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Danny Granger scored 29 points in his return from a cheek injury, and Troy Murphy had 20 points in the Indiana Pacers 106-102 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Friday night
Detroit's Rodney Stuckey returned to action for the first time since collapsing on the bench during a game two weeks ago. He led the Pistons with 25 points -- nearly enough to pull off an improbable comeback.
Brandon Rush and Roy Hibbert had 15 points each for Indiana.
Impressive rally comes up short as Pistons lose to Pacers for third time this season
The Detroit Pistons never quit. But an impressive rally in the fourth quarter turned out to be a bit too little, a bit too late. The Pistons rallied from a 24-point deficit Friday night to take a one-point lead in the fourth quarter, but the Pacers came through down the stretch for a 106-102 victory. The Pacers made 12 3-pointers Friday and have made 31 3-pointers in three games against the Pistons, all victories for Indiana. The Pistons have lost 11 of their last 13. Rodney Stuckey came off the bench and had 25 points, three assists and three steals in his first game since collapsing on the bench March 5 during a game against Cleveland. Pistons coach John Kuester said Thursday that Stuckey looked fresh after sitting out six games. “He looks as rested as I've ever seen him,” Kuester said, “so that's the good news,”
Kuester said prior to the game that he would see how the game went before deciding how much to play Stuckey. He admitted that even though Stuckey was good to go, it would be tough to forget his recent health issues. “He's been totally cleared, so that's the good news,” Kuester said Thursday. “But you're always conscious of it.” Ben Wallace came off the bench after missing the previous eight games with a right patella tendon strain. He finished with one point and seven rebounds. Ben Gordon had 17 points, seven rebounds and six assists for Detroit, while Tayshaun Prince and DaJuan Summers added 11 points each.
Richard Hamilton went 0-for-3 from the field and finished with zero points in 18 minutes played. Danny Granger led the Pacers with 29 points and six assists. The Pacers took a 21-6 lead to start the game and were up 17 at the start of the fourth quarter. But the Pistons outscored Indiana 25-7 to start the quarter and took a 95-94 lead on a jumper by Summers, who had eight points in the fourth.
Young trio leads Pacers past Pistons 106-102
Danny Granger scored 29 points in his return from a cheek injury, and Troy Murphy had 20 points in the Indiana Pacers 106-102 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Friday night. Indiana trailed only once all night, 95-94, before sealing the win with an 8-0 run.
Detroit's Rodney Stuckey returned to action for the first time since collapsing on the bench during a game two weeks ago. He led the Pistons with 25 points - nearly enough to pull off an improbable comeback.
The Pacers led by double digits most of the game, but Detroit opened the fourth quarter on a 10-5 run and took its only lead when DaJuan Summers ended a 15-0 run with a 21-footer with 2:51 to go.Brandon Rush and Roy Hibbert had 15 points each for Indiana.
Matt Bouldin scored 14 of his 17 points in the second half to help eighth-seeded Gonzaga hang on for a 67-60 victory over No. 9 Florida State on Friday night in the first round of the NCAA tournament's West Regional.
Steven Gray scored 15 points while Robert Sacre had nine rebounds for the Bulldogs (27-6), who nearly squandered an 18-point lead.
Deividas Dulkys scored 14 points for the Seminoles (22-10), whose second-half rally ran out of gas. Dulkys banked in a 3-pointer to cut Gonzaga's lead to 59-54 with 2:21 left. Florida State had a chance to pull closer but Michael Snaer missed two free throws a minute later.
Gani Lawal scored 14 points, Derrick Favors added 12 points and nine rebounds, and Georgia Tech made 24 of 25 free throws Friday night to hold off seventh-seeded Oklahoma State 64-59 in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
James Anderson, the third-leading scorer in the nation and Big 12 player of the year, had a dismal night, with just 11 points on 3-of-12 shooting. Marshall Moses led the Cowboys (22-11) with 14 points, and Keiton Page added 13.
Georgia Tech advanced to Sunday's second round and will face the winner of the Ohio State-UC Santa Barbara game.
Kevin Durant scored 31 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to their sixth victory in seven games, 115-89 over the Toronto Raptors on Friday night.
Jeff Green added 25 points, and Russell Westbrook had 11 points and 10 assists for the Thunder, fifth in the Western Conference at 42-25.
Chris Bosh led Toronto with 22 points and 10 rebounds, and Andrea Bargnani had 15 points. The Raptors are 2-10 in their last 12 games and 33-34 overall.
Pistons fall to lowly Pacers
Danny Granger scored 29 points and Troy Murphy added 20 as the Pistons lost to the Pacers, 106-102, tonight in Indianapolis. Rodney Stuckey, in his first game back since collapsing two weeks ago during a game, came off the bench and played 26 minutes, scoring 25 to lead the team. Ben Gordon scored 17 off the bench. DaJuan Summers had 12, Tayshaun Prince added 11 points and Jonas Jerebko and Jason Maxiell each scored 10.
Ben Wallace had one points and seven rebounds in his return from a knee injury.Roy Hibbert and Brandon Rush each scored 15 for Indiana, who shot 54% (36-for-67) from the field. Mike Dunleavy scored 10. The Pacers opened the game with a 21-6 run and led after one, 33-18, thanks to Brandon Rush's 10 points. The Pistons cut the lead to nine in the second before Indiana hit three straight three-pointers, opening up a 15-point advantage. The Pacers were up, 62-41, at the half.
The lead was 17 (87-70) after three quarters for Indiana. Then in the fourth, the Pistons got back into the game. After Granger's jumper made it 94-80 with 6:15 to go, the Pistons went on a 15-0 run. Summers scored 10 straight, including the jump shot to give the Pistons a 95-94 lead with 2:51 to play. But, the Pacers scored eight straight and led by seven with 42 seconds to go.
NBA Game Summary - Detroit at Indiana
Final Score: Indiana 106, Detroit 102
Danny Granger returned to the lineup and poured in 29 points to go with six assists, as the Indiana Pacers held off the Detroit Pistons, 106-102, in a Central Division battle from Conseco Fieldhouse. Granger, who sat out Wednesday's loss to the Cavaliers after taking an elbow to the cheek a night earlier, helped the Pacers beat the Pistons for a fifth straight game. Troy Murphy donated 20 points and eight rebounds, while Roy Hibbert and Brandon Rush chipped in 15 points apiece for the victors. Rodney Stuckey also had a big game in his return to action, scoring 25 points off the bench. Stuckey had missed the last six games after collapsing on the bench during a March 5 game at Cleveland. Ben Gordon finished with 17 points, seven boards, and six assists for the Pistons, who have dropped 11 of their past 13 contests. DaJuan Summers had 12 points in defeat. Trailing 94-80 near the midway point of the fourth, the Pistons scored 15 consecutive points to go in front. Summers tallied eight points during the burst, including a long jumper to make it 95-94 with under three minutes to play.
After each team missed a shot, Earl Watson made a driving layup to put Indiana ahead by one, 96-95, with 2:04 remaining. Stuckey then missed a jumper before Granger was fouled on a three-point shot. Granger made all three free throws to make it 99-95 with 1:25 to go. Following two missed shots from Stuckey, Watson made 1-of-2 from the line to extend Indiana's margin to 102-95 with 42.2 seconds left. The Pistons never got closer than four the rest of the way. A Granger jumper and Rush trey gave the Pacers a quick 5-0 edge. And it was all Indiana from there, as the home team ripped off 12 straight points moments later to build a 21-6 margin with about 4 1/2 minutes left. The score was 33-18 after 12 minutes of action. Charlie Villanueva's deuce had Detroit within eight, 37-29, with 8 1/2 minutes to play until halftime. However, the Pacers responded with an ensuing 23-8 run. Granger's slam capped the burst, making it a 60-37 contest. Indiana led 62-41 at the break and held an 87-70 margin following three periods.
Game Notes
The Pacers were without guard T.J. Ford (groin)...Ben Wallace also made his return to the lineup on Friday. Wallace, who hadn't played in the last eight games due to a sore right knee, ended with seven rebounds for the Pistons...Indiana shot 53.7 percent from the field, while Detroit made 43.4 percent of its shots.
Toney Douglas scored 14 of his 22 points in the fourth quarter, rallying the short-handed New York Knicks to a 92-88 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night.
Danilo Gallinari scored 25 points, and Bill Walker added 15 for the Knicks, who returned from a five-game trip to beat the 76ers for the second time in five days. They won 94-84 in Philadelphia on Monday night after dominating the second half.
Elton Brand scored 19 points, and Andre Iguodala had 17 for the 76ers, who have lost six of seven.
Kalin Lucas scored a career-high 25 points and Raymar Morgan emerged from a quiet night by hitting key shots down the stretch as fifth-seeded Michigan State edged No. 12 New Mexico State 70-67 on Friday in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
Morgan broke a late tie with four straight points, then made two free throws with 18.6 seconds remaining with the aid of a lane-violation call.
Troy Gillenwater scored 17 points, including a 3-pointer with 18.6 seconds left that got New Mexico State (22-12) within 68-67. Jonathan Gibson added 16.
Kyle Singler had 22 points and 10 rebounds for Duke, which never trailed. Jon Scheyer scored 13 and Lance Thomas 12. Nolan Smith added 10 points on a subpar shooting night (3 for 10) for the junior guard.
Arkansas-Pine Bluff shot 32 percent and turned the ball over 16 times. Tavaris Washington led the Golden Lions with nine points. They turned in a respectable defensive performance, but struggled to score against Duke's bigger, more physical frontcourt.
The victory gave coach Mike Krzyzewski his 11th 30-win season in three decades at Duke, which has made 10 trips to the Final Four under him, though none since 2006.
Joe Johnson sank a fallaway jumper over three Charlotte defenders just before time expired to lift the Atlanta Hawks past the Bobcats, 93-92 in overtime on Friday night.
Johnson had 18 points, including 16 in the fourth quarter and overtime. He made his winning shot about two steps inside the 3-point line.
Felton led Charlotte with 25 points. Gerald Wallace had 20 points and 16 rebounds in his return from an ankle injury. Stephen Jackson added 19 points.
Pacers 106, Pistons 102: Rodney Stuckey's return not enough
Danny Granger scored 29 points in his return from a cheek injury, and Troy Murphy had 20 points in the Indiana Pacers 106-102 victory over the Detroit Pistons on Friday night.
Indiana trailed only once all night, 95-94, before sealing the win with an 8-0 run. Detroit's Rodney Stuckey returned to action for the first time since collapsing on the bench during a game two weeks ago. He led the Pistons with 25 points -- nearly enough to pull off an improbable comeback.
The Pacers led by double digits most of the game, but Detroit opened the fourth quarter on a 10-5 run and took its only lead when DaJuan Summers ended a 15-0 run with a 21-footer with 2:51 to go.Brandon Rush and Roy Hibbert had 15 points each for Indiana.
Video in the link above^.Rodney Stuckey Returns
Rodney Stuckey checks in to the game and hits a jumper to give Detroit a lift in Indiana.
Video in the link above^.Pistons vs. Pacers: First half
Troy Murphy scores 18 points in the first half to lead the Pacers to a 62-41 lead over the Pistons at the half.
LeBron James became the youngest player to score 15,000 career points, breaking Kobe Bryant's mark by about two years, and the Cleveland Cavaliers pulled away late to beat the Chicago Bulls 92-85 on Friday night for their 12th win in 13 games.
Mo Williams added 18 points for the Cavaliers, who continued to roll without the injured Shaquille O'Neal. They're 10-1 with their big man recovering from a thumb injury.
The Bulls hung close without the injured Derrick Rose, Luol Deng and Joakim Noah, but matched their longest losing streak since November 2001 despite strong efforts by rookies Taj Gibson (20 points, 13 rebounds) and James Johnson (16 points).
DetNews: Pacers 106, Pistons 102: Rodney Stuckey's return not enough: Detroit's Rodney Stuckey returned to actio... http://twurl.nl/fxz3pr
MLive: Impressive rally comes up short as Pistons lose to Pacers for third time this season: INDIANAPOLIS – The De... http://bit.ly/ary3iE
Freep: Stuckey back as Pistons play Pacers: Rodney Stuckey returned to the Pistons' lineup tonight against the Pac... http://bit.ly/acb0CZ
Deng out another '2 to 3 weeks'
About an hour before tip-off of Friday night's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at the United Center, I asked coach Vinny Del Negro if it was safe to assume Luol Deng was out for Saturday's game at Philadelphia.
That's when Del Negro dropped the news that forward Luol Deng won't be playing any time soon -- if at all the remainder of this season. "Luol is gonna be out two to three weeks probably," Del Negro said. "Luol's gonna be out a while."
As I reported from Dallas on Thursday, Deng was limping noticeably after working out before the game. "[Deng] tried to warm up a little bit against Dallas," Del Negro said. "He was feeling better every day and thought he was getting close and then he started doing some straight ahead jogging and it really swelled up on him, so it's gonna be two or three weeks. Hopefully, two, but he has more inflammation now than he had before, so that's a setback. He's definitely gonna be out for a little bit." If Deng is sidelined three weeks, that means he could return for the final five days of the regular season. But it's just as likely he'll miss the rest of the regular season.