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Pacers resume postseason push vs. Kings

Mar 25, 2011 - 3:12 PM (Sports Network) - Tyler Hansbrough and the Indiana Pacers continue their push to the postseason Friday when they play host to the lowly Sacramento Kings at Conseco Fieldhouse.

The Pacers now have a comfortable three-game lead over both Milwaukee and Charlotte for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference after a 111-88 blowout win over the Bobcats in the Queen City on Wednesday. Danny Granger finished with a game-high 33 points in that one.

Hansbrough, who has flourished since interim coach Frank Vogel has taken over for the unpopular Jim O'Brien, finished with 24 points and Roy Hibbert posted 13 points and 14 rebounds for the Pacers, who have won three of four overall to seize control in the race for the East's last slot.

"We knew that this was a team that we could defend," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. "We had defensive confidence all night, we knew that if we kept working we would get stops that would lead to easy buckets."

The Kings helped Indiana by playing spoiler in Milwaukee on Wednesday and improving 2-1 on a five-game road trip when Marcus Thornton tallied 27 points and six rebounds, as Sacramento held off the Bucks, 97-90.

Beno Udrih added 25 points, six boards and six assists for the Kings, who had lost nine of 11 coming in.

"We made the shots we needed to down the stretch," said Udrih. "You know, things worked out for us tonight. We grabbed the rebounds we needed to and made the free throws."

DeMarcus Cousins donated 13 points and nine rebounds for Sacramento, which got 11 points and 12 boards from Samuel Dalembert.

The Kings may also get a boost tonight with the possible return of Tyreke Evans to the lineup. Evans, last season's Rookie of the Year, has been sidelined since Feb. 13 with plantar fasciitis.

Indiana has won four of five over Sacramento.