The Indiana Pacers will meet the Houston Rockets tonight in an NBA game that will be live streaming online FREE from the Toyota Center in Houston at 9:30 PM ET

The Pacers became the first team in the NBA to clinch a playoff spot Wednesday night, but a two-game losing streak has their place atop the Eastern Conference in doubt.

With their fourth straight playoff appearance secured, the Pacers try to avoid their first three-game skid of the season Friday night in Houston against a Rockets team that has dominated the East.

The Pacers (46-15) have lost consecutive games for just the second time this season after trailing wire-to-wire in a 109-87 rout at Charlotte on Wednesday.

After a stretch of 13 wins in 15 games, Indiana is 13-8 since Jan. 22 and has allowed Miami into serious contention for the East's top spot.

The Pacers have allowed 97.9 points per game in the 21-game span after yielding 88.3 through a 33-7 start to the season. They've allowed their past two opponents to connect on 50.0 percent of their 3-point chances.

Indiana has lost three of its last five against the West while the Rockets (42-19) have beaten nine straight opponents from the East. They're 19-3 overall when crossing over and 13-0 at home in such contests, including a 106-103 victory over Miami on Tuesday.

They followed that up with a 101-89 victory in Orlando on Wednesday after falling behind by 14 in the second quarter. The Rockets are in the midst of their own 13-2 stretch as they try to track down Oklahoma City and San Antonio at the top of the West.

One of the Rockets' rare losses to the East came against the Pacers, a 114-81 defeat in Indiana on Dec. 20 for their fourth straight loss in the series.

Paul George had 24 points and nine rebounds as the Pacers shot 53.1 percent and held the Rockets to 38.1. Howard had 19 points and 12 rebounds, but Harden was held to 12 on 3 of 14 from the field.

The game will be streaming online free at www.espn.com/watchespn