Granger’s 30 points aid in Cavs’ 10th straight loss

Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS

Danny Granger broke out of his slump and helped extend Cleveland’s slide.

The Indiana forward had 30 points and a season-high 12 rebounds to help the Pacers beat the Cavaliers 108-99 on Friday night, pushing Cleveland’s losing streak to 10 games.

Granger had shot a combined 8 for 27 in losses to Atlanta and the Los Angeles Lakers, and he didn’t play in the loss to Chicago in between because of a sprained ankle. He bounced back to make 12 of 22 shots against the Cavaliers, including four of seven 3-pointers, to help the Pacers snap a three-game skid.

“I went through a stretch when I wasn’t being very aggressive or assertive offensively,” Granger said. “I made a point to just go out and try to be an assassin. That philosophy works better for me. Other games I’ve been coasting.”

It was Granger’s fifth game with 30 or more points this season, and his first since he scored a season-high 37 against Sacramento on Nov. 30.

Meanwhile, the Cavaliers remained in a rut. Humiliating home losses of 19 points to Boston and 28 points to Miami in LeBron James’ return to Cleveland started the downward spiral.

“We just have to get a win,” forward Antawn Jamison said. “We’re doing a good job of 36-40 minutes of pretty good basketball. There are no consolation prizes in the NBA.”

Cleveland’s average margin of defeat during the streak is 17.5 points, but the past two losses, including a six-point defeat at Miami on Wednesday, have been by single digits. At this point, the final score doesn’t seem to be coach Byron Scott’s primary concern.

“The silver lining is us playing two straight games very hard,” he said. “It’s something to build on and stay together as a basketball team.”

Indiana got back on track, showing signs of a turnaround this season after a four-year absence from the playoffs. Roy Hibbert, Mike Dunleavy and Brandon Rush each scored 15 points for the Pacers.

“I thought we played better for 48 minutes,” Dunleavy said. “That’s the only way we can win basketball games.”