LOS ANGELES -- With Paul George performing at the top of his game again, the Indiana Pacers pulled away late and handled the short-handed Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night.

George scored 31 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and the Pacers won their sixth in a row, recording a 103-91 victory over the Clippers at Staples Center.

"This is definitely the best stretch I've had," said George, the NBA's fourth-leading scorer at 27.4 points per game. He hit nine of 23 shots from the floor and five of nine 3-pointers Wednesday. "I really put a lot of work in this summer, really just preparation to be ready night in and night out.

"I know there's going to be moments where the game is not going my way and I'm going to struggle. That's going to happen. But I put a lot of time in on my craft."

Reserve guard Rodney Stuckey added 18 points, center Ian Mahinmi chipped in 14 points and seven rebounds, and backup center Jordan Hill contributed 13 points and eight rebounds for the Pacers (12-5).

Indiana (12-5) has won 12 of 14 games after an 0-3 start.

"Really pleased (with the team's performance), especially how we started off, which we expected," said George, who scored 17 points in the first half. "We knew it was going to take a little more time than what it has for us to adjust and get used to one another. We did a great job of bonding and really just getting the chemistry."

Forward Blake Griffin and reserve guard Lance Stephenson, a former Pacer, scored 19 points apiece for the Clippers, who had a three-game winning streak snapped. Guard Jamal Crawford finished with 16 points.

"We had good looks, we just didn't make some of those looks," Stephenson said of the team's shooting. The Clippers hit just 38 percent of their shots compared to 42.1 percent for the Pacers. "I think we played good defense, but they played better offense."

The Clippers (10-9) played without point guard Chris Paul, who missed the contest because of inflamed rib cartilage and could be out for an extended time, coach Doc Rivers said before the game.

Seventeen seconds into the game, Los Angeles guard J.J. Redick came down on the foot of Pacers guard George Hill while taking a jumper and sustained a sprained ankle. Redick left the contest and did not return.

Back-to-back 3-pointers by George sparked a 14-1 spurt to open the fourth quarter and staked the Pacers to an 86-70 cushion with 8:28 left. Los Angeles rallied and sliced the margin to five on a Griffin layup with 2:59 remaining, but the Clippers got no closer.

"That was the difference in the game," Vogel said of the start of the fourth.

Los Angeles came back from an 11-point, first-quarter deficit to lead 50-47 at the break. The Los Angeles bench played a big factor, scoring 29 of the team's points. Stephenson was particularly effective, converting five of seven shots from the floor and two of three from behind the 3-point stripe for 12 first-half points.

In the third, the Pacers went on an 11-2 run after a bucket inside by Hill for a 68-59 advantage with 2:56 left. However, the Clippers rallied with a 9-1 surge to knot the score at 69 after two free throws by guard Pablo Prigioni with 22.8 seconds remaining in the quarter. Guard C.J. Miles' 3-pointer at the end of the quarter gave Indiana a three-point lead.

Indiana connected on 32 of 39 foul shots (82.1 percent) to 25 of 39 (64.1) percent for Los Angeles.

Griffin was only seven of 14 from the line and managed just 6-of-18 shooting from the field. He had only four rebounds, all in the fourth quarter.

"We have to be better in a lot of areas," said Griffin, who also had four miscues. "I have to be better. I think you can't really expect us to win a game when I play poorly, shoot badly and have that many turnovers."

NOTES: Indiana coach Frank Vogel praised Los Angeles F Lance Stephenson, who spent four campaigns with the Pacers before bolting to Charlotte last season. Stephenson faced his former mates for the first time since he joined the Clippers. "He's got a real chance to really help them," Vogel said. "I love the kid. He's got a great competitor spirit. His image is inaccurate of not being a good locker room guy and all of that stuff. Our guys really liked him, and our coaching staff really liked him." ... Clippers F Blake Griffin (six) and Pacers F Paul George (five) entered the day leading the league in technical fouls. ... The Pacers visit the Portland Trail Blazers on Thursday, while the Clippers host the Orlando Magic on Saturday.