IC Cold Links: Granger Plans To Play All Out For Remaining Games

Danny Granger's head injury is gone and passed, and the Indiana Pacers star is ready to finish out the season.

After missing just one game after taking an inadvertent elbow to his cheek during Tuesday's win at Charlotte, Granger returned last night to play 39 minutes, scoring 29 points, dishing six assists and nabbing three steals in a 106-102 win over the Pistons.

With the playoffs out-of-sight for the Pacers, it was thought that the team might shut their star down for a few weeks in order to help him rest and get completely healthy. But Granger isn't ready to quit yet. He wants to finish the season improving with his teammates.

"It's not my nature to sit out," Granger told the Indianapolis Star. "I think every game we play from here on out -- even though we're not making the playoffs -- it's a time to get better as individuals and as a team. You can only do that by playing, and if I'm healthy, I'm going to play."

When Granger suffered the injury he looked as though he had been shot on the court. After stumbling from baseline-to-baseline, he finally collapsed near the Pacers' bench where he was finally stood up and taken back to the locker room.

"I've been hit in the head a bunch of times but not to where I was all disoriented," Granger said. "I was aware what was going on somewhat. I started walking and tried to straighten up, but it wasn't happening. I was sore in the face. I thought I had fractured a bone in my face, but it was all good. Thank goodness there wasn't anything wrong with my eye."

More links after the jump.

• AP Story
• Box Score
• NBA.com Recap
• PACERS: Inside the Game: Pacers 106, Pistons 102
  Bruno's Inside The Game report has all of the numbers, notes, quotes and highlights.
• Pacers barely hang on
  Mike Wells reports on Detroit's comeback to make things interesting last night at the Reggie Miller Fieldhouse.
• Rodney Stuckey leads Pistons with 25 in 1st game back
  The Detroit Free Press gives a recap from the Detroit perspective.
• Granger returns, pours in 29 points
  In the Indianapolis Star's notebook, we learn about Granger's return to the court, coach Jim O'Brien's reliance on his starters, and Josh McRoberts' return to the rotation.
• Rodney Stuckey gives Pistons a boost in another downer
  The Detroit News notes the Pistons are faltering fast near the end of the season.
• Detroit @ Indiana GameThread
  SB Nation's Detroit Bad Boys provides the gameday thread for Detroit fans.
• It was very different for Hansbrough a year ago
  ProBasketballTalk checks in on rookie Tyler Hansbrough and his continuing struggles with injuries.
• One that nearly got away | Pacers Insider
  Mike Wells blogs about Roy Hibbert's log of many minutes last night due to his increasing ability to stay out of foul trouble.
• Indiana Pacers Likely To Go For Cheap Price
  Forbes has an interesting report on how much money the Pacers would sell for in today's market. According to the article, the Simon's are nearly $150 million in debt trying to keep the franchise afloat.