The Pacers tied a franchise record with 14 3-pt field goals made at Philadelphia on Monday, Jan. 21. That was the fifth time in their NBA history that the Pacers have hit that figure, but it was the first time ever on the road. Prior to Monday, the last time Indiana made 14 3-pt field goals was in a double-overtime loss to Dallas, Feb. 5, 2002.
In the last four games, Danny Granger has averaged 24.3 ppg, and scored 20 or more points three times. He scored 20 or more points just three times in the previous 18 games and averaged 15.1 ppg in that span.
Including a team season-best 12-12 vs. Golden State, Jan. 16, Granger has made 35 of his 38 free throws (.921) in the last six games.
In his last six appearances, Shawne Williams has averaged 9.8 ppg and shot 22-39 from the floor (.564). He shot 5-12 3-pt FGS (.417) and 10-13 from the foul line (.769) in those six games.
Jeff Foster has come off the bench to lead the Pacers in rebounds in each of the last three games. In those three games, he has averaged 12.0 rpg and has accumulated an average of 5.0 offensive rebounds per game. Foster tied a season-high with eight offensive rebounds vs. Sacramento, Jan. 19. Foster is 12th in the league this season with 124 offensive rebounds
Foster’s three offensive rebounds at Philadelphia moved him past Rik Smits into fifth place on the Pacers’ all-time career list with 1,534 offensive boards.
Including his season-high 25 points at Philadelphia, Kareem Rush has scored 10+ points in 14 of the last 20 games. In those 20 games, he has averaged 12.6 ppg and shot 99-215 from the (.460), including 43-97 from 3-pt range (.443). In his first 19 appearances, Rush averaged just 3.2 ppg and scored in double figures once. In the first 19 games, he shot just 23-74 FGS (.311) and 9-34 from 3-pt range (.265).
Travis Diener has averaged 9.0 ppg and 3.3 apg in the last six games. In that time frame, he has scored a career-best 19 points at Sacramento, Jan. 12, and handed out a career-best six assists twice–vs. Golden State, Jan. 16, and at Philadelphia, Jan. 21. He committed just seven turnovers in those six games for an assists-to-turnover ratio of 2.86:1.
The Pacers had assists on 35 of their 41 field goals against the 76ers at Wachovia Center on Monday and 35 assists are a season-high. The Pacers have had 30 or more assists four times this season, but just once in the last 20 games.
Having posted their 10th road win of 2007-08 at Philadelphia on Monday, Jan. 21, the Pacers are one of just five NBA teams that have more wins on the road than they do at home. The Pacers are 9-10 at home.
Jermaine O’Neal out at least 2 weeks
Pacers forward Jermaine O’Neal will miss a minimum of two weeks, starting with Saturday night’s home game against Sacramento, due to a bone bruise on his left knee.
In 33 games this season the 6-11, 260-pound O’Neal has averaged 15.3 points (just 44.3% shooting), 7.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 2.2 blocks.
Tying his season-high, Jermaine O’Neal blocked six shots at Golden State on Sunday, Jan. 13. That was his 14th straight game with at least two blocked shots and he is now seventh in the NBA with an average of 2.31 blocks per game.
With his two steals at Phoenix on Tuesday, Jan. 9, Jamaal Tinsley became just the sixth player in franchise history with 650 steals in his career. With his three thefts in the next game at Sacramento, he moved ahead of Billy Knight for fifth place on the franchise’s all-time career list.
Against the Warriors, the Pacers had nine steals, their season-high fifth straight game with at least nine thefts. For the season, Indiana is ninth in the league, and fourth in the Eastern Conference, with an average of 7.84 steals per game.
In tying their season-high 14 steals at Sacramento, the Pacers had five players with at least two steals each. That was just the third time this season, and second time in three games, that the Pacers have had more than three players with at least two steals. Indiana had four players with two steals apiece at Utah, Jan. 8.
The Pacers outscored the Warriors, 19-16, at the foul line at Golden State, Jan. 13, ending a streak of 22 straight games in which the Pacers had not outscored its opponent from the free throw line.
The Pacers fielded their eighth different starting lineup of 2007-08, and their 28th since the start of 2006-07, when Kareem Rush was inserted at guard for the game at Sacramento, Jan. 12. In that starting combination Mike Dunleavy moved to forward and Jermaine O’Neal started at center.
The NBA announced on Friday, Jan. 12, that David Harrison of the Indiana Pacers had been suspended without pay for five games for violating the terms of the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program. Harrison’s suspension began with the game at Sacramento, Jan. 12.
In the fourth and final update before All-Star starters are announced, which was released on Thursday, Jan. 10, Jermaine O’Neal was seventh among Eastern Conference centers with 143,026 votes. Balloting will continue through Jan. 20 and there are several promotions planned for the games at Conseco Fieldhouse between now and then. Among those promotions will be autograph sessions for fans that turn in a required number of completed ballots. The All-Star starters will be announced during an NBA double-header on TNT Thursday, Jan. 24.
David Harrison suspended for drugs
David Harrison of the Indiana Pacers has been suspended without pay for five games by the NBA for violating the terms of the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program.
Harrison’s suspension will begin with Saturday night’s game when the Pacers visit the Sacramento Kings.
Statement from Pacers’ President of Basketball Operations, Larry Bird, regarding the suspension of David Harrison by the NBA: “We are very disapppointed with the news that David Harrison has been suspended. This is a private matter and we will do what we can to provide David any help going forward.”
Persuant to the Collective Bargaining Agreement, only the league disciplines for violations of the anti-drug program.

