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INDIANAPOLIS – Pacers coach Jim O’Brien might want to re-evaluate his point guards.
O’Brien benched T.J. Ford for 18 games, saying veteran Earl Watson and rookie A.J. Price gave the team its best chance to win. When O’Brien finally called on Ford, he put up 11 points and five assists in 23 minutes to help the Pacers beat the Detroit Pistons 107-83 on Friday night.
“I thought he looked sharp,” O’Brien said. “It’s a credit to his professionalism. He showed everybody what he’s all about, staying in a frame of mind and staying ready.”
Danny Granger scored 25 points and Brandon Rush added 16 in one of the Pacers’ most lopsided wins in the series.
Only a last-second layup by Detroit prevented the Pacers from tying the franchise record for its biggest win over the Pistons, a 26-point blowout in 1995.
Sitting out was strange for a player who had started 25 of 31 games before O’Brien made the change.
“Definitely, it is challenging, but I think I’ve grown as a professional,” Ford said. “It’s just making me stronger. It can only help me. I don’t think it can get no worse than this.”
Ben Gordon scored 26 points and Rodney Stuckey added 16 for the Pistons
BUCKS 114, KNICKS 107: Brandon Jennings scored 19 of his 22 points in the second half to lead Milwaukee to a victory in New York.
Ersan Ilyasova came off the bench to score a career-high 25 points.
David Lee had a season-high 32 points and grabbed 15 rebounds for the Knicks, who lost for the eighth time in 11 games. Reserve Al Harrington scored 22 points.
CELTICS 96, NETS 87: Eddie House scored all 10 of his points in the fourth quarter, helping Boston overcome a slow start and pull away at home.
Ray Allen scored 26 points and Rajon Rondo added 17 as Boston won its third straight game.
Brook Lopez scored 19 points for New Jersey, which fell to 4-45 with its fifth straight loss.
HAWKS 91, BULLS 81: Josh Smith posted his second career triple-double in Atlanta’s home win over Chicago. Smith had 18 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists.
Joe Johnson had 18 points and Jamal Crawford added 17 for Atlanta.
Luol Deng had 20 points and eight rebounds, and Derrick Rose scored 19 points for the Bulls, who lost their third straight.
WIZARDS 92, MAGIC 91: Caron Butler made a 19-foot jumper with 0.5 second remaining, capping Washington’s comeback from a 21-point deficit in Orlando, Fla.
Butler finished with 31 points and nine rebounds, and Randy Foye had 22 points and seven assists for the Wizards.
ROCKETS 101, GRIZZLIES 83: Aaron Brooks had 19 points and eight rebounds to help visiting Houston send Memphis to its fourth defeat in five games.
Trevor Ariza and Carl Landry finished with 17 points apiece, and Luis Scola added 12 points for the Rockets, who have won three of four.
Marc Gasol led the Grizzlies with 17 points and eight rebounds.
76ERS 101, HORNETS 94: Thaddeus Young made his first seven shots and finished with 19 points to lead Philadelphia to a road victory.
Andre Iguodala scored 14 points, and Samuel Dalembert added 16 rebounds for the Sixers, who stretched their winning streak to a season-high three games.
Peja Stojakovic had 23 points and Darren Collison scored 17 for New Orleans.
TIMBERWOLVES 117, MAVERICKS 108: Jonny Flynn scored 19 points and visiting Minnesota finished the game on a 13-2 run to snap a 13-game losing streak against Dallas.
Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki did not start after he was late for the team’s shootaround before the game. The nine-time All-Star finished with 21 points and grabbed eight rebounds.
Kevin Love had 17 points and 11 rebounds for the Timberwolves.
