Pacers 87 - 94 Celtics
Final
  for this game

Improved Pacers try to pass another test in Boston

Jan 27, 2012 - 3:40 PM (Sports Network) - The Indiana Pacers try to follow up their biggest win of the season tonight when they head to Boston to face the Celtics at TD Garden.

Indiana picked up a big win over the Eastern Conference-leading Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, as Danny Granger had 22 points, Roy Hibbert scored 20 to help the Pacers to a 95-90 win, their first victory in the Windy City in almost four years.

David West chipped in 14 points, including a key runner in the lane that gave Indiana some distance down the stretch.

The Pacers snapped a six-game road losing streak against the Bulls, winning in Chicago for the first time since March 22, 2008.

"I thought we could win this game. Chicago's a good team, but so are we," said Hibbert. "Our composure went up after halftime."

The win over the Bulls was even more impressive considering just one night earlier Indiana suffered an embarrassing 19-point loss at home to the Orlando Magic.

"Right now we expect to win," Granger said.

Boston, meanwhile, rallied to beat the Magic on Thursday, as Paul Pierce led five players in double-figures to help the Celtics erase a 21-point halftime in a 91-83 win.

Pierce had 24 and Kevin Garnett added 12 points and 10 rebounds. The Celtics, who held the Magic to a franchise-low 56 points in a win on Monday, trailed by as many as 27 in the first half but made the comeback despite playing without starters Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen.

"It should give us tremendous confidence, especially with guys hurt - key guys hurt," said Pierce. "We didn't have Jermaine to guard Dwight (Howard), we're without our All-Star point guard, our All-Star 2-guard. Everything was in the making for us to lay down and get ready for tomorrow, but there's something about this locker room where the light has switched on."

Boston has won three straight and four of five.

"That was a character builder for our team," Celtics head coach Doc Rivers said. "All we talked about was one bucket at a time."

Indiana has beaten the Celtics twice already this season and has won three straight in the series after losing five in a row to Boston. The Celtics have also lost four of six as the visitor in this matchup.






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