Injury-Plagued Nets Drop 5th Straight After Loss To Pacers
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) -- Paul George scored 21 points and the Indiana Pacers shot a season-high 52.6 percent in posting a 108-94 victory over the skidding New Jersey Nets on Monday night.
Danny Granger added 15 points and David West scored 13 as the Pacers won for the fourth time in five games and sent the Nets to their fifth straight loss.
Deron Williams scored 22 points and rookie MarShon Brooks added 21 for the Brooklyn-bound Nets, who have not led for a second in their two losses at the Prudential Center in their final season in New Jersey.
The Nets, who are without center Brook Lopez because of a broken foot, also played without power forward Kris Humphries because of a sore left shoulder.
As has been the case most of the season, the Nets fell behind early and never recovered against the Pacers.
Indiana had not shot 40 percent in its first four games and they broke out of the shooting slump against New Jersey, putting five players in double figures. It was outstanding from long range, hitting 13 of 21, or roughly 62 percent.
The Nets struggled on offense, hitting 37 percent from the field and 25 percent (7 of 28) from long range.
Darren Collison opened the game with a 3-pointer and a fadeaway jumper to stake the Pacers to a 5-0 lead. The Nets closed to 14-12 on a 3-pointer by Brooks midway through the quarter but Granger hit a 3-pointer, Roy Hibbert hit a hook in the lane and George Hill nailed another 3-pointer after Williams hit a layup for New Jersey.
Indiana led by eight after the first quarter and by six at the half. The Nets stayed within striking distance for most of the third quarter before the Pacers closed the period with a 12-4 run to take a 77-64 lead. Hibbert started the spurt with a layup, Granger hit a 3-pointer and Tyler Hansbrough hit a baseline jumper for a 72-60 lead and the Nets never got close again.
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