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Pacers face Thunder, look to even record

Nov 10, 2008 - 5:57 AM Oklahoma City (1-5) at Indiana (2-3) 7:00 pm EST

INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) -- After opening the season against four straight playoff teams from a year ago, the Indiana Pacers began a more inviting part of the schedule with a victory on Saturday.

They will look to win consecutive games and get to .500 for the first time this season when they take on the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday.

Outside of handing the Boston Celtics their only loss of the season on November 1, the Pacers came up short against three other members of the 2008 postseason.

After trailing the New Jersey Nets by two at halftime Saturday, Indiana outscored New Jersey by 10 in each of the final two quarters en route to a 98-80 victory.

Danny Granger scored 23 points and T.J. Ford added 13, falling one rebound and one assist shy of a triple-double for the Pacers, who limited the Nets to 29 points in the second half.

Oklahoma City, which finished with the worst record in the Western Conference while in Seattle last season, has dropped three straight.

On Sunday, Kevin Durant scored a team-high 20 points for the Thunder, who held a lead after three quarters over the unbeaten Atlanta Hawks but were outscored by eight during the final period of an 89-85 loss.