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Williams, Granger help Pacers crush Grizzlies in preseason finale

Oct 27, 2007 - 3:19 AM By Shawn Pachucki PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

MEMPHIS, Tennessee (Ticker) -- Shawne Williams returned to the site of his college home games and led an Indiana Pacers' attack that was simply too much for the Memphis Grizzlies to handle.

Williams scored 26 points and Danny Granger added 21 as the Pacers easily handled the Grizzlies, 140-113, in the final preseason contest for both teams on Friday.

Williams, who spent just one year with at Memphis before entering the draft, scored 17 points in the second half and turned in his best performance of the preseason.

While Williams was lights out in the second half, Granger dominated the first, scoring 15 points as the Pacers cruised to an 81-48 lead at the break.

Jamaal Tinsley had 16 points and 10 assists for Indiana, which was without All-Star forward Jermaine O'Neal. O'Neal sat out his fourth straight game to nurse a knee injury.

Indiana looked primed for the season to start as it shot 59 percent (54-of-91) from the field and finished with six players in double figures.

The Pacers, who missed the playoffs for the first time since 1997 last season, host the Washington Wizards in their season opener on Wednesday.

Damon Stoudamire scored 16 points and Mike Miller added 12 for Memphis, which hosts the defending champion San Antonio Spurs in its season opener on Wednesday.

The Grizzlies were without forward-center Pau Gasol, who missed his fourth straight game with an injured left ankle.