Cavaliers-Pacers Preview

By MATT BEARDMORE
Posted Dec 29 2011 4:11PM

The Indiana Pacers are pleased they can count on a number of players to make baskets late in games.

That's a role the Cleveland Cavaliers may still be trying to fill 18 months after the franchise's superstar skipped town, but they've been getting nice production throughout the lineup so far this season.

The host Pacers look to open 3-0 for the first time in four seasons Friday night when they go for a sixth consecutive victory over the Cavaliers.

Indiana gained a wealth of confidence during last season's tightly contested first-round playoff loss to top-seeded Chicago, as four of the five games were decided by six points or fewer.

But the team also learned it needed more offensive options late in games. The Pacers were outscored by a combined 36 in the fourth quarters by the Bulls, with Danny Granger accounting for 32 of the team's 109 points.

Granger is still the Pacers' go-to scorer, and point guard Darren Collison was 18th in the NBA last season with 122 points in the final three minutes of the fourth quarter.

The addition of David West, however, has given Indiana a legitimate late threat in the post, while also handing coach Frank Vogel a solid three-man rotation at the power forward and center spots with Tyler Hansbrough and Roy Hibbert.

After Toronto rallied to within three points Wednesday, West's fadeaway 14-footer with 9 seconds remaining helped Indiana hold on for a 90-85 road win.

"We have so many weapons down the stretch," said Granger, who scored nine of his team-high 21 points in the final five minutes. "We have so many options. I think it's going to be the mark of us being a good team."

The Cavs likely have a ways to go before making much noise in the Eastern Conference, but shooting 48.4 percent and having six players average double-figure scoring during a 1-1 start has at least given them some optimism.

Rookie Kyrie Irving, the new face of the franchise after LeBron James left for Miami in 2010, has handed out seven assists in each contest. The No. 1 overall draft pick scored 14 points in Wednesday's 105-89 victory at Detroit after finishing with six on 2-of-12 shooting in his debut, a 104-96 loss to Toronto on Monday.

"In the last game, I wasn't enjoying the game," Irving said. "I think I wanted to be so serious. I wasn't joking around and there was no smile on my face. It's just about feeling comfortable out there."

Fellow first-round pick Tristan Thompson has enjoyed a quick start with 22 points and nine rebounds, while Ramon Sessions is averaging a team-high 17.0 points off the bench.

The Cavaliers' reserves have outscored the starters 107-94.

"It's only two games but (the bench players) definitely have cohesiveness about them right now and I think it starts with Ramon Sessions," coach Byron Scott said. "I think he's doing a terrific job of leading those guys. He's probably the guy with the most experience out there."

Sessions had 15.8 points and 5.3 assists per game as the Cavs lost all four meetings with Indiana in 2010-11. Granger averaged 27.8 points and hit 15 of 29 from 3-point range in those contests.

West scored 57 points and grabbed 18 boards in two games - both wins - against Cleveland last season while with New Orleans.

Granger leads Pacers in 98-91 OT win over Cavs

By CLIFF BRUNT
Posted Dec 30 2011 11:45PM

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Another ugly game, another win for the Indiana Pacers.

Danny Granger scored nine of his 22 points in overtime, after No. 1 pick Kyrie Irving missed a layup that would have won it at the end of regulation, and Indiana beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 98-91 on Friday night.

Indiana has shot below 40 percent from the field in each game this season, yet is off to a 3-0 start. Indy went 0-19 last season when shooting under 40 percent, but the Pacers have a new identity this season under coach Frank Vogel, a hard-nosed approach that emphasizes defense and rebounding.

Gone are the days when the Pacers flung 3-pointers at will - Indiana made just two against the Cavaliers. Indiana had three players with double-doubles for points and rebounds for the second time this season: Roy Hibbert had 17 points and 13 rebounds, David West had 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Tyler Hansbrough added 11 points and 12 boards.

It's what Vogel calls "smash mouth basketball." And the Pacers say they are only going to get better.

"When we start shooting over 40 percent, it's going to look a lot prettier out there, and we won't have to grind these wins out," Hibbert said. "Just to be able to do this now is great."

Part of the reason Indiana has been able to get away with shooting so poorly is the team's ability to make shots at key moments. Granger shot just 5 of 17 in regulation, but was 3 of 5 in the extra period. On Wednesday against Toronto, Granger made two big 3-pointers in the fourth quarter after struggling throughout the game.

"That's what Danny does," Hibbert said. "He makes big shots down the stretch and we follow his lead. David and I try to be defensive anchors, and everything else falls into place."

George Hill added 15 points for the Pacers.

Irving led Cleveland with 20 points in his best game so far, but missed a layup that would have won the game at the end of regulation. Irving got by his defender and drove the lane for an open shot, but the ball rimmed out, and the game went to overtime.

"I had a great look at it," the 19-year-old Irving said. "Wish it would have gone down for me and my teammates to get this win, but it didn't. We fought hard in overtime. We just didn't come out with the win."

The Pacers knew they got away with one.

"Irving is a heck of a player," Vogel said. "Not `going to be,' but right now. He got by our pick-and-roll defense and got penetration to the basket. Fortunately, he missed."

Irving said he'd learn from the experience.

"I left it all out there in the floor," he said. "All you can do is leave it out there, play hard, and go to sleep and get better the next day."

Anderson Varejao added 14 points and 13 rebounds, and Anthony Parker and Antawn Jamison each scored 12 points for the Cavaliers.

The score was tied late in regulation until West made a pair of free throws with 2:12 left to give the Pacers an 82-80 lead.

Irving made one of two free throws to cut it to 82-81 heading into the final minute.

Parker's 3-pointer as the shot clock expired gave Cleveland an 84-82 lead with 17.5 seconds left. Indiana, with no timeouts, immediately went into its offense. West nearly lost the ball, regained control, drove and dropped in a floater with 4.4 seconds left to tie the score.

Granger took over in the extra period. He hit a layup while closely defended by Alonzo Gee. Jamison's 3-pointer was blocked by West, then Granger hit a 3-pointer from the left corner to put the Pacers up 93-87, and Indiana maintained its lead from there.

The Pacers led 70-61 at the end of the third quarter. Cleveland made just 4 of 18 shots and committed seven turnovers in the period.

Hill carried the Pacers early in the fourth quarter. He hit a baseline jumper, then converted a three-point play to push Indiana's lead to 75-64. Cleveland rallied, and a reverse layup by Irving trimmed the Pacers' lead to 76-72 and forced Indiana to call timeout with 6:40 remaining. The game remained close the rest of the way.

"We took some bad shots, made some bad plays down the stretch, and we added fuel to the fire by giving up layups on the other end and giving Anthony Parker open threes," Granger said.

Cleveland coach Byron Scott said it was a positive step for his young team.

"We had an opportunity to win the game before the overtime period, but I just loved the way our guys competed, against a team we feel is one of the better teams in the East," he said. "Our effort was fantastic and something we should be proud of."

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Notes: Indiana F/C Jeff Foster sat out with a sore lower back. Vogel said he planned to use Foster sparingly early in the season anyway. ... Cleveland coach Scott played for the Pacers for two years. ... Indiana F Jeff Pendergraph missed the game with a sore right knee. ... The Pacers failed to make a 3-pointer in the first half and Cleveland made just one. .. Cleveland G Daniel Gibson left the game in the second quarter with a sprained right ring finger. He returned in the third quarter. ... Cleveland's Samardo Samuels fouled out with 9:25 remaining.

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Follow Cliff Brunt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/cliffbruntap

Notebook: Pacers 98, Cavaliers 91

By Conrad Brunner, for NBA.com
Posted Friday December 30, 2011 11:19PM

THE FACTS: Winning ugly has not been a trademark of the Indiana Pacers in recent years. In fact, entering 2010-11, they'd lost their last 31 games when they shot below 40 percent, including an 0-19 mark last season. But Friday's 98-91 overtime grinder over the visiting Cavaliers in Bankers Life Fieldhouse was Indiana's third win in a row despite sub-40 shooting. Danny Granger scored nine of his 22 in overtime, including a rare open 3-pointer that made it a six-point game with less than 90 seconds remaining. The Pacers improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2007. Cleveland (1-2) had a chance to win in regulation but rookie Kyrie Irving's layup spun out at the buzzer.

QUOTABLE: "We needed to make them uncomfortable on their offensive end. We weren't doing that the first half and that changed in the second half. They turned it up a notch with playoff type defense in the third quarter."
-- Indiana coach Frank Vogel

THE STAT: For the second time in three games, the Pacers had three frontcourt players with double-doubles. Center Roy Hibbert had 17 points, 13 rebounds and three blocked shots for his third in a row. Power forward David West had 14 points and 10 rebounds, and reserve Tyler Hansbrough had 11 points and 12 rebounds. Four Pacers players have combined to produce eight double-doubles in three games this season.

TURNING POINT: Indiana appeared in control after dominating the third quarter and took a 75-64 lead early in the fourth. But Irving brought the Cavs back with a 16-5 run that tied the game as the Pacers missed 16 of 18 shots over a 10-minute span. Anthony Parker hit a 3-pointer to put the Cavs up 84-82 but West answered with a floater with 4.4 seconds left. After Irving missed his potential game-winner, the Pacers took control behind Granger in overtime.

QUOTABLE II: "These are the types of games that we have to win. We probably would have lost this one last year. But I think the coaching staff and everybody is teaching us how to win and to win when we get into certain situations."
-- Indiana center Roy Hibbert

HOT: Hibbert had his third straight double-double and was dominant in the third quarter with seven points, five rebounds and three blocks in a 10-minute span. George Hill had his best game in an Indiana uniform with 15 points.

NOT: Both teams struggled from the perimeter, combining to go 7-for-35 (20 percent) from the 3-point line.)

FANTASY SPOTLIGHT: Through three games, Hibbert is averaging 15.0 points, 12.3 rebounds and 2.0 blocked shots while shooting 58 percent from the field, cementing his prominence at a thin position.

QUOTABLE III: "I love the fact he wants the ball and that's a great sign. I wanted him to have the ball in his hands so he could create for his teammates or have a shot for himself. He did the right thing. He got all the way to the basket."
-- Cleveland coach Byron Scott on Kyrie Irving.

ROOKIE WATCH: Irving showed electrifying quickness and produced 20 points, five rebounds and four assists but so far appears more comfortable creating his own shot than making plays for teammates.

NOTABLE: The Pacers are one of three undefeated teams an the East (along with Atlanta ant Miami). ... Indiana's 60 rebounds is an NBA season high. ... Hill had four steals. ... Including the Cavs' 18 tonight, the Pacers have forced the opposition into an average of 17.7 turnovers. ... Former Pacers center Rik Smits was in attendance. ... Pacers forward Jeff Pendergraph, who had been out with a sprained right knee, returned to practice Thursday. Though Pendergraph has much work to do in terms of rebuilding conditioning, he might be in uniform as soon as Monday's game in New Jersey. Veteran center Jeff Foster remains out with a sore lower back. ... The Cavs were without center Semih Erden (right thumb fracture).

UP NEXT: For the Pacers, Saturday @ Detroit, Monday @ New Jersey, Wednesday @ Miami. For the Cavaliers, Sunday vs. New Jersey, Wednesday vs. Charlotte, Thursday at Toronto.

• Cavaliers: Erden, Thompson
• Pacers: Foster, Pendergraph

• Cavaliers: Varejao
• Pacers: Vogel

• Lead Changes: 5
• Times Tied: 4

• Arena: Bankers Life Fieldhouse, Indianapolis, IN
• Officials: #22 Bill Spooner, #16 David Guthrie, #58 Josh Tiven
• Attendance: 13004
• Duration: 2:47