Troy Murphy scores 25 points, Pacers beat Nets for 10th win in 12 games

Pacers beat Nets for 10th win in 12 games

INDIANAPOLIS — Troy Murphy had 25 points and nine rebounds to lead the streaking Indiana Pacers to a 115-102 victory over the New Jersey Nets on Saturday night.

Danny Granger scored 16 of his 22 points in the second half, and Dahntay Jones had 18 points for the Pacers, who won their fourth straight game to improve to 32-48. Indiana has won 10 of 12 to continue its last-season surge.

Brook Lopez had 20 points and Yi Jianlian added 18 points and seven rebounds for the Nets (12-68), who had won five of their previous nine games for their best stretch of the season.

The Nets cut it to 90-83 early in the fourth quarter, but Jones’ 3-point play stopped their momentum. Terrence Williams’ layup and free throw cut the deficit back to seven, but the Pacers answered with Jones’ jumper and A.J. Price’s 3-pointer to take a 100-88 lead with less than 8 minutes left.

The Nets shot nearly 67 percent from the field in the opening quarter and took a 34-25 lead on Chris Douglas-Robert’s layup to end the period. New Jersey extended the advantage to 12 in the second quarter, but the Pacers chipped away and got to 60-56 on Josh McRoberts’ dunk to end the half.

Indiana shot 59 percent in the third quarter and was 4 of 8 from 3-point range to begin to take control. The Pacers tied it at 62 on Granger’s layup, and Murphy’s jumper late in the period gave Indiana an 88-76 edge.

NOTES: Pacers G T.J. Ford (left groin) and F Tyler Hansbrough (ear infection) did not play. … Nets F Jarvis Hayes (ankle) did not play. .. Indiana swept the season series 4-0. The Pacers won every game by at least eight points. … The Nets were trying to win consecutive games for the second time this season. … Nets G Courtney Lee attended Pike High School in Indianapolis and went to college at Western Kentucky. He finished with 15 points.