Granger’s 25 powers Pacers past Knicks

Granger hit on 8-of-10 from the floor and three of his four three-point attempts. Stephen Jackson tallied 19 points and five assists, while Al Harrington had 17 points for the Pacers, who have won the first two games of their current three-game homestand.

Jermaine O’Neal, playing in his second game since missing three contests with a hamstring injury, had a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds.

Jamal Crawford had 29 points, five rebounds and four assists for the Knicks, who were coming off a six-game homestand that saw them go an even 3-3. David Lee and Nate Robinson each had 12 points in the loss.

Eddy Curry had just 10 points in the loss, snapping his string of consecutive games with at least 20 points at 11.

Neither team managed to seize control in the first as New York led 24-22 after the frame behind the strength of 12 points from Crawford.

Indiana, though, outscored the Knicks 42-25 in the second quarter to control the game for good.

New York netted the first five points of the frame to open a 29-22 edge before Granger ignited a 10-0 Pacer run with a dunk and a free throw. A three-pointer by Darrell Armstrong capped the burst and gave Indiana a 32-29 edge with 8:51 left in the second.

Indiana led by that same margin, at 42-39, with about 5 1/2 minutes to go in the frame and netted 13 of the next 14 points to go up 55-40. Granger scored five straight during the barrage while Jamaal Tinsley added four points.

Crawford tried to keep the Knicks in the game as he scored New York’s last seven points of the quarter and his three-pointer with one second left until the half sent his club into the break down 64-49.

Back-to-back baskets by Jackson put the Pacers up by 20 at 72-52 early in the third. The Knicks never threatened the rest of the way as a 9-0 run by the Pacers towards the frame’s conclusion made it an 89-65 game.

New York outscored the Pacers 28-20 in the fourth to account for the final score.

Game Notes

Tinsley ended with 11 points and nine assists. Armstrong had eight points...Lee finished with eight boards while Jared Jeffries had seven points and seven rebounds in the loss...Indiana shot 47.5 percent from the floor. New York hit on 44.4 percent of its shots...The Knicks have lost 10 of their last 12 at Indiana.