Granger Scores 20 As Pacers Beat 76ers 111-94
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Danny Granger scored 20 points to help the Indiana Pacers beat the Philadelphia 76ers 111-94 on Wednesday night.
David West scored 18 points, George Hill had 17 and Roy Hibbert added 14 points, nine rebounds, five assists and three blocks for the Pacers, who won their second straight. Indiana shot a season-best 57 percent from the field and outrebounded the 76ers 37-26.
Evan Turner scored 21 points, Jrue Holiday had 17, Elton Brand added 16 and Andre Iguodala had 10 points and nine assists for the 76ers.
Philadelphia allowed 100 or more points for just the seventh time this season and ended a stretch of holding 12 consecutive opponents under the century mark. The 76ers entered the night leading the league in scoring defense, field-goal percentage defense and steals, but they gave up their highest field-goal percentage in a game this season and saw the end of their three-game win streak.
Paul George's dunk as time ran out on the shot clock gave the Pacers a 54-51 lead with 10.1 seconds left in the first half. He was fouled on the play and missed the free throw, so the Pacers maintained a three point lead at the break. Indiana shot 13 for 21 from the field in the second quarter and 56 percent for the half. It was an entertaining half, as both teams shot over 50 percent and combined for just eight turnovers.
Granger's 3-pointer midway through the third quarter pushed Indiana's lead to 70-64, but the 76ers came right back and cut it to one on a pullup by Holiday.
The Pacers closed the quarter strong. A 3 by Dahntay Jones in the final minute, then another by Hill with 1.1 seconds left in the quarter gave Indiana an 83-75 lead heading into the fourth. Indiana shot 65 percent in the third quarter.
The Pacers opened the quarter on a 6-2 run, sparked by two baskets by Lou Amundson, to take an 89-77 lead.
The 76ers surged back once more. A jumper by Brand cut Indiana's lead to 95-88, but back-to-back 3s by Hill made it 103-88 with just over four minutes to play. His shots highlighted a 12-0 run that lasted more than five minutes and put the game out of reach.
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NOTES: Philadelphia C Spencer Hawes played for the first time since Feb. 6. He had been out with a left Achilles strain. He finished with six points and five fouls... The teams shot a combined 19 for 35 in the first quarter. Philadelphia led 29-24 at the end of the period. ... Granger had a perfect third quarter — he went 3 for 3 from the field and made the only 3-pointer and only free throw he tried.
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