The AP reports: Yao Ming, the Houston Rockets’ 7-foot-6 center, left Friday night’s game because of a sore right knee and did not play after halftime. The Pacers made 26 free throws in the second half of their 107-102 victory… Houston already was missing Tracy McGrady and Ron Artest because of injuries. Artest missed his 13th game of the season because a bone bruise in his right ankle. McGrady sat out his 16th game with a sore left knee. Luis Scola, who scored a career-high 25 points for the Rockets, said the injuries weren’t an excuse for failing to play better in the second half… Indiana led 50-40 at halftime before holding the Rockets at bay with the free throws. Danny Granger scored 12 of his 25 points from the line, and T.J. Ford scored 13 of his 21 points on free throws. Troy Murphy had 14 points and 16 rebounds for the Pacers, who snapped a two-game losing skid. Carl Landry and Rafer Alston each scored 17 points for the Rockets, who had won three straight.
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Duncan’s 27 powers Spurs past Pacers
The AP reports: Tim Duncan scored 27 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and Manu Ginobili scored 26 before San Antonio sat their stars early in a 99-81 over cold-shooting Indiana on Tuesday night… Danny Granger had 17 points for the Pacers, who shot 37 percent from the field and scored their second-fewest points in a game this season. Indiana entered ranked third in the league in scoring. Duncan had 10 rebounds to notch his 27th double-double and didn’t play in the fourth quarter. Neither did Tony Parker, who scored 13 points and had seven assists… Mike Dunleavy had 15 points for the Pacers and T.J. Ford added 10.
Hornets beat Pacers on Paul’s late 3
The AP reports: Chris Paul capped a 27-point performance with a fadeaway 3-pointer as time expired, lifting the hobbled New Orleans Hornets to a 103-100 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Monday… Peja Stojakovic hit five 3-pointers and finished with a season-high 26 points for New Orleans, which started the game without David West (back) and then lost center Tyson Chandler (left ankle) late in the second quarter. Danny Granger scored 30 points in his homecoming to his native New Orleans. His game-tying 3 went down with 2.5 seconds left, setting off a brief celebration by the Pacers. Moments later, Granger was slumped over, hands on his knees, head hanging, as the Hornets mobbed Paul and the crowd erupted following the winning shot.
Dunleavy and Pacers sink Raptors, 111-104
The AP reports: Mike Dunleavy’s legs may not be completely healthy. Fortunately for Indiana, his wit is all there. The poised veteran goaded Toronto’s Chris Bosh into fouling him on a 3-pointer with less than a minute to go Friday night, then made all three free throws to help the Pacers avoid another monumental late-game collapse with a 111-104 victory… Dunleavy, who has missed all but six of the Pacers’ 40 games, made only his second start of the season Friday. Not surprisingly, the Pacers have pulled out wins in both games, and he matched his season-high with 22 points against Toronto. Only Granger scored more points. He led the Pacers with 23 and had five rebounds, four assists and two steals despite spending the equivalent of a full quarter on the bench because of foul trouble and making only one of eight shots in the final 12 minutes. Chris Bosh’s big night was tainted by that ill-advised foul. The two-time All-Star had 25 points and 16 rebounds, and Andrea Bargnani added 20 points for Toronto, which has lost four straight.
Granger leads Pacers past Pistons
The AP reports: For once, overtime was a good time for the Indiana Pacers. Danny Granger scored 24 points and made the tying shot late in regulation in the Indiana Pacers’ 110-106 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night. It was Indiana’s first overtime win in five tries this season… T.J. Ford scored 23 points, and Troy Murphy added 18 points and 13 rebounds to help the Pacers snap a three-game losing streak. Rodney Stuckey led Detroit with 30 points, Allen Iverson had 23 points, and Rasheed Wallace added 17 points and 15 rebounds. The Pistons have lost three in a row, including a two-point loss at home against Charlotte on Tuesday night.
Okur scores career-high 43 in Jazz win over Pacers
The AP reports: Mehmet Okur scored a career-high 43 points for Utah as the Jazz beat Indiana 120-113 Monday night, holding off a late push by the Pacers after they rallied from a 20-point deficit. Okur made 13 of 19 shots, going 3-for-4 on 3-pointers, and was 14-for-15 from the foul line while leading Utah to its fourth straight win… Andrei Kirilenko added a season-high 23 points and pulled down 12 rebounds and Deron Williams also had a double-double with 23 points and 11 assists… Indiana’s Danny Granger had 30 points and seven assists, one night after tying his career high with 42 points in a loss at Golden State. Mike Dunleavy scored 20 points and Troy Murphy added 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Pacers, who lost their third straight as they closed out a five-game road trip.
Crawford 32 in wild 120-117 Warriors win over Pacers
The AP reports: Jamal Crawford scored 32 points and hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 11.3 seconds left in a pell-mell fourth quarter, and Golden State snapped its five-game losing streak with a 120-117 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Sunday night. The final minutes were a sublime exchange between Danny Granger and Crawford, who hit four 3-pointers and didn’t miss any of his eight free throws. Granger, who scored 15 of his career high-tying 42 points for Indiana in the fourth quarter, went 14-for-14 from the free throw line and added seven rebounds… Kelenna Azubuike added 21 points and eight rebounds for the Warriors, hitting a free throw with 5.6 seconds left as road-weary Golden State opened a seven-game homestand with its first victory since Dec. 29… Marco Belinelli scored 17 points for Golden State before spraining his right ankle with 6:45 to play.
Stephen Jackson didn’t play.
Bryant’s late surge gives Lakers win over Pacers
The AP reports: With the game tied and the clock ticking down, Bryant ran off 23 seconds, then, with defenders lunging at him, coolly hit a turnaround, fadeaway jumper with 3 seconds remaining Friday night to give the Los Angeles Lakers a 121-119 victory over the stubborn Indiana Pacers. Bryant’s 36 points included the Lakers’ final 11 of the game, and he also finished with 13 assists and seven rebounds… “We couldn’t stop Kobe,” said the Pacers’ Danny Granger, who had 28 points when he fouled out with 47 seconds remaining… Troy Murphy had 24 points for Indiana and Dunleavy finished with 22. Pau Gasol had 21 points and 11 rebounds for the Lakers, and Andrew Bynum had 20 points.
Granger’s 3 at buzzer gives Pacers 113-110 win over Suns
The AP reports: The Indiana Pacers are making a habit of beating the NBA’s elite teams, and Danny Granger is making a habit of scoring big. Granger hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer and matched his career high with 37 points in Indiana’s 113-110 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night… Mike Dunleavy scored 14 points for the Pacers in his first game this season. Stephen Graham had 13, Troy Murphy 12, Jarret Jack 11 and Rasho Nesterovic 10. Amare Stoudemire led Phoenix with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Grant Hill and Barbosa had 18 apiece, Steve Nash and Jason Richardson added 16 each, and Louis Amundson had a career-high 14 rebounds and nine points. Nash also had 12 assists.
Nuggets beat Pacers 135-115 but Melo breaks hand
The AP reports: Carmelo Anthony scored 21 points and set a season-high with nine assists despite injuring his hand in the third quarter of the Denver Nuggets’ 135-115 win over the Indiana Pacers on Monday night… Kenyon Martin finished with 25 points, the fourth time this season he’s led the team in scoring. Danny Granger had 36 points, the most scored against the Nuggets this season. He’s now scored 30 or more points 10 times this season… Troy Murphy added 15 points and 12 rebounds, while Jarrett Jack contributed 17.