Recap: New Jersey vs. Indiana
Sports Network | November 12, 2008
East Rutherford, NJ (Sports Network) - T.J. Ford scored 18 points, doled out nine assists and hauled in seven rebounds to lead the Indiana Pacers in a 98-87 victory over the New Jersey Nets from the IZOD Center.
Marquis Daniels and Jeff Foster scored 16 points apiece for the Pacers, who have won three straight contests. Jarrett Jack had 13 points for Indiana, which had six players in double figures for the first time this season.
Vince Carter tallied 28 points and dished out seven helpers for the Nets, who have dropped three straight and five of six overall. Jarvis Hayes had 15 points and Yi Jianlian scored 11 and had eight boards in defeat.
The Pacers jumped out to a 28-24 lead after the first quarter and held a 50-43 advantage at the intermission.
Yi nailed a three-pointer to open the second half, but Indiana responded by scoring the next six points to assume a 10-point lead.
"Everybody's stepping up to the plate," Ford said. "We have a lot of chemistry and we continue to build on it. Good teams get wins on the road and we're happy to get this one."
Daniels and Rasho Nesterovic connected on layups and Brandon Rush drained a jumper to make it 56-46 in favor of the Pacers with 9:04 left in the third.
Moments later, baskets from Nesterovic, Daniels and Ford gave the visiting team its biggest lead of the game, 64-48, but the Nets battled back to cut it to 69-59 heading into the final 12 minutes of play.
The Nets fell behind by 12 early in the fourth, but used a 7-0 run to get back into it. Hayes connected on a free throw to start the run and Sean Williams followed with a putback layup before Keyon Dooling hit a jumper and Williams' dunk closed it out to make it 76-71.
Indiana answered with a Jack three-pointer and Daniels dunk to balloon its lead back to 10, 81-71, with just under seven minutes left in the game.
"We have to find balance, we can't be great for stretches and then not so great for stretches," Dooling said. "We have to find balance."
The Nets never threatened the rest of the way.
"The energy and effort was lacking in the fourth quarter," Carter said.
Indiana forward Danny Granger did not play after his quadriceps cramped up during warmups...It was the fifth 20-plus effort from Carter this season...The Pacers hadn't won in East Rutherford since Feb. 26, 2006 (four games)...Pacers forward Troy Murphy (virus) did not play...The Pacers have won three straight in the series.
