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Dunleavy, struggling Pacers cruise past Hawks

Jan 5, 2008 - 4:20 AM INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Mike Dunleavy and the Indiana Pacers put their struggles aside.

Dunleavy scored 23 points and grabbed 12 rebounds as the Pacers snapped a five-game losing streak with a 113-91 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday.

Danny Granger tied his career high with 32 points and Jermaine O'Neal added 11 for Indiana, who shot 48 percent (41-of-86), including 13-of-25 from 3-point range.

"My shot was working tonight," Granger said. "I've been in a slump, or whatever you want to call it, but it's good to get back on track."

"Losing five in a row is never fun, but you have to put it behind you and you can't dwell on it," Dunleavy said.

It all came after the Pacers connected on a season-low 31 percent in a 90-72 defeat to the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday.

"You have nights where you can't put it in the basket, and you're going to have nights where you're making everything," Dunleavy said.

That shooting low for Indiana was its worst at Conseco Fieldhouse since the building opened in 1999.

"That's basketball," Pacers guard Kareem Rush said of the team's woeful shooting performance two nights ago. "You're not going to be able to shoot well every night, but we came out and re-grouped pretty well. Our confidence is back."

Dunleavy, who connected on 9-of-12 from the floor, including 4-of-6 from the arc, helped the Pacers lead by four points after the first quarter, by 11 at halftime and 26 entering the final period of this one.

"We had a terrible game tonight," Hawks guard Anthony Johnson said. "We didn't do anything well, in any phase of the game."

The Pacers took control in the second quarter after a three-point play by Josh Smith pushed the Hawks' lead to 37-36 with 5:26 left in the half. Indiana proceeded to go on a 18-4 spurt, capped by Rush's shot from the arc to make it 54-41 with 77 seconds left before halftime.

Dunleavy had 10 points in the burst and Rush, who had a season-high 20 points off the bench, added six on two 3-pointers for the Pacers, who have won 13 of 15 at home in the series.

"I thought we settled in after the first (quarter) and played well," said Dunleavy, who notched his third double-double of the season. "That's what we have to do, especially when we get leads."

Reserve Josh Childress tied a career high with 26 points and Smith added 20 for Atlanta, which shot 43 percent (32-of-75) and has dropped three straight on the road.

"We came out so flat, especially from a defensive standpoint," Hawks coach Mike Woodson said. "I have to take the blame for that."