Pacers 105 - 99 Bucks
Final
  for this game

Hibbert helps Pacers top Bucks

Apr 15, 2012 - 4:42 AM Milwaukee, WI (Sports Network) - Roy Hibbert had 23 points and 14 rebounds and the Pacers got past the playoff-hopeful Bucks, 105-99, on Saturday.

Indiana, seeded third in the Eastern Conference, had already clinched a playoff berth.

Danny Granger added 21 points and seven rebounds for the Pacers, who have won four straight and remain three games ahead of fourth-seeded Boston. The Celtics defeated New Jersey earlier Saturday.

"We really needed this game," said Pacers coach Frank Vogel. "We played a game of few mistakes."

The Bucks, meanwhile, fell 2 1/2 games behind Philadelphia and New York for the final two playoff spots in the East. Monta Ellis had 20 points in the loss while Brandon Jennings added 16 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds.

"I was trying to get boards, get my other teammates involved, it wasn't enough," said Jennings. "Picking up full court, that takes a ton out of you. They hit some shots and we didn't."

Indiana was up 90-84 with just over seven minutes left when Ellis scored five straight to pull Milwaukee within one.

Though the Bucks kept it close, the Pacers never relinquished the lead. It was 99-96 after a Mike Dunleavy three-pointer with four minutes remaining, but Milwaukee did not score again until 11 seconds were left in the game.

Hibbert added four straight free throws over that span, pushing the margin to 103-96 before Ellis converted a pull-up three. But Hibbert hit two more from the line with 10 seconds left to seal the final margin.

The Pacers built a double-digit lead in the second quarter after a back-and- forth first. They scored 11 straight shortly before the half, getting eight from Paul George in that span, to go up 53-41, then held on for a 59-48 advantage at the break.

Milwaukee started strong in the third, and used a quick 8-0 flurry to cut its deficit to 66-63 midway through the frame. Carlos Delfino and Jennings both hit three-pointers during the spurt and the Bucks trailed 80-78 entering the fourth courtesy of Dunleavy's trey shortly before the buzzer.

Game Notes

The game featured six ties and 12 lead changes...The Bucks had won seven of 10 entering Saturday...Dunleavy had 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting.






Related News