Danny Granger stars as Indiana Pacers rout Atlanta Hawks 96-84 - NBA Recap
Indiana Pacers were routed by Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday but it took them just one night to recover. The Pacers made a strong come back and grabbed their seventh win of the season by overpowering a much stronger team, Atlanta Hawks, 96-84.
Pacers forward, Danny Granger who has been struggling with his shooting in the condensed season so far and missed the last game because of food poisoning, finally got his rhythm back. Granger pounded a game high 24 points on 9 for 16 from the floor including
3 for 5 from the long range.
"I never shoot good at the beginning of the season," Granger said. "Nothing different. I knew it would come around at one point. Everybody else was worried about it more than I was."
Coach Frank Vogel was satisfied with his sharpshooter’s gallant comeback performance as well.
"When you play the right way, good things happen, Even though his ankle was hurt, being out last few days, he maybe got his legs back under him a little bit. When you play the right way, you're going to be effective. He didn't force anything."
David West, Roy Hibbert and reserve Lance Stephenson played the supporting role well and accumulated 12 points apiece.
Pacers shot 45.9% from the floor and 12 for 16 from the charity stripe. They also outmatched the Hawks, who were 37.5% from the floor in the dished out assists as well (25-14).
Josh Smith led the Hawks with 16 points and 7 boards while Joe Johnson bundled 15 on 3 for 5 from the long range. Bench player Zaza Pachulia had 11 points and 7 rebounds whereas Willie Green registered 10 points and 6 rebounds.
A 10-4 spurt by Pacers, after the scores were 14-12, helped them in dominating the complete first frame and end it with an 8 point lead 28-20. Pushing the momentum in the next frame, Pacers continued their supremacy midway through the second frame. They
were ahead by 9 points 42-33, but then Hawks offence finally woke and the team rattled an 11-3 run to get themselves back in the game. Pacers on the other hand, managed to maintain a small but significant lead after that as well and finished the first half
ahead by 53-50.
It was the third frame that decided the fate of the game.
Pacers and Granger changed gears and reeled off a 14-2 burst, capped by a three from Granger in the opening minutes to get ahead by as much as 15 points, 67-52. Then they followed it with another 13-7 run to finish the third quarter with a lead of 21 points
80-59.
Hawks failed to eliminate the mammoth deficit in the deciding quarter and gave up the fight midway through the frame to complete a disappointing loss.
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