Cavaliers 83 - 102 Pacers
Final
  for this game

Pacers down Cavaliers to clinch playoff berth

Apr 14, 2012 - 3:06 AM Indianapolis, IN (Sports Network) - Danny Granger scored 18 points, Tyler Hansbrough added 16 points off the bench, and the Indiana Pacers clinched their second consecutive playoff berth with a 102-83 rout of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

George Hill had 15 points, seven assists and four rebounds for the Pacers, who outscored Cleveland 34-13 in the third quarter to seize control of the contest. Roy Hibbert added a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds.

"We haven't accomplished anything yet," Indiana head coach Frank Vogel said of his team clinching a playoff bid. "Nothing has changed for us. We felt for a while we would be in the playoffs, but until we get home court advantage, there is work to be done."

The Pacers, winners in seven of their last eight games, have a two-game lead over Atlanta, which defeated Orlando on Friday, for the Eastern Conference's No. 3 seed.

Indiana has a three-game advantage over Boston, which lost to Toronto on Friday, and Orlando.

Omri Casspi netted 14 points off the bench to pace the Cavs, who have lost 12 of their last 14 contests.

Already ahead 47-45 with 9:35 remaining in the period, the Pacers closed the third frame on a 28-11 run.

Hansbrough and Granger netted nine points apiece during the surge, and Indiana headed into the final stanza with a commanding 75-56 advantage.

"We couldn't buy a basket in the third quarter and offensively, they got going a little bit," Cleveland head coach Byron Scott said of the third period.

Indiana led by double digits throughout the fourth quarter, cruising to the easy win.

The Pacers shot 20.8 percent (5-for-24) in the first quarter, but found themselves trailing by just three, 19-16, heading into the second. Antawn Jamison had 10 first-quarter points to pace Cleveland, which shot 35 percent.

Cleveland created some distance in the second frame as it used a 13-2 run to take a 32-18 advantage midway through the period. Casspi had a pair of three- point plays during the flurry.

Indiana rallied, though, and used a 12-4 spurt later in the quarter to pull within 36-32. Cleveland headed into the locker room with a 43-41 edge.

Game Notes

Indiana outscored Cleveland in the paint, 46-22...The Pacers registered 14 fastbreak points and netted 22 points off of 19 Cleveland turnovers.






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