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The Indiana Pacers won their fourth consecutive game by once again shutting down the Detroit Pistons to sweep the season series and maintain second place in the Eastern Conference.
In the four wins over Detroit, a team averaging 94.7 points per game, the Pistons scored an average of 77.5 points against the Pacers stingy defense. The Pistons went over 80 in just one game, scoring 82 in the 34-point blowout at the Fieldhouse on Friday thanks 30 points during a full fourth quarter of garbage time.
This made for a nice environment to let Danny Granger make his season debut. After a clunky first period the Pacers kicked their attack into gear to finish the second half and kept the Pistons under their thumb the rest of the way. Granger's second half run was all about getting a bucket for 33.
Easier said than done. But while it took some time before Granger splashed a mid-range jumper on the baseline, the wait was worth it. A time out following the bucket allowed the Pacers bench to treat Granger's first points of the season like a Little League team celebrating a home run. Just another of a million signs that this team is connected to the core.
The weekend sweep sets up a challenging week for the Pacers with the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers visiting the Fieldhouse to close out February.
Check out the links:
Pacers at Pistons - Box score and highlights
Game Rewind: Pacers vs Pistons | THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE INDIANA PACERS
West, Pacers earn home-and-home sweep of Pistons - AP
He's Back #GrangerReturns | THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE INDIANA PACERS
Granger returns as Pacers pound Pistons again | 1070 The Fan – Opinion & Analysis
Detroit Pistons offense has worst night of season in 90-72 loss to Indiana Pacers | MLive.com
Pacers: What did you think of Granger’s debut? | Pacers Insider
Revisiting the blockbuster NBA trades from well before the deadline - SBNation.com