Pacers still dealing with injuries

The Pacers came out of their break on fire, as rookie Danny Granger netted a career-high 22 points off the bench to lift Indiana past the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets, 97-75, at Conseco Fieldhouse.

Anthony Johnson added 19 points and Peja Stojakovic chipped in 16 points and nine rebounds for the Pacers, who have won six of their last seven games.

Johnson, playing in place of an injured Jamaal Tinsley, has scored at least 19 points in three of the past four games and he’s had at least five assists in six of the past seven games.

Tinsley is expected to miss his 10th straight game tonight with an elbow injury, while forward Austin Croshere will likely remain sidelined with a concussion.

Over their last two games, the Pacers have held the opposition to an average of 76 points and a combined 35.5 percent from the floor while outrebounding them 101-78. They have also kept their opponents below 40 percent from the field in five of the last seven games.

Indiana, which hosts Atlanta on Friday, plays eight of its next 10 on the road and is 9-15 away from home this season.

The Pacers defeated the Pistons earlier in the season and have won seven of 10 and eight of the last 12 meetings. Indiana has also won two straight and four of its last five in Detroit.

Utah is the only team to defeat the Pistons twice this season.