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Pacers shoot for 5 in a row, host Warriors

Feb 26, 2013 - 3:59 PM (Sports Network) - The Indiana Pacers got bigger, stronger and longer over the weekend with the return of Danny Granger. Now they hope he can knock more rust off when the Golden State Warriors visit Bankers Life Fieldhouse Tuesday.

Granger had been sidelined all season with a knee ailment and made his anticipated season debut Saturday in a 90-72 victory over the Detroit Pistons in the back end of a home-and-home series. Granger came off the bench to post two points, two rebounds and one assist in 18:36 of action.

Pacers coach Frank Vogel was asked about Granger's debut.

"Rusty, but it is to be expected. Certainly he is playing a lot better than the practices the last few weeks, but that is what we expected the first game back with the first taste of it," Vogel said. "That is why were are not throwing him back in for 40 minutes a game and it is going to take time."

The usual suspects in George Hill and Paul George helped Indiana to its fourth straight win and ninth in 11 tries. Hill scored 17 points and the All-Star George recorded 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Pacers, who held the Pistons to a season-low 72 points.

David West had 16 points, eight rebounds and four assists in the win.

"Our defense carried us throughout most the game. We held these guys to 33 percent shooting," Vogel said. "We struggled to make shots, but our passing was still great, but we still ended up with 45 percent (shooting) which is pretty good."

Indiana has won three in a row at home and is 23-5 as the host. It will play two straight and four of five games at the Fieldhouse, where the Pacers own a 55-19 mark in the last 74 regular season games.

Golden State opened a five-game road trip with Sunday's 100-99 victory at Minnesota as Jarrett Jack continued his recent surge with 23 points, eight assists and five rebounds. Jack is averaging 22.5 ppg in his last six and was asked about carrying momentum from home to the road.

"You would like to have some carryover, that's what the successful teams in this league do. We were able to come out of All-Star break and go home and take care of business," Jack said. "Build up some momentum and you want to have some carryover out here on the road. Everybody knows the most important game on a road trip is the first one."

David Lee recorded a double-double with 22 points and 13 rebounds, while Carl Landry added 19 points and nine boards, helping the Warriors halt a five-game road losing streak. Stephen Curry contributed 18 points in the win, Golden State's third in a row since losing six straight.

The Warriors are 15-16 outside of Oakland and will also visit New York, Boston and Philadelphia on the eastern jaunt.

Golden State won the first matchup of the season with Indiana, 103-92, back on Dec. 1 at Oracle Arena behind Curry's 20 points and 11 assists. Lee added 13 points and 12 boards in that one for the Warriors, who ended a three-game slide to the Pacers.

Indiana, though, is still 10-6 in the last 16 contests in this series. Golden State has lost five straight and 10 of its last 11 at Indiana.