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END RESULT
The blistering start couldn't last, and it didn't. But when the Pacers hit some chuckholes, they didn't fall apart and instead stood firm, holding off repeated challenges by the Knicks to pull out a 113-105 victory before 15,330 Wednesday in Conseco Fieldhouse.
Danny Granger scored 33 for the Pacers, who shot 74 percent and racked up 51 points and a 20-point lead in the first 15½ minutes, but slipped to 35 percent the rest of the night but managed to hold off the Knicks.
IMPACT
The Pacers won their second in a row, third in four and eight in 10 to improve to 30-46 overall, 22-17 at home. They've won 10 of 11 at Conseco Fieldhouse. The Knicks had won two straight coming in but fell to 28-50 overall, 11-28 on the road.
QUOTEWORTHY
- “A lot of firepower out there tonight." – Jim O'Brien
- "Every part of our offense improves when you have Mike (Dunleavy), Troy (Murphy) and Danny (Granger) on the floor." – O'Brien
- "It was a little fool’s gold because we weren’t defending at all." – O'Brien on the first half
- “I think coming down the stretch we are playing hard and well. Not much to play for, but we are putting ourselves in a position to build up for next year." – A.J. Price
- "Roy (Hibbert) has really improved and can and will be our go to big man. We are beginning to really believe in him." – Price
- “They came out and played well from the start. Danny Granger kind of immediately set the pace for their team. He was hitting shots early and they were getting the ball up and down the floor – I think trying to take advantage a little bit of the fact that we were on a back to back and they were a little more rested. They did a good job of pushing the tempo a little." – New York's David Lee on the Pacers.
- "They were on fire in the first quarter. I think at one point they were shooting something like 70 percent from the field. And when you shoot that well it kind of gets contagious. We were able to make a few runs back at them and get back in the game. But it’s hard to play from behind like that because it takes a lot out of you and it wears you down." – New York's Chris Duhon
KEY MOMENTS
Granger scored 14 in the first quarter as the Pacers jumped on the Knicks immediately, rolling up a quick 15-5 lead and pushing it to 38-25 by the end of the period. After shooting 67 percent in the first quarter, the Pacers made their first seven shots of the second to open a 51-31 lead but once the hot hands cooled the Knicks warmed to the task.
New York put together a 26-8 run sparked by Toney Douglas and Bill Walker, who combined for 18 of the points as the lead was reduced to 59-57. But Granger and Mike Dunleavy answered as the Pacers closed the half with a 13-2 run to take a 72-59 lead into the break.
The Pacers missed seven of eight to start the third quarter as the Knicks closed to 75-72 but Granger and A.J. Price stepped forward to push the lead back to 90-80 late in the period. Again the Knicks fought back with a 12-2 run to tie it at 92-all early in the fourth on a dunk by Walker and again at 95 on a 3-pointer by Douglas.
Granger and Brandon Rush then provided all the points in a 9-0 burst that made it 104-95 with 7:13 left and the Knicks would get no closer than five the rest of the way.
BY THE NUMBERS
Granger shot 11-of-27 overall, 5-of-11 from the arc, adding seven rebounds, five assists and a block, scoring at least 30 for the sixth time in nine games. With 17 points and 12 rebounds, Troy Murphy posted his fifth straight double-double, 11th in 13 games and 38th on the season. Roy Hibbert scored 15 with six rebounds, Dunleavy 13 with seven rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block and Price 11 points on 3-of-3 shooting from the 3-point line. The Pacers finished at .489 overall, 10-of-28 from the 3-point line, outrebounded the Knicks 48-45 and committed just 10 turnovers.
Douglas scored 20 off the bench to lead the Knicks, hitting 4-of-10 from the arc. Danilo Gallinari scored 17, David Lee 16 with 16 rebounds, Earl Barron 15 with nine rebounds and Walker 15 with six boards. The Knicks shot .449 overall but were 10-of-25 from the arc.
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