Indiana Pacers Blog – Page 65 – NBA Blog

Pacers notes

Positive-leaning Indiana Pacers team notes:

A leading candidate for the NBA’s Most Improved Player Award, Danny Granger is on course to become the first player in NBA history to improve his scoring average by at least five points a game in three consecutive seasons. Granger is fifth in the NBA this season with an average of 25.5 ppg, which is nearly six points per game more than his average (19.7) of a season ago.

Including 4-5 on his way to a team-high 18 points vs. Cleveland, Feb. 10, Troy Murphy has shot 24-45 (.533) from 3-pt range in his last nine games. Murphy has made a career-best 99 3-pt field goals this season.

With an average of 11.5 rpg, Murphy is fifth in the NBA, and he is the only player ranked in the top 20 in both rebounds and 3-pt field goal accuracy. Murphy’s 43.0 percent from long range is 13th best in the NBA.

With their win over Cleveland on Tuesday, Feb. 10, the Pacers became the first team in the NBA this season to post a win against each of the four teams (Boston, Cleveland, the Lakers and Orlando) with the best winning percentages in the NBA.

The only Indiana player with more steals than turnovers, Travis Diener has accumulated 14 steals and committed just 10 turnovers in his 33 appearances this season. Diener leads the team in assists-to-turnover ratio with 77 assists and 10 miscues (7.70:1).

This weekend Danny Granger will not only make his first appearance in the NBA All-Star game on Sunday, but he will also participate in the 2009 Foot Locker 3-pt Shootout during All-Star Saturday in Phoenix, Feb. 14. Granger joins the NBA’s all-time 3-pt field goals king, Reggie Miller, as the only Pacers’ players to participate in the 3-pt Shootout. Miller took part in the long distance shooting competition five times, finishing second in 1990 and 1995.

Players union files grievance regarding Tinsley

The Indianapolis Star (Mike Wells) reports: The NBA’s Players Association took the first step in trying to resolve point guard Jamaal Tinsley’s situation when it filed a grievance on his behalf Tuesday against the Indiana Pacers. Tinsley’s agent, Raymond Brothers, said last week they planned to file the grievance because he wants the Pacers to trade, release or buy out his client. Tinsley was barred from the team before training camp. He will make more than $14 million in the final two years of his contract, which expires in 2010-11. Pacers president Larry Bird said they have no intention of buying out Tinsley’s contract.

LeBron scores 47 but Pacers beat Cavs 96-95

The AP reports: LeBron James scored 47 points, had seven rebounds, four assists and had the Pacers crowd oohing and aahing all night. So, of course, he also made the decisive play — for the wrong team. James was called for a foul with 0.2 seconds left on Danny Granger, who hit a free throw to give Indiana a 96-95 victory over the Cavaliers. James started walking toward the locker room before the final buzzer sounded… Troy Murphy led the short-handed and nicked-up Pacers with 18 points. Granger, playing with a sore knee, finished with 16. Indiana also was without three key players—Jeff Foster, Mike Dunleavy and Marquis Daniels.

Jim O’Brien: LeBron better than Kobe

LeBron James enters tonight’s game averaging 28.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.1 assists, the third season he has topped 25-7-7. He had his 20th career triple-double taken away last week when he was incorrectly given a rebound in his 52-point, 11-assist, nine-rebound performance against the New York Knicks. “He’s the best player in the league,” Pacers head coach Jim O’Brien said. “I don’t even know if it’s close right now. Certainly, Kobe Bryant is a great player and there are other great players in the league. But he is so big, so strong, so quick, so good off the dribble and so powerful, when he’s hitting 3-point shots, he’s unguardable.”

Butler leads Washington to 119-117 win over Pacers

The AP reports: Caron Butler scored 15 straight points, including a game-winning 18-footer at the buzzer, as the Wizards edged the Indiana Pacers 119-117 on Sunday night… Danny Granger led Indiana with 29 points, while T.J. Ford added 23 and Troy Murphy had 18 and 10 rebounds… Through the first three quarters, Antawn Jamison kept Washington afloat with a season-high 34 points, but he missed both his shots in the fourth quarter. Fortunately for the Wizards, who recorded just their 11th win against 40 losses, Butler more than made up for him.

Dalembert rocks, Sixers beat Pacers 99-94

The AP reports: Samuel Dalembert had 18 points and 20 rebounds, and Miller and Iguodala also had double-doubles to lead the Philadelphia 76ers to a 99-94 win over the Indiana Pacers on Thursday night… “We have to rally around each other and go out there and pick up our play on both ends of the floor,” said guard Willie Green, who had 23 points… Miller had 13 points and 12 assists, while Iguodala had 20 points and 11 assists to help the Sixers snap a two-game losing streak… Dunleavy led the Pacers with 21 points, and Danny Granger and Jarret Jack each scored 18 as Indiana dropped its third straight. Murphy had 15 points and 14 assists.

Foye scores 19, Wolves beat Pacers 116-111

The AP reports: Randy Foye scored 19 points, Sebastian Telfair and Ryan Gomes each scored 16 points and Kevin Love had 15 points and 11 rebounds as Minnesota beat Indiana 116-111 on Tuesday night. Al Jefferson, who averages 23 points per game, had 12 points and 15 rebounds… Danny Granger scored 28 points, Mike Dunleavy scored 20 and Troy Murphy added 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Pacers, who have lost back-to-back home games.

Harrington’s 31 points leads Knicks past Pacers

The AP reports: Al Harrington felt right at home. The former Indiana Pacers forward put up 31 points and eight rebounds against his old team, helping the surging New York Knicks to a 122-113 victory over the Pacers on Saturday night… David Lee finished with 23 points and 17 rebounds, reserve Wilson Chandler had 16 points and eight rebounds, and Quentin Richardson scored 15 for the Knicks, who have won three straight and six of seven. New York (21-25) moved within two games of matching its win total from last season… T.J. Ford had a career-high 36 points, Danny Granger scored 19 and Mike Dunleavy and Stephen Graham each chipped in 14 for the Pacers. Indiana had its seven-game home winning streak snapped.

Dunleavy leads Pacers past Heat

The AP reports: Danny Granger’s partner is back. Mike Dunleavy scored a season-high 30 points, and the Indiana Pacers beat the Miami Heat 114-103 on Friday night. Dunleavy, a leading candidate for the league’s most improved player award last season, missed the first 34 games this season with a sore right knee. He had struggled with his shot since his return, but found his form against Miami. He was 10-for-18 from the floor, including 4-for-8 on 3-pointers… Dwyane Wade scored 24 points for the Heat, who had their three-game winning streak snapped. Mark Blount scored 17 points, and Michael Beasley had 11 points and 11 rebounds for Miami.

Ford drives Pacers past Bucks 107-99

The AP reports: T.J. Ford’s driving skills keep improving. Even when Danny Granger isn’t around to help co-pilot—and even though his ailing back still isn’t 100 percent. The veteran guard maneuvered around Milwaukee’s standstill defense Wednesday night, repeatedly exploiting the gaps to match a career high with 34 points and leading the Pacers past his former team 107-99… Ford wasn’t the only Indiana player who exploited the middle of Milwaukee’s defense. Jarrett Jack followed Ford into the lane, finishing with 14 points. Mike Dunleavy and Rasho Nesterovic also had 14 each… So Charlie Villanueva and Richard Jefferson produced the points. Villanueva finished with 28 points and eight rebounds before fouling out. Jefferson added 19 points and guard Ramon Sessions had 16 points.