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Pacers deliver on promise, beat Celtics 113-104

By MICHAEL MAROT, AP Sports Writer Nov 14, 11:26 pm EST

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INDIANAPOLIS (AP)—Danny Granger(notes) spoke his mind earlier this week.

On Saturday night, he backed up the promise.

After predicting a victory over Boston on Wednesday night, the Pacers All-Star forward scored 29 points, and Indiana used a decisive fourth-quarter run to get past the Celtics 113-104.

“I was looking forward to this game because I love playing the really good teams,” Granger said. “I really love those games. This game, we got up for it and we were ready.”

Granger made sure of it.

At times, he had to almost single-handedly carry the Pacers (4-3). At others, he simply deferred to his teammates, who exposed a Boston defense focused on stopping Granger.

Dahntay Jones(notes) took advantage of that strategy in the fourth quarter, scoring 12 of his season-high 25 points—including eight during the decisive stretch. Four other Pacers finished in double figures and Granger earned more than a victory in the opinion of his teammates.

“He’s doing great being a vocal leader and putting it on the line like that,” guard T.J. Ford(notes) said. “Everybody is going to rally behind him.”

Indiana (4-3) has won four straight after starting 0-3.

Boston (8-3), meanwhile, has lost two straight for the first time this season, and there were a multitude of explanations.

First, there was Granger, who went 6 of 9 from 3-point range, grabbed six rebounds, had four assists, three steals and a blocked shot.

Another problem for the Celtics, injuries.

Three players—Tony Allen(notes), Glen Davis(notes) and Bill Walker(notes) didn’t play. Forward Paul Pierce(notes) started after bruising his left knee in Friday night’s loss to Atlanta, but clearly wasn’t himself. He was 4 of 10 from the field, missed two key free throws late in the game and couldn’t move deftly enough to prevent Jones from driving the lane.

“I obviously hurt us tonight especially on the defensive end,” Pierce said. “I was a step slow all night and it really hurts. I take a lot of blame. Dahntay Jones went out and had one of his best nights, and I’m really going to take that one on the chin right there.”

The more pressing issue was Boston’s lack of composure.

Rasheed Wallace(notes), Kendrick Perkins(notes) and coach Doc Rivers all drew technical fouls—Perkins and Rivers were cited during the Pacers big fourth-quarter run.

“We have the saying no fourth quarter techs, I got one, which I hate getting from the other end, Perk got one,” Rivers said. “So I thought the techs started us unraveling, no doubt,”

That allowed Indiana to become the third opponent to top 90 points against Boston this season. The Celtics are 0-3 in those games and are now 4-1 on the road despite getting a season-high 24 points from Ray Allen(notes).

It just wasn’t enough to keep up with Granger & Co.

“They had more energy, their transition defense was incredible at times,” said Perkins. “At the end of the day, they just played harder.”

Granger was the catalyst.

Boston led 76-70 with 4:03 to play in the third quarter, but Indiana rallied to take an 84-79 lead heading into the fourth.

The Celtics wasted no time coming back. They opened the fourth quarter on an 8-2 run to take an 88-86 lead with 9:56 left in the game and intent to stop Granger.

Indiana’s response: Go to Jones.

“(Coach) Jim O’Brien kept calling my number, told me to be aggressive,” Jones said. “We had something that worked one time, and we kept with it. That’s what you do, you keep milking plays that are working.”

Jones then ignited the decisive 19-8 run that turned a tie game into an 11-point Pacers lead with 4:20 to go.

Boston never challenged again. The Celtics only got as close as six, and a year after the Celtics knocked out Granger’s two front teeth, the Pacers forward got a measure of revenge.

“Kept my teeth, baby,” Granger said. “That’s a good night.”

NOTES: Former Dodgers pitcher Carl Erskine played the national anthem on a harmonica. … Pacers forward Troy Murphy(notes) missed his fourth straight game with a bruised lower back. … Rivers’ son, Jeremiah, and at least seven of his son’s teammates at Indiana University attended the game. … Boston was 3 of 12 on 3-pointers and shot 47.6 percent from the field.

Updated Nov 14, 11:26 pm EST
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Indiana at Charlotte

Sun Nov 22, 2009, 5:00 pm EST

Boston at New York

Sun Nov 22, 2009, 1:00 pm EST

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78 Comments

Post a Comment
  1. Randell D
    78. Posted by Randell D Tue Nov 17 11:38am EST

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    I"m a lakers fan so I decide to stop by to hate on the celtics cuz yall coming over lakers website to hate on the lakers just to let yall know yall aint winning no chamionship this year they are too old, and yall just suck just like the patriots and im still laughing at the call bill belick whatever his name is made that bad call HAHAHA
  2. SCSF- LA where repeats and 3-peats happen!
    77. Posted by SCSF- LA where repeats and 3-peats happen! Mon Nov 16 11:46am EST

    Report Abuse

    Lets talk about what really matters...... THE CURSE of the CHEATING CHOWDERS is alive.........!!!!!!!

    4th and 1 on your own 29.....2:00 left in the game! WTF I'm still LMFAO
  3. TrudyM
    76. Posted by TrudyM Mon Nov 16 8:53am EST

    Report Abuse

    I would like to hear more on tyler handbourgh
  4. jazzing
    75. Posted by jazzing Mon Nov 16 2:51am EST

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    Sounds like a bunch of people that wil never get over the fact that the Celtics have won 17.Championships..The Cav's have ZERO and the Lakers are 2-9 in NBA finals vs the Celtics. Get over it and stop hating..
  5. Mr. Chevelle
    74. Posted by Mr. Chevelle Sun Nov 15 11:02pm EST

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    Hmmmph! If Garnett was playing and not injured the Celtics would have son! But the don't have Garnett so-----uh......what's that? What did you say? Garnett played?? You mean I can't use that excuse anymore? Whaaaaaa!
  6. Steven
    73. Posted by Steven Sun Nov 15 10:49pm EST

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    kiss my pacer ass @#$%
  7. KEITH
    72. Posted by KEITH Sun Nov 15 8:31pm EST

    Report Abuse

    ya know celtic fans are about as ignorant as laker fans ! kiss my pacer a** m***** f****** !
  8. KEITH
    71. Posted by KEITH Sun Nov 15 8:26pm EST

    Report Abuse

    hey gman you're an idiot !
  9. The man your mom loves
    70. Posted by The man your mom loves Sun Nov 15 8:25pm EST

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    Funny how all you are ready to jump out at the Celtics Lose ,An call Celtics Fans band wagoners...Let me guess your lake od Olando fans right? Who went for Olando like 2 years ago?
    Hating as usal....Give me a break..Let the season unfold then talk.......Stop hating..
  10. <i>cavslandrocks</i>
    69. Posted by cavslandrocks Sun Nov 15 7:53pm EST

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    No big deal that they lost two in a row...they'll still be there at the end...no worse than a three seed...which, at this point, is all that can be said for ORL and CLE....what I like about BOS losing is how their "fans" disappear on here, and the ones who do show up have a bunch of excuses...bandwagoners
  11. LakerDeez
    68. Posted by LakerDeez Sun Nov 15 7:51pm EST

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    What happens when the Celtricks meet a younger, more athletic team than them? They get beat. Yeah, yeah, yeah, the Lakers lost on Saturday, but so did the Celtricks. Now with THREE losses, does Sheed's prediction still hold up. At least you didn't hear any Lakers say anything about the Bulls 72-10 season. Phil Jackson even predicted that we would probably lose on Saturday, on the ROAD and on a back to back night. And if anyone is not healthy its the Lakers, without Pau the Lakers are not at full strength. The Celtricks still have their big 3 so stop making up excuses. Fat Baby Davis is not a member of the big 3, he weighs as much as all three, but his talent is nowhere near those three players. I heard you idiots spouting off about the Cavs, well they are 1/2 game out from you guys now. And I believe the Hawks have a better record after beating Boston @ the Garden.
  12. troywood22
    66. Posted by troywood22 Sun Nov 15 5:55pm EST

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    i wish all the boston fans would stop whining about losing...calm down and just accept the fact that for last night the pacers were the better team...no one said they were going to meet up in the eastern conference finals
  13. troywood22
    65. Posted by troywood22 Sun Nov 15 5:53pm EST

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    i wish all the boston fans would stop whining about losing...calm down and just accept the fact that for last night the pacers were the better team...no one said they were going to meet up in the eastern conference finals
  14. G-MAN
    64. Posted by G-MAN Sun Nov 15 5:16pm EST

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    Indiana who?....never heard of 'em........Enjoy the weak win Pacers, if you meet the Celts later on when the metal hits the meat your gonna get destroyed........
  15. <i>beancounter477</i>
    63. Posted by beancounter477 Sun Nov 15 5:05pm EST

    Report Abuse

    pacers should send a nice gift basket to the refs in last nites game,especially in the 4th with the 2 bogus techs and all the garbage fouls they gave the pacers mean while c's driving to the hoop and getting knocked to the ground and nothing....Perk did nothing to warrant a tech, neither did rivers...

    to all those saying all doc does is whine is a moron, every coach complains to the refs during the game its how they get fouls to be called its part of the game and has been for a while now...maybe you should actually watch some games before shooting off your stupid comments...

    did the pacers play well, maybe, all there 3's were falling and granger got them off to a good start... C's did not play there best d and havent the last few games, once they get things figured out they will be back in form because they are just too good to keep playing like this...
  16. David F
    62. Posted by David F Sun Nov 15 3:08pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Hey, the Patriots were UNDEFEATED (16-0) during the 2007 regular season, and the Celtics are almost certain to win more games than that if they can just stay healthy!
  17. faculty
    61. Posted by faculty Sun Nov 15 2:59pm EST

    Report Abuse

    great indiana won a regular season game at home. big deal.
  18. Steven
    60. Posted by Steven Sun Nov 15 2:46pm EST

    Report Abuse

    yeah but she looks kind of hot.
  19. banks
    59. Posted by banks Sun Nov 15 2:11pm EST

    Report Abuse

    who is that @#$% posting ''find chics like me'' @#$%..
    internet dating is a joke..go play with ur self.hoe.

    nways im a celts fan,we lost 2 in a row..the team hasnt played good lately
    but hey..we'll bounce back.everyteam does..so i dont mind..even the new jersy nets will someday get their first win..its just a game. pce.
  20. bluemoon
    58. Posted by bluemoon Sun Nov 15 1:26pm EST

    Report Abuse

    manchester sick in the head as a boston fan grow up if boston ,stop being a baby are you a 13 year old kid m or 30 year old inmature childish kid that have a brain of a 2 year, as a fan i expect more from a team that has that type of talent , now if they don't play up to thier talent ablity ,than they should be critize for how they are playing grow stop acting a like a big big big baby only a a childish inmature call people name grow up grow up grow up , you must be one sick in the head person do you talk to your mother like that! if a child like you, il be crying for the shame to have a child like you, your mother must be a shame of you! your father must look at youand say want an embarrassment to the family! and your first impression state you a a sick sick sick in the head , is your family like that also ! like son like whole family
  21. Jay
    57. Posted by Jay Sun Nov 15 12:44pm EST

    Report Abuse

    Terry D - you are ignorant and serve no purpose, yall.
  22. annoyed
    56. Posted by annoyed Sun Nov 15 11:36am EST

    Report Abuse

    Kevin R Williams Jr's latest id: Patrick Wong! Funny how you can't hide behind all your names ass hole, because you type the same crap. Crying about refs and crying about cheating! Kevin the loser from Hartford online 24-7 with no life! Kevin's been hating the world ever since his Patsie @#$% went 18-1 and choked dick in the Super Bowl! And it kills him to see Boston fail every year like the frauds they are!
    Kevin loves to talk big on the internet, but he'll always back down in real life because he's a coward!
  23. give me a break
    55. Posted by give me a break Sun Nov 15 11:27am EST

    Report Abuse

    Celtics should not make excuses. Pacers just out played them.
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Top Performers

 Top Performers
 Boston
R. Allen Ray Allen
8-18,  24 Pts
5 Rebs, 4 Assists
 Indiana
D. Granger Danny Granger
8-16,  29 Pts
6 Rebs, 4 Assists

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