive stance very early on in the game. The aim of which is to set the tone early on and prevent the opposing squad from getting into a rhythm.

For his part, Brogdon gave the Clippers credit for doing what elite squads do: close the game out. The game entered the fourth quarter in favor of the Clippers, 100-97. The Pacers must've felt good about themselves for keeping the game close.

However, Paul George sparked an 8-0 run start off the fourth. From then on, the Pacers went on a downhill trend. Shots weren't falling. And the Tyron Lue-coached squad proved why they're considered a legitimate title contender. The Clippers eventually outscored them in the final quarter 26-18.

The loss snaps the Pacers' three-game winning streak. With less than 20 games remaining in the season, the Pacers need to squeeze out as many wins as possible. As of writing, they sport a 25-28 record for ninth in the East.

From the looks of it, the feasible goal is to just qualify for the play-in tournament at the end of the season. From there, they have to work their way to playoff seeding which is a tough assignment in itself.