Final
  for this game

Pacers-Nets Preview

Jan 14, 2010 - 9:45 PM By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN STATS Senior Writer

Indiana (13-25) at New Jersey (3-35), 8:00 p.m. EDT

The Indiana Pacers appear to have a great opportunity to end their season-high nine-game road losing streak.

They'll try to hand the lowly New Jersey Nets a seventh straight loss Friday night and improve to 3-0 in the season series.

Indiana (13-25) hasn't won on the road since a 114-113 win over Washington on Dec. 12. The Pacers last lost 10 consecutive road games Jan. 9-Feb. 18, 2009.

New Jersey (3-35), though, hasn't won since the start of the new year, losing by an average of 16.0 points over its last six games. The Nets have lost their two meetings with Indiana by 12.0 per game as they had trouble handling second-year center Roy Hibbert, who averaged 19.5 points on 60.7 percent shooting and 9.5 boards.

The Pacers enter after rallying from huge deficits in two home victories. Indiana trailed by 23 points before beating Toronto 105-101 on Monday and came back from 24 down for a 122-114 win over Phoenix on Wednesday.

"One of these days, we'll get a lead," coach Jim O'Brien said after Wednesday's win. "That's another tremendous, gutsy comeback for our team."

Danny Granger scored 33 points and Mike Dunleavy added a season-high 30 against the Suns, marking the first time both scored at least 30 in a game since Dunleavy was traded to Indiana in January 2007.

"Over the last couple years, we've figured out a way to play together and we understand each other offensively," Dunleavy said. "Hopefully, we can keep playing that way the rest of the season because it's tough to guard us."

The Pacers have played solid defense against the Nets this season, holding them to 36.3 percent shooting in each victory. New Jersey's Brook Lopez is averaging 25.5 points and 15.0 rebounds in those games while shooting only 36.0 percent.

Lopez and the Nets continue to look for answers after a 111-87 home loss to Boston on Wednesday. New Jersey trailed 71-35 at halftime, prompting an angry speech at the break from point guard Devin Harris.

"Everybody was pretty upset at halftime. Devin was pretty upset," forward Chris Douglas-Roberts said. "(Coach Kiki Vandeweghe) came in with a speech basically saying we've got to turn things around. Devin, it wasn't a speech. He was just letting off some frustration. It was good. It was the first time I've seen him let off frustration like that. I'd rather see that."

Harris returned after missing a game with wrist tendinitis and scored 15 points. The former All-Star is averaging 9.8 points on 29.4 percent shooting in his last four games, and is looking for a better effort from his team.

"They came out and hit first and for those two quarters, we didn't hit back," Harris said. "They hit open jump shots, they got in the paint, they drove. They pretty much got whatever they wanted. We didn't take a stand on the defensive end. To give up 70 points in a half, it's tough to win any game."






  • 15
    roots
    #1 Cards Fan Added 10 roots

    Pacers 121, Nets 105  FinalJan 16 7:56 AM
  • 5
    roots
    MattDOOM777 Added 5 roots

    Pacers 121, Nets 105  FinalJan 16 6:35 AM


  • NBA
    FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
    --- --- --- --- -----
    INDIANA 31 41 24 25 121
    NEW JERSEY 28 24 24 29 105 FINAL

    HIGH SCORERS: IND - DANNY GRANGER 28, TROY MURPHY 21,
    BRANDON RUSH 15
    NJN - BROOK LOPEZ 27, DEVIN HARRIS 22, YI
    JIANLIAN 17

    Jan 15 10:27 PM


  • NBA
    END 3RD QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
    --- --- --- --- -----
    INDIANA 31 41 24 96
    NEW JERSEY 28 24 24 76 END 3RD QTR
    HIGH SCORERS AFTER 3RD QUARTER
    IND - DANNY GRANGER 22, TROY MURPHY 19,
    BRANDON RUSH 15
    NJN - DEVIN HARRIS 21, BROOK LOPEZ 16, YI
    JIANLIAN 15

    Jan 15 9:55 PM


  • NBA
    HALFTIME 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
    --- --- --- --- -----
    INDIANA 31 41 72
    NEW JERSEY 28 24 52 HALFTIME
    HIGH SCORERS AT HALFTIME
    IND - DANNY GRANGER 22, TROY MURPHY 10,
    ROY HIBBERT 8
    NJN - DEVIN HARRIS 17, BROOK LOPEZ 12, KRIS
    HUMPHRIES 9

    Jan 15 9:12 PM


  • NBA
    INDIANA 31
    NEW JERSEY 28 END, 1ST QTR

    Jan 15 8:38 PM