Granger leads Pacers past frustrated Pistons

By Dana Gauruder, for NBA.com
Posted Saturday January 23, 2010 12:41AM

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (NBA.com exclusive) -- Quietly and methodically, the Indiana Pacers executed their game plan. They were so effective, they had the Detroit Pistons feuding as the score became lopsided.

The Pacers started strongly in both halves during a 105-93 road win that snapped a three-game losing streak. Led by Danny Granger's 25 points, the Pacers led by as much as 18 in the first half, then opened the third quarter with 11 unanswered points.

"A very consistent game for four quarters," head coach Jim O'Brien said. "We kept the tempo, got good shot selection and defended very well. We're 6-6 for 2010 and looking for some consistency."

That's a problem for both clubs, who are within a half game of each other at the bottom of the Central Division. Detroit upset Boston two nights earlier and couldn't fathom how it could play so poorly against a team that had won just four road games.

"It's very frustrating to see that type of performance from us,"

Pistons forward Charlie Villanueva said. "We're a better team than that."

That frustration bubbled over between normally mild-mannered Tayshaun Prince and Pistons coach John Kuester during a fourth quarter timeout.

They had a heated exchange as Kuester prepared to empty his bench and rest his regulars for their game against Portland tonight.

"Don't ask me that question because if I speak on it, you aint going to do nothing but change my words up," Prince said.

A clearly perturbed Kuester had little to say during his postgame press conference, other than blasting his team's effort.

"It shouldn't have happened," he said of the lackadaisical performance. "Guys understood that, they talked about it beforehand."

Villanueva tried to downplay the exchange between Prince and Kuester, and Prince said there were no lingering problems between him and his coach.

"The way we played, everybody's frustrated," Villanueva said. "Guys sometimes let their emotions get the best of them. It's nothing."

The Pistons got virtually nothing out of Villanueva and Rodney Stuckey, who scored a combined 46 points against the Celtics. They shot a combined 4-for-22 while scoring 13 points.

Stuckey's strength is getting to the basket and he had a size advantage against counterparts Earl Watson and AJ Prince. But he made just one layup as the Pacers sealed off the lane.

"We tried to stay square to him with our shoulders on all pick-and-rolls," O'Brien said. "Sometimes, there's a tendency on pick-and-rolls to angle Stuckey away from the pick. He's too good and strong to do that. We tried to run under all pick-and-rolls and tried to load up off of other people to make sure he didn't get the drives."

Prince, who had missed the last six games with a sore knee, scored seven points in 24 minutes. Richard Hamilton (27 points) was the only Piston who gouged Indiana's usually porous defense. Conversely, the Pacers had five players who scored 14 or more points.

Granger used fakes and aggressive moves to get fouled with frequency and he made all 14 of his free throws. Brandon Rush stretched Detroit's defense with five 3-pointers while scoring 19 points. Rush made a 3-pointer to stop a 13-0 Pistons run late in second quarter that pulled Detroit within four.

"He was terrific, " O'Brien said. "He is starting to become more aggressive and I'm very pleased with the way he's been playing. "

Granger gave the Pacers an eight-point halftime lead with a 3-pointer in the closing seconds, then scored five points during Indiana's 11-0 run to open the second half. The Pistons couldn't muster even a fainthearted comeback.

"Good starts are very important," Granger said. "We built the big lead early and then they cut it to eight at halftime and we came back out in the second half and built the lead right back up. Then I don't think it got below 10."

Roy Hibbert provided a solid interior presence with 14 points, seven rebounds and three blocks. Troy Murphy notched a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds and Mike Dunleavy added 14 points off the bench.

The Pacers shot 47.4 percent and made eight more 3-pointers than the Pistons, who rank second-to-last in the league in that category.

"It has been tough for us on the road. We now have a great opportunity as we go home and play Philadelphia and then go on the road to Philadelphia," Granger said. "The win could be a good building block for us as we move forward."

• Pacers: Diener, Foster, Hansbrough
• Pistons: Bynum, Gordon

• Pacers: Head
• Pistons: Hamilton

• Lead Changes: 1
• Times Tied: 1

• Arena: Palace of Auburn Hills, Detroit, MI
• Officials: #27 Dick Bavetta, #30 Tony Brown, #75 Eric Dalen
• Attendance: 15388
• Duration: 2:17