NDIANAPOLIS (AP)—
Danny Granger scored 34 points to lead the Indiana Pacers past the slumping Atlanta Hawks 113-96 on Tuesday night.
Rasho Nesterovic scored 21 points, Jeff Foster had 12 and Troy Murphy added 10 points and 19 rebounds for the Pacers (5-5), who won their fifth consecutive home game against Atlanta.
Joe Johnson finished with 25 points, Marvin Williams scored 14 and Mike Bibby and Maurice Evans each scored 13 for the Hawks (6-4). After a 6-0 start, Atlanta has lost four straight.
The Pacers, who led 32-25 to end the first quarter, opened a 61-46 advantage on Nesterovic’s three-point play with 51 seconds left in the half. Indiana shot 58 percent from the field and was led by Granger’s 17 points.
Atlanta got within nine points in the third quarter, but Jarrett Jack ended the period with a layup to push the lead back to 88-73. Brandon Rush gave the Pacers their biggest lead, 90-73, early in the fourth quarter.
The Hawks cut the deficit to 95-88 following Johnson’s 3-pointer and Acie Law’s layup with 8 minutes left. Indiana answered with baskets from Marquis Daniels and Granger to regain the momentum.
Notes
Hawks C Al Horford left the game with 5:21 left in the first quarter with a right ankle injury and did not return. X-rays were negative. … Pacers G Mike Dunleavy (right knee) missed the game and has yet to play this season. … Hawks F Josh Smith (left ankle) and G Speedy Claxton (left knee) did not play. … Foster hit a rare 3-pointer to end the first quarter. He was 0-for-1 from beyond the arc this season.
