Pacers rally from 24-point deficit to stun Suns

By John Oehser, for NBA.com
Posted Wednesday January 13, 2010 11:11PM

INDIANAPOLIS (NBA.com exclusive) -- Second-half dramatics are on the verge of becoming routine for the Indiana Pacers.

Maybe that means winning is, too.

With All-Star swingman Danny Granger healthy and playing one of his best games of the season, and with swingman Mike Dunleavy doing the same, the Pacers rallied from a 24-point second-quarter deficit for a second consecutive dramatic home victory on Wednesday night -- this one coming over the Phoenix Suns, 122-114.

"It feels good to know we're not out of a game," said Granger, who scored 20 of his game-high 33 points during the Pacers' second-half rally. "Now, we've got to start off in correct fashion. The second half, things turned around for us. We just didn't have it or didn't figure it out in the second half.

"We're still not out of the playoffs. There are a lot of games left."

The Pacers, who beat Toronto on Monday after trailing by 23 in the first half, have won four consecutive home games.

"After eight o'clock something turns on with our team," said Pacers guard Earl Watson, who had 14 points and nine assists. "We have to come out with more intensity."

The Pacers (13-25), after trailing by 16 points at halftime, tied the Suns (24-15) after three quarters as Dunleavy scored 18 of his 30 points in that period, then they pulled steadily away in the fourth quarter. Phoenix shot 36.4 percent in the second half, during which the Pacers outscored the Suns, 70-46.

"We've got to find some kind of resolve to come away with a win in these situations," Suns coach Alvin Gentry said ."It just really got away from us. We gave up 70 points in the second half and obviously you can't do that."

The Pacers, in addition to productive clutch performances from Granger and Dunleavy, used much the same formula as worked against Toronto: a small lineup and solid second-half defense.

The Pacers, who held Toronto to 20.6 percent shooting in the second half Monday, allowed the Suns to shoot 48.1 percent in the first half Wednesday. But in the second half, Phoenix managed just 36.4 percent shooting -- 16-for-44 -- and Indiana rapidly cut into the lead.

After starting the game with a slightly smaller lineup than normal -- forward/guard Troy Murphy at center and Granger and rookie Tyler Hansbrough at forward --Indiana continued to play relatively small throughout most of the game, Pacers coach Jim O'Brien said.

"That's the toughest lineup for teams to guard,' O'Brien said. "That's our best brand of basketball."

The Pacers, who trimmed a 56-32 second-quarter Phoenix lead to 68-52 at halftime, outscored the Suns 39-23 in the third quarter with Dunleavy scoring 18 of his points on 6-for-7 shooting. Dunleavy made 3 of 4 3-pointers in the period, after which the game was tied, 91-91.

"It was heaven-sent," Granger said of Dunleavy's third quarter. "He kept us going and then I got it going in the fourth."

Granger scored 11 fourth-quarter points, and was 4-for-5 from the floor, and center Roy Hibbert -- who did not start as the Pacers continued to trend toward a small lineup -- scored 10 fourth-quarter points on 2-for-5 shooting.

Indiana never trailed by more than one in the fourth quarter, with Granger's 3-pointer with 2:59 remaining pushing the lead to 115-111 and Dunleavy's 3-pointer on the ensuing possession making it 118-111. Phoenix, despite shooting 47.6 percent in the fourth quarter, never trimmed the lead below four again.

It was the first time this season the Pacers had two players with 30 or more points.

"One of these games, we're going to get a lead," O'Brien said. "That's another gutsy comeback for our basketball team. I definitely think things are turning. We've got to sustain it."

Steve Nash, who needed seven stitches on his upper lip following a second-quarter collision with Watson, finished with 20 points for Phoenix and Amar'e Stoudemire had 21 points. Grant Hill scored 14 points as the Suns had seven players in double figures.

"We did a decent job in the first half, but then we were like two different teams," Hill said. "In the first half, we were up-tempo and attacking. In the second half, we kind of walked it up and looked lethargic."

Said Stoudemire, "We have to do a better job of playing consistently the whole night. Tonight was a tough one. We have to figure out how to maintain our lead all the way through to the win."

• Suns: Griffin
• Pacers: Ford, Foster, McRoberts

• Suns: --
• Pacers: --

• Lead Changes: 9
• Times Tied: 6

• Arena: Conseco Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
• Officials: #50 Olandis Poole, #49 Tom Washington, #23 Jason Phillips
• Attendance: 10858
• Duration: 2:24