The AP reports: Michael Redd scored 27 points and Andrew Bogut had 20 points and 20 rebounds to lead Milwaukee. Charlie Villanueva added 26 points, 24 in the first half, to equal a season high and help the Bucks snap a three-game losing streak. Jefferson had 20 points, 10 in the fourth quarter. T.J. Ford had a season-high 27 points for Indiana… Rookie Brandon Rush, the 13th pick in the draft out of Kansas, had 16 off the bench for the Pacers. Danny Granger, coming off a career-high 42 points in a loss to the Detroit Pistons on Friday night, added 14.
Category: Indiana Pacers Blog
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Dec 12: Pistons 114, Pacers 110
The AP reports: The Detroit Pistons thought they were going to do it again. After leading the Indiana Pacers by 10 points late in the third quarter, the slumping Pistons found themselves down 103-101 in the final four minutes. But instead of losing after they led by double digits for the third time in four games and taking their fifth loss in six games overall, the Pistons rallied to beat Indiana 114-110. “It was like deja vu all over again,” said Allen Iverson, who finished with 17 points and 12 assists… The Pistons needed to overcome a career-high 42 points from Danny Granger, but gave the Pacers a fifth straight loss when Tayshaun Prince got a fingertip on T.J. Ford’s attempt at a game-tying jumper in the final seconds.
Dec 11: Raptors 101, Pacers 88
The AP reports: Raptors forward Jermaine O’Neal scooped up the game ball as the final buzzer sounded, not to remember a victory over Indiana, his former team, but to give new coach Jay Triano a memento from his first win. Jason Kapono scored a season-high 25 points, Chris Bosh added 21 points and 10 rebounds and the Raptors snapped a five-game losing streak with a 101-88 victory over the Pacers on Wednesday night… Jamario Moon also had a season high with 17 points for Toronto, including a putback dunk on O’Neal’s miss in the third quarter. Joey Graham had 12 points, and Jose Calderon added 11 points and 14 assists… Danny Granger led Indiana with 22 points, Murphy had 20 points and 20 rebounds, and Marquis Daniels finished with 21 points. The Pacers have lost four straight and nine of 11.
Dec 7: Celtics 122, Pacers 117 OT
The AP reports: Ray Allen scored a season-high 35 points, and the Boston Celtics defeated the Indiana Pacers 122-117 in overtime on Sunday to increase their winning streak to 12 games. Kevin Garnett had 17 points, 20 rebounds and five steals, Paul Pierce had 17 points and eight rebounds and Eddie House had 15 points for Boston (20-2). The Celtics are on their longest win streak since 1986, when they won 14 straight on their way to the NBA title. Marquis Daniels led Indiana with a season-high 26 points. Danny Granger scored 20 points, but shot just 7-of-22 from the field… Indiana G Mike Dunleavy remains out with a sore right knee. He has not played this season.
Dec 3: Celtics 114, Pacers 96
The AP reports: The way Rajon Rondo played, there was no way the Boston Celtics could lose to the Indiana Pacers again. Rondo notched his first career triple-double and Ray Allen scored 31 points, leading the Celtics over the Pacers, 114-96 on Wednesday night for their 10th straight victory… Rondo scored 16 points, grabbed 13 rebounds and handed out a career-high 17 assists. Garnett added 26 points and 14 rebounds for the Celtics, who matched their longest winning streak since their 2007-08 championship season, a 10-game run from Feb. 24-March 12… Danny Granger led the Pacers with 20 points, while Troy Murphy chipped in with 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Dec 2: Pacers 118, Lakers 117
The AP reports: Troy Murphy and Danny Granger spent most of Tuesday night working to keep the Pacers close to the Lakers. They spent those final few seconds like everyone else in Conseco Fieldhouse — watching, waiting and wondering if Murphy’s tantalizing tip would actually drop through the net. It did—just as the buzzer sounded. Murphy’s game-winner completed an improbable comeback and gave the Pacers a desperately needed 118-117 victory after replay reviews confirmed the basket was good… Granger, who scored 32 points, and Murphy, who had 16 points and 17 rebounds, methodically led their teammates back by making big baskets and getting the ball to open teammates. The Pacers (7-10) also allowed just 16 points over the final 12 minutes… Kobe Bryant finished with 28 points, becoming the second-fastest player in league history to reach 22,000 career points. Wilt Chamberlain was one day younger than Bryant when he reached that milestone.
Pacers need low post game
The Indiana Pacers are doing about as well as expected, with 6 wins and 10 losses. They’ve played without Mike Dunleavy, who is normally their second best player and would at worst be third best this season depending on how much you like point guard T.J. Ford. But they have one problem that has been the case for a while now. The Indianapolis Star (Mike Wells) reports:
The biggest issue I have with the Pacers offense is the same one I had during the summer – they don’t have anybody to score for them in the post. Starters Troy Murphy and Rasho Nesterovic are perimeter big men. The Pacers tend to settle for jump shots too often when the game gets tight. Roy Hibbert may be their best low-post scoring threat. That should tell you something because he’s raw offensively.
Marquis Daniels, playing only one minute less per game this season than Danny Granger, has stepped up, shooting 46.0% for 16.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game. Assuming Dunleavy’s knee eventually heals enough for him to play, Daniels will lose many of those minutes. But still, he should be proud of his performances so far this season.
Nov 29: Magic 110, Pacers 96
The AP reports: Dwight Howard had a season-high 32 points and 21 rebounds and added four blocks against the Pacers, who tried everything but shackles against the Magic center. It was his first 20-rebound performance this season and fourth time in his career that he had 30-plus points and 20-plus rebounds… Rashard Lewis finished 24 points, Turkoglu 22 and Johnson a season-high 16 for the Magic, who had a 14-point lead in the middle of the second quarter and were never seriously challenged in the second half… Danny Granger and Marquis Daniels tried to help the Pacers keep up with the Magic, but the Pacers could never get enough defensive stops to overcome the a 14-point second quarter and 22-point third quarter deficits. Granger finished with 27 points, Daniels had 21, Troy Murphy added 13 and Roy Hibbert had 10.
Nov 28: Bobcats 115, Pacers 108 OT
The AP reports: Raymond Felton made sure the Charlotte Bobcats earned their first road victory of the season. Felton tied a career high with 31 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter and overtime, and the Bobcats beat the Indiana Pacers 115-108 on Friday night… Felton, who finished 11-of-21 from the field and added seven assists, has seen the Bobcats improve every game under Brown… “Raymond won that game for us tonight,” said Charlotte guard Jason Richardson, who added 21 points in his first game back from knee surgery. “He got the game ball.” Augustin had 17 points, Gerald Wallace added 16 points and 11 rebounds, and Emeka Okafor finished with 14 points and 20 rebounds for the Bobcats, who won for just the second time in their past seven games… Danny Granger scored a season-high 35 points, and Marquis Daniels and Ford each had 20 for the Pacers (6-9), who lost their third home game by seven points or less.
Nov 25: Mavs 109, Pacers 106
The AP reports: The Dallas Mavericks were missing No. 2 scorer Josh Howard, and Dirk Nowitzki was getting extra attention from Indiana’s defense. So Jason Terry and Jason Kidd came to the rescue. Terry scored 16 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter and Kidd hit a pair of key 3-pointers to help the Mavericks rally from a 13-point second-half deficit for a 109-106 victory over the Pacers on Tuesday night… Nowitzki added 24 points and 12 rebounds and Antoine Wright scored a career-high 24 for the Mavericks, who played without Howard for a third straight game because of a left ankle injury… Kidd finished with 11 points and 13 assists as Dallas won its second consecutive home game after dropping the first four… Danny Granger’s 22 points and Troy Murphy’s 21 points and 14 rebounds led the Pacers. Brandon Rush added 18 points off the bench and ex-Maverick Marquis Daniels contributed 14 points and 11 rebounds for Indiana, which has lost three in a row and five of six.