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Nets try to snap long skid vs. Pacers

Jan 31, 2012 - 3:37 PM (Sports Network) - Indiana returns home tonight after a successful three-game road trip seeking a ninth consecutive win over the New Jersey Nets.

The Pacers sandwiched a loss in Boston with impressive wins in Chicago and Orlando during their recent trek. On Sunday in Central Florida Danny Granger scored 24 points as Indiana breezed past the struggling Magic, 106-85.

David West and George Hill both added 16 points while Darren Collison finished with 11 and 10 assists for the Pacers.

"I think we got their defense moving," said Granger. "With [Dwight] Howard being such a dominant defensive player, you've got to keep it moving."

The Nets, meanwhile, lost for the first time in three games on Sunday, falling to Toronto, 94-73, in Newark. Deron Williams paced New Jersey in that one with 24 points and six assists and Anthony Morrow added 14 points in defeat.

"We don't have any excuses, we just should have played with a little more effort on the defensive end." Nets forward Shawne Williams said. "We have to pay attention to the game plan more. Coach [Avery Johnson] is doing his job, we have to do our job."

New Jersey also got some bad news Monday when Johnson revealed that dynamic rookie guard MarShon Brooks is out indefinitely after fracturing the pinky toe on his right foot. The news comes after Brooks returned from a three-game absence with a sore Achilles to play against Toronto on Sunday.

The Providence product produced only six points on 3-of-10 shooting from the field in the loss to the Raptors, lowering his scoring average to 14.8 points through 17 contests. Veteran swingman DeShawn Stevenson (knee) has also been ruled out for tonight for the Nets.

New Jersey's last win against the Pacers came back on Dec. 23, 2008. The Nets have lost three straight in Indy by an average of more than 20 points per game.