Indiana Pacers Blog – Page 56 – NBA Blog

Danny Granger scores 44 on Jazz

The AP reports:

With victory assured, Danny Granger’s next goal was to score 50 points.

The versatile forward didn’t quite get there, but he scored 18 of his career-high 44 points in the fourth quarter to help the Indiana Pacers beat the Utah Jazz 122-106 on Friday night.

“I was trying to get 50, but I just ran out of gas at the end,” he said, laughing. “I missed some free throws, too. Overall, I’m glad we won.”

It was the fourth straight game in which Granger has scored at least 30 points. He made 14 of 23 attempts from the floor, including 5 of 10 from 3-point range…

Troy Murphy added 17 points and nine rebounds for the Pacers, who set a franchise record with 17 3-pointers. Indiana overcame a 12-point deficit in the second half to win its fifth straight overall and seventh in a row at home…

Mehmet Okur had 27 points and 12 rebounds, Carlos Boozer had 22 points and 11 rebounds, and Deron Williams added 21 points and 12 assists for Utah, which allowed its highest point total of the season.

Danny Granger returns to form

Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star reports:

It took nearly the entire season, but Pacers forward Danny Granger is averaging 31 points and shooting 54 percent from the field in the past four games. He has had 13 games of at least 30 points, including three straight, this season.

Granger missed more than a month with a torn right plantar fascia and has had a difficult time adjusting to his new teammates.

“I think he’s found a comfort level,” O’Brien said. “He’s taking what’s there. He’s not forcing the issue, and his assist-to-turnover ratio is up. . . . This is the Danny Granger we became accustomed to seeing last year.”

Freak accident puts Pacer Mike Dunleavy on bench

Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star reports:

The Indiana Pacers found another way to have a player go down with an injury.

Swingman Mike Dunleavy was a last-minute scratch from the lineup against the Milwaukee Bucks after he suffered a right eye contusion when he was hit by a ball during pregame warm-ups Sunday.
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“I went in for a layup and somebody shot the ball and it came off the rim right into my eye,” said Dunleavy, who looked like he had been in a fight after the game.

The Pacers say they’re not sure of the severity of the injury.

“He saw (Milwaukee’s) ophthalmologist and we’re hoping it’s nothing serious,” Pacers coach Jim O’Brien said. “He was seeing a black spot out of his eye, so he was told he couldn’t play.”

Trail Blazers sign Travis Diener

The Portland Trail Blazers have signed free agent guard Travis Diener, it was announced today by General Manager Kevin Pritchard.

“We’re very happy to have Travis on our roster,” said Pritchard. “He is a veteran point guard who will be a good complement to our existing backcourt.”

Diener (6-1, 175) holds career averages of 4.9 points, 1.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 15.1 minutes in 174 games (21 starts) during his five NBA seasons with Orlando and Indiana.

The 28-year-old Diener played in four games for Indiana during the 2009-10 season, averaging 0.8 points, 0.5 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 6.3 minutes. He underwent surgery to repair an injury to his left big toe on Nov. 20.

After playing his first two NBA seasons in Orlando, Diener posted career highs of 6.9 points, 1.7 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 20.5 minutes in 2007-08, his first of three seasons with Indiana.

A three-time All-Conference USA selection at Marquette University, Diener was selected by the Orlando Magic with the 38th overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft.

Diener becomes the 15th player on Portland’s roster and will wear No. 27.

Report: Blazers to sign Travis Diener

On Monday, the Indiana Pacers waived guard Travis Diener, who has been unhealthy most of the season. He played just four games, registering statistics too small to be worth posting.

But despite his lack of productivity, according to a report from Yahoo, the Portland Trail Blazers will sign Diener when he clears waiver.

The 6-1, 175-pound Diener has an NBA career average of 4.9 points and 2.5 assists per game, playing for the Pacers and Orlando Magic.

Pacers waive Travis Diener

The Indiana Pacers announced Monday they have waived guard Travis Diener.

The 6-1 Diener had played in just four games this season, largely due to an injury to the big toe on his left foot that required surgery. In his previous two seasons with the Pacers, Diener played in 121 games and averaged 5.4 points and 3.0 assists. He was signed as a free agent in 2007 after playing two years in Orlando.

“We want to thank Travis for his time with us,” said Pacers President of Basketball Larry Bird. “Unfortunately, he struggled with injuries while with us and that held him back. He’s a tough player who I’m sure will contribute somewhere in the NBA. We wish him the best.”

Pacers almost traded TJ Ford, Brandon Rush to Bobcats

Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star reports:

T.J. Ford didn’t expect there was a possibility that he would be traded. Brandon Rush said he was “shocked” four times during a 40-second interview.

The two Indiana Pacers were caught off guard when they heard the team was working on a deal to send them to the Charlotte Bobcats for Gerald Henderson, Nazr Mohammed and D.J. Augustin on Thursday.
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The deal fell through when the Bobcats pulled out about 10 minutes before the trade deadline.

“I was definitely more shocked than anything,” Rush said. “I didn’t see it coming. Nobody told me anything about being on the trade block. It was more of a shock.”

Larry Bird wants Pacers fans to be patient

The AP reports:

Pacers president Larry Bird is urging fans to remain patient through the team’s struggles.

Indiana enters the All-Star break with an 18-34 record, well out of the playoff race after missing the postseason for the past three seasons. Last month, some players were openly wondering if their “weak-minded” defense could be righted and attendance woes have been a problem now for years, along with assorted off-the-court issues.

Yet Bird says the rebuilding phase that began when the Pacers traded Ron Artest in 2006 is on target, and will move into high gear after next season when the team gets salary cap space.

“We knew that we had to clean it out and rebuild it, and we knew we were going to go through some tough times,” Bird told The Associated Press this week. “Nobody likes to lose, and everybody wants to be a part of a winner. We think we’re on the right track to get there.”

Jeff Foster to have season-ending back surgery

The Indiana Pacers announced Monday that veteran forward/center Jeff Foster will undergo surgery after the All-Star break for continued lower back pain. He is expected to miss the remainder of the season, but is also expected to make a full recovery and be ready for training camp this fall.

The 6-11 Foster has played in 16 games this season, starting three, and averaged 5.1 rebounds and 3.1 points per game. The 10-year veteran is fourth in Pacers’ history in games-played for the franchise with 697.

T.J. Ford benched in Indiana

Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star reports:

T.J. Ford’s contributions now are limited to competing hard in practice and supporting teammates during the game because O’Brien has no intention of playing him anytime soon. Ford hasn’t played in the past three games, including the 43-point loss at New York on Sunday.

“I’ve come to grips with it,” Ford said. “Initially, first hearing the news on game day (Saturday) was definitely tough. It was shocking. It’s a business.

“I’ve been dealing with a lot of adversity throughout my professional career, so you just use this as an experience.”

O’Brien is starting veteran Earl Watson because he is “as strong of a leader” as the Pacers have. Rookie A.J. Price is the backup. Price is effective at running the pick-and-roll. The Pacers also want to determine whether he fits into their plans because Watson and Travis Diener are free agents at the end of the season.