Player of the Game
DANNY GRANGER
Returned after missing one game and scored a game-high 29 points on 11-of-16 shooting, hitting both of his 3-point attempts, adding six assists and three steals.
Plus-Minus
Name Game Season
Dunleavy -14 -83
Ford DNP -173
Foster DNP -9
Granger +11 -114
Hansbrough DNP -56
Head DNP +7
Hibbert +13 -25
D. Jones -7 -257
S. Jones DNP -142
McRoberts -12 -80
Murphy +14 -351
Price -8 +14
Rush +10 -234
Watson +13 -197
Noteworthy
  • Detroit welcomed back Rodney Stuckey, who missed the last six games after collapsing on the court March 5 against Cleveland, and Ben Wallace, out eight games with a sore tendon in his right knee.
  • The Pacers' win is their ninth (9-36) of the season in a game in which they allowed the opposition 100 points.
  • Having hit 36-67 FGS (.537), the Pacers shot 50+ percent from the floor for the seventh time and won their sixth of those seven games.
  • The Pacers were 12-22 from 3-pt range tonight (.545) and they have made 10+ 3-pt FGS 19 times (9-10) this season.
  • The Pacers' 32 total rebounds are their fewest since having a season-low 31 at Chicago, 12/29.
  • The first of Troy Murphy's four 3-pt FGS tonight was his 100th of the season and he is the third member of the Pacers (joining Danny Granger and Brandon Rush) with 100+ 3-pt FGS this season.
    • Hustle Board
    Points in the paint:
    Pacers 32, Pistons 26
    Second-chance points:
    Pistons 15, Pacers 7
    Fast-break points:
    Pistons 19, Pacers 17
    Points off turnovers:
    Pistons 22, Pacers 19
    Starters scoring:
    Pacers 87, Pistons 40
    Bench scoring:
    Pistons 62, Pacers 19
    Stat of the Night
    The Pacers have won five in a row from the Pistons, their longest such streak since 2001.
    Up Next
    The Pacers face Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder Sunday at Conseco Fieldhouse (2:30 p.m., 1070 The Fan). Please note the game will not be televised locally.
    Related links
  • Blog replay
  • Video
  • Box score
  • Recap
    • More Video: Hibbert goes to work inside
    END RESULT
    If there were any lingering concerns about Danny Granger's focus or vision after getting whacked in the face earlier this week and missing a game as a result, they have been officially laid to rest. In fact, the blow may have re-calibrated Granger's sights.

    He made 11-of-16 shots, including both 3-pointers, scoring a game-high 29 points while finding teammates for six assists as the Pacers held off a furious fourth-quarter rally by Detroit to beat the Pistons 106-102 Friday before 13,583 in Conseco Fieldhouse.

    IMPACT
    The Pacers won their fourth in a row at home, squaring their CFH record at 16-16, and beat the Pistons for the fifth straight try to improve to 23-46 overall, tying the Pistons for fourth in the Central Division. Detroit lost its eighth straight road game, falling to 7-27 outside of the walls of the Palace.

    QUOTEWORTHY
  • “I thought our guys reacted well to adversity. We fought back and got the job done. We just didn’t get our normal energy we usually get from our bench. We (the starters) had dead legs and we didn’t play transition defense in the fourth quarter. Our lack of energy caused us to stop moving the ball." – Jim O'Brien
  • "I think Earl (Watson) is a really, really strong leader. He models for those around him how tough you have to be to play in the NBA.” – O'Brien
  • "After they made their run, we came back playing together and jelling together and all working in the same direction on offense and defense. This is a great step and it was a good win." – Watson
  • “We came out more aggressive tonight and were able to help each other out in a lot of situations. When they turned the ball over we were able to move it back and get points out of it. We hit a lot of threes and got good returns on it." – Brandon Rush

    KEY MOMENTS
    The Pacers dominated from the outset, jumping off to a 27-10 lead, hitting 13 of 19 shots in the first quarter and shooting 60 percent in the first half. Detroit got as close as 40-31 early in the second quarter but Granger, Earl Watson and Troy Murphy hit 3-pointers to start a 20-6 run that pushed the Pacers' advantage to 60-37 and they were up 62-41 at the break. Detroit's starters combined for just 13 points, 5-of-20 shooting and 7 turnovers in the half.

    The Pacers maintained a comfortable lead throughout the third quarter and were up 92-75 with 9:50 left in the game when things fell apart. Making just one bucket (in 10 attempts) and committing four turnovers in a span of 7˝ minutes, the Pacers opened the door and the Pistons roared through with a 20-2 run, taking their only lead of the night, 95-94, on a jumper by DaJuan Summers with 2:52 remaining.

    Watson got the lead right back with a quick drive and then Granger drew a three-shot foul from Summers, making them all, to put the Pacers up 99-95, as the Pacers scored eight in a row while the Pistons came up empty on three straight possessions, quelling the rally.

    BY THE NUMBERS
    Granger had plenty of support. Murphy had 20 points, eight rebounds and two steals, making four 3-pointers. Rush had 15 points and five rebounds, Roy Hibbert had 15 points, six rebounds and a block in a career-high 43 minutes. Mike Dunleavy had 10 off the bench and Watson had 11 assists. The Pacers shot 54 percent and had 24 assists but were outrebounded 39-32 and committed 17 turnovers. They were 4-of-15 with five turnovers in the fourth quarter.

    The Pistons were carried by their bench, notably Rodney Stuckey, who scored 25 with three assists and three steals in his first game since collapsing on the court March 5 against Cleveland. Ben Gordon had 14 of his 17 in the fourth quarter and Summers added 12. Among the starters, Tayshaun Prince scored 11 and Jonas Jerebko and Jason Maxiell scored 10 apiece. The Pistons shot 43 percent.

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