Bobcats-Pacers Preview
4/12/2008 12:57 AM
By NICOLINO DI BENEDETTO
STATS Writer
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The Indiana Pacers hope a season-high fifth consecutive win can help them gain some ground in the race for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. They'll try to do just that by taking advantage of a home matchup against the Charlotte Bobcats.
The Pacers (35-44) are ninth in the East, two games behind Atlanta, which holds the eighth and final playoff spot. Both teams have three games left, and Indiana holds the tiebreaker between the clubs. Any combination of Indiana losses and Atlanta wins equaling two will eliminate the Pacers.
Indiana kept pace with Atlanta on Friday, winning 85-76 at Philadelphia while the Hawks beat the Knicks 116-104. Danny Granger powered the Pacers' season high-tying fourth win in a row with 30 points and 12 rebounds.
"We knew Atlanta was winning," Granger said. "We knew we had to have this one."
Granger, who leads the team with a career-high 19.1 points per game, is averaging 24.3 points and 9.0 rebounds over the last three games.
The swingman didn't play in the last meeting against the Bobcats (30-49) due to a sprained right wrist, but the Pacers still won 102-95 to improve to 5-1 in the all-time series at Conseco Fieldhouse.
Granger totaled 30 points in the first two season matchups at Charlotte - both losses.
Indiana has not dropped a season series to the Bobcats, but the teams split four contests in 2005-06 before the Pacers took two of three meetings last season.
The Bobcats, who are 10-29 on the road, will finish fourth in the Southeast Division for a fourth consecutive season.
They saw their franchise-record four-game road winning streak come to an end Wednesday, falling 109-107 at New York, where Emeka Okafor missed a potential game-tying jumper at the buzzer.
"We did a good job coming back into the game, but it's a tired, long season," said Bobcats swingman Jason Richardson, who had 25 points and 10 rebounds. "We didn't come out well in the first quarter. I think we burnt a lot of energy in the second half trying to play catch-up."
Richardson, who leads Charlotte with 21.5 points per game, is averaging 26.5 and 7.3 boards int he last six road games. He totaled team highs of 20 points and 10 rebounds at Indiana on March 19.
The Bobcats will visit New Jersey on Tuesday before ending their season against Philadelphia at home on Wednesday.
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