The AP reports: Danny Granger couldn’t quite keep up with Kevin Martin’s scoring pace, but unlike Martin, he made the most important shot of the game. Granger scored 13 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter, making all six of his free throws in the final 1:30, to help the Indiana Pacers beat the Sacramento Kings 122-117 on Saturday night. Martin led Sacramento with a season-high 45 points. He made 13 of 24 shots, 12 of 12 free throws and a career-high seven 3-pointers, but missed two critical 3-pointers in the final minute… T.J. Ford had 16 points and seven assists, and Troy Murphy had 12 points and 13 rebounds for Indiana. Bobby Jackson had 15 points and 10 rebounds, and Brad Miller had 13 points, nine rebounds and six assists for the Kings, who have lost eight of nine.
Category: Indiana Pacers Blog
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Joe Johnson leads streaking Hawks past Pacers
The AP reports: Joe Johnson’s stellar play is putting him in high company. The Atlanta guard scored 12 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter, including the final five of the game, and the streaking Hawks beat the Indiana Pacers 110-104 on Tuesday night… Josh Smith finished with 24 points, Mike Bibby scored 15 and Al Horford added 12 points and 14 rebounds for Atlanta. Danny Granger had 25 points, Jack 22 and Jeff Foster finished with 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Pacers, losers of four straight. Indiana has dropped eight home games this season by eight points or less.
Paul, West lead Hornets past Pacers 105-103
The AP reports: Chris Paul scored 11 points in the game’s final 3:36 and David West hit a 17-foot fadeaway jumper with 2.5 seconds remaining to help the Hornets rally for a 105-103 win over Indiana on Sunday night. Paul and James Posey scored 19 points each for the Hornets (18-9). West added 18 points, Rasual Butler scored 15 and Peja Stojakovic had 12… Danny Granger led Indiana (10-20) with 34 points. Roy Hibbert scored 19 before drawing his fifth foul with 6:46 to play in the third quarter. He did not return. Troy Murphy had 16 points and 16 rebounds for the Pacers, who led by as many as 12 points early in the third quarter. No other Pacer scored in double figures.
Dec 26: Grizzlies 108, Pacers 105
The AP reports: Trailing by 17 points early, the Memphis Grizzlies refused to fold. O.J. Mayo scored 18 points, including two key free throws with a second left, and Memphis rallied past the Indiana Pacers 108-105 on Friday night to snap a four-game slide… Hakim Warrick paced Memphis with 21 points off the bench, one of seven Grizzlies in double figures. Darko Milicic scored a season-high 14 before leaving with an injury early in the second half. Marc Gasol matched Milicic’s 14 points, Rudy Gay finished with 13 and Mike Conley had 12 to go with three steals. Mayo added eight rebounds and a career-high seven assists. Marquis Daniels led the Pacers with a season-high 28 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter as Indiana tried to stay close. Danny Granger scored 26 points before colliding with teammate Jarrett Jack with 10:08 to play. Granger went to the locker room with a concussion and did not return… Roy Hibbert had 15 points for Indiana, hitting all seven of his shots before getting into foul trouble.
Dec 23: Nets 108, Pacers 107
The AP reports: Devin Harris’ jumper from the top of the key as time expired gave the Nets a 108-107 victory over the Pacers on Tuesday night. The point guard finished with 29 points and 11 assists as New Jersey snapped a two-game losing streak… Danny Granger led the Pacers with 26 points in his first game back after missing two with a viral infection. Brandon Rush scored a career-high 22 points, and Jeff Foster added 12 points and 14 rebounds… The game was close throughout the second half before Jarvis Hayes hit a baseline jumper, Josh Boone made a putback and Harris connected on a pair of free throws to give the Nets a 96-88 lead, their largest advantage of the game.
Dec 19: Clippers 117, Pacers 109, 2OT
The AP reports: The Los Angeles Clippers felt it was a matter of time before their talent translated into wins. Zach Randolph had 34 points and 16 rebounds to help the Clippers beat the short-handed Indiana Pacers 117-109 in double overtime on Friday night… Al Thornton scored 25 points, Camby had 20 points and 10 rebounds and Davis had 18 points and 11 assists for the Clippers, who got off to a 4-17 start this season. Jarrett Jack scored a season-high 27 points, T.J. Ford scored 17 and Rasho Nesterovic and Roy Hibbert each scored 16 for the Pacers.
Dec 17: Pacers 127, Warriors 120
The AP reports: Danny Granger took a major step in his evolution into a team leader with his fourth-quarter effort against Golden State. The Indiana forward scored 41 points in the Pacers’ 127-120 victory Wednesday night. Most important, he scored 13 points in the final 6 1/2 minutes to carry his short-handed team… Jarrett Jack scored 24 points, Marquis Daniels added 23, and rookie Brandon Rush had 10 points and 11 rebounds in his second career start for Indiana. Jamal Crawford scored 29 points, Marco Belinelli had a career-high 21 points, and Andris Biedrins had 16 points and 10 rebounds for Golden State… Indiana played without starters T.J. Ford and Troy Murphy.
Mike Dunleavy happy to be gone from Warriors
The San Francisco Chronicle (Jon Shea) reports: Mike Dunleavy put up career numbers last season and said Wednesday it wouldn’t have happened if he still were a Warrior. “That wasn’t possible out there,” said Dunleavy, referring to Oakland. “It’s no coincidence so many guys who come from Golden State go elsewhere and succeed. The proof is in the pudding. I take responsibility for certain things. You look at guys who went elsewhere after leaving Golden State, they found a way. Whatever that means or says, you could read it through.” Dunleavy hasn’t played this season because of a sore right knee but said he still hopes to play a significant number of games “and pick up where I left off.”
No Mike Dunleavy yet
With 8 wins and 16 losses, the Indiana Pacers are struggling. A big reason for this is the continued absence of Mike Dunleavy, who has not played a single game yet this season due to a knee injury.
Danny Granger has been fantastic, TJ Ford and Troy Murphy have been very solid, and Marquis Daniels has stepped up and tried to make the most of extra minutes while he still has them. But the team needs help and won’t be getting it from Dunleavy just yet. The Indianapolis Star (Mike Wells) reports:
Pacers coach Jim O’Brien said on his weekly radio show Tuesday that the earliest guard Mike Dunleavy will return to the lineup is some time in January. Dunleavy, the Pacers’ second-leading scorer last season, has not played this season because of bone spurs in his right knee. He is doing limited court work as the Pacers’ medical staff determines if he can do more.
Indiana is actually a decent team. They’re only being outscored by an average of 2.5 points per game this season. But for now, they’ll likely continue to struggle.
Dec 15: Pacers 118, Wizards 98
The AP reports: A 15-point second-half lead had turned into a tie game before the end of the third quarter, and the six-game losing streak was starting to weigh on the mind of at least one Indiana Pacer. But forward Danny Granger put any doubt out of his mind after coach Jim O’Brien issued a simple directive, which led to the Pacers pulling away for a 118-98 win against the Washington Wizards on Monday night… Granger scored 27 points and added nine rebounds to pace Indiana as it snapped that six-game skid. Marquis Daniels had 20 points and point guards T.J. Ford and Jarrett Jack each scored 16 points for the Pacers (8-16), who had dropped eight of nine entering the game… Antawn Jamison had 26 points and a season-high 15 rebounds—his 14th double-double this season—and Caron Butler scored 26 for Washington. Andray Blatche, inserted into the starting lineup in place of rookie JaVale McGee, had 19 points.