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Granger has 32 as Pacers top Rockets 104-102 in OT

E.Martin3 months ago

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Houston Rockets guard Courtney Lee (5) defends Indiana Pacers’ Paul George (24) in the first half of an NBA basketball game Sunday, April 1, 2012, in Houston. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)

(AP) Danny Granger scored 32 points, including two free throws with 15.7 seconds left in overtime, and the Indiana Pacers beat the Houston Rockets 104-102 on Sunday night.


The Pacers led by one when Paul George turned the ball over. Courtney Lee grabbed it and looked to have tied the ball up for Houston, but he stumbled trying to wrestle it away from the Pacers and was called for traveling.


Granger’s free throws came next, before Chandler Parsons made a layup on the other end to again cut the lead to 1.


Darren Collison made the first of two free throws with 10.5 seconds left and Granger blocked a shot by Parsons at the buzzer to give Indiana the victory.


Goran Dragic led the Rockets with 22 points and Lee added 20.


The Pacers overcame a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit to force overtime and controlled the early part of the extra period.


A three-point play by George followed by a 3-pointer from Granger gave Indiana a 101-95 lead with 2 minutes left in overtime. But Houston scored five points in 7 seconds to cut the lead to 101-100 with 39 seconds remaining. Dragic hit a 3-pointer before Parsons got a steal and a layup.


The Pacers could have won it in regulation, but Collison missed two of four free throws in the last 20 seconds to give Houston a chance.


Granger gave the Pacers a 91-89 lead with 38 seconds left and Collison made one of two free throws a few seconds later to extend the lead.


Dragic got Houston within 92-91 with a jump shot with 16 seconds left before Collison again made one of two free throws. Dragic made a pair of free throws with 10 seconds left to tie it again.


Indiana’s David West, who had 12 points, missed a shot at the buzzer to send it to overtime.


Roy Hibbert, who has been dealing with a sore lower back, started but spent several minutes early in the second quarter on a stationary bike with a wrap on his back. He finished with 15 points, nine rebounds and a season-high five blocks in about 35 minutes.


Houston’s Marcus Camby continues to be effective despite playing with an injured left wrist. He had 10 points, nine rebounds, four steals and four blocked shots with the wrist heavily taped in his second straight start.


The Pacers went on a 10-0 run to erase a nine-point deficit and take an 81-80 lead with 5 1/2 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Granger hit consecutive 3-pointers to cap that run and Luis Scola missed three straight shots, including a layup, to help keep Houston scoreless in that span.


Parsons finished with 14 points and Scola had 13 for Houston.


Houston used 7-0 run, with five points from Parsons, to extend a one-point lead to 65-57 with just under 4 minutes remaining in the third quarter. Camby blocked a layup by Hibbert and Collison had a turnover to keep the Pacers scoreless in that stretch.


Indiana cut the lead to 67-63 after outscoring Houston 6-2, with four points from Lou Amundson, in the next 2 1/2 minutes. But the Rockets ended the quarter with another run, this one 6-0, to take a 73-63 lead into the fourth quarter.


The Rockets trailed by nine points early in the second quarter before using a 19-12 run to close the gap to 44-42 at halftime. Earl Boykins started that run with a 3-pointer and Samuel Dalembert had a pair of dunks in that span.


Indiana was up 18-9 early after a 3-pointer by Granger. Houston got going after that and outscored the Pacers 14-9 the rest of the quarter to cut the lead to 27-23 after one.


NOTES: Houston’s Kyle Lowry has missed 13 games in a row because of a bacterial infection and teammate Kevin Martin has been out 11 straight with a sprained right shoulder. ... Lee has scored in double figures in a season-high-tying five straight games.


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