Pacers drop Bulls

Danny Granger contributed 19 points and Darrell Armstrong 16 points, eight rebounds and 10 assists for the Pacers, who won for the first time in three meetings with the Bulls this season.

Ben Gordon scored 31 points on 11-of-18 shooting for Chicago, which has lost back-to-back contests.

The Pacers led by as many as 20, but the Bulls closed within four midway through the fourth quarter on Gordon’s basket, pulling Chicago to 83-79. The Bulls couldn’t get any closer. They were within five, at 96-91 on Gordon’s three-point play with 54.7 seconds left.

Armstrong then missed a three-point try, but Andres Nocioni’s bad pass resulted in a turnover for the Bulls. Armstrong’s two free throws with 26.1 seconds remaining sealed the win.

Mike Dunleavy had 15 points and seven rebounds for Indiana, which also got 12 from Marquis Daniels.

Luol Deng posted 18 points and Kirk Hinrich 14 for the Bulls, who have lost in 16 of their last 17 trips to Indiana.

It was tight throughout the opening quarter, with the Pacers holding a 27-23 lead after 12 minutes. Indiana scored the final five points of the period and opened the second with a dunk from Ike Diogu.

The Bulls came back to tie the game at 30, but Indiana assumed a 42-33 advantage with just over five minutes left in the half. The Pacers blew it wide open with a 13-1 spurt, culminating with Darrell Armstrong’s layup for a 58-40 margin with 1:05 left in the second quarter.

Indiana led 60-43 at the half behind 14 points from O’Neal and 12 from Daniels.

The Pacers’ cushion reached 20 points with 9:10 left in the third, as a three by Dunleavy extended the score to 69-49.

Chicago’s 11-2 spurt to end the third brought the Bulls within 77-71. Gordon had nine of those points.

Game Notes

Troy Murphy, who started at center, ended with seven points and eight rebounds...Pacers point guard Jamaal Tinsley missed the game because of a sore lower back.