Pacers 102 - 97 76ers
Final
  for this game

Indiana keeps rolling, beats stumbling Sixers

Apr 18, 2012 - 3:34 AM Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) - Danny Granger scored 24 points and the Pacers downed the freefalling 76ers, 102-97, on Tuesday.

The Pacers, winners of six straight, have already clinched a playoff berth and are seeded third in the Eastern Conference -- four games ahead of the Celtics, who lost to the Knicks later Tuesday.

Roy Hibbert added 15 points and 13 rebounds in the win, while David West had 13 points and George Hill finished with 12.

"To come in and beat Philadelphia is huge for us because we are still fighting for a playoff seed as well," said Granger.

The 76ers, meanwhile, have lost three in a row and are 11-21 since starting the season 20-9. They sit in eighth place in the East -- one game behind the Knicks and 1 1/2 games ahead of ninth-place Milwaukee.

Andre Iguodala had 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists in the setback. Thaddeus Young added 19 points and Lou Williams chipped in 18.

"Mentally, it's tough," said Philadelphia forward Elton Brand. "But me, personally, I'm very optimistic. Hopefully we'll take all of these late-game lessons and bring that to the first round."

After trailing for much of the first half, Philadelphia, playing in its final home game, took a 53-49 lead early in the third quarter courtesy of an 11-0 run which featured five points from Iguodala.

But Indiana tied the game at 70 on Leandro Barbosa's transition layup at the end of the third and surged ahead in the fourth, going up 85-77 midway through the quarter on consecutive threes from Granger.

In the final minute, the 76ers cut their deficit to three, 98-95, when Young capped an 8-2 run with a corner three, but the Pacers made enough free throws the rest of the way to secure the win.

Game Notes

Indiana will close out the regular season with four games at home (Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Detroit and Chicago)...Philadelphia closes out the regular season with five straight road games (Cleveland, Indiana, New Jersey, Milwaukee and Detroit).






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