INDIANAPOLIS -- Early this season, the Detroit Pistons recognized their need for more points in the paint. So they traded for Allen Iverson in November, hoping he would help solve the problem.
Iverson is getting into the paint often. But Detroit's points in the paint still rank among the NBA's worst this season.
Wednesday's 110-106 overtime loss to Indiana was another game in which the Pistons were outscored around the basket.
Detroit came into the game ranked 28th out of 30 teams in points scored in the paint (33.9). On Wednesday, it had 28 compared to Indiana's 32.
Often when Iverson gets into the paint, he tries to pass instead of finishing off the play by scoring.
"That's his read," Pistons coach Michael Curry said. "When he gets in there, he gets in there, looking to score."
Curry said there are times when Iverson gets caught in the air while driving, and rather than try to score, he attempts to pass to a teammate, which has contributed to his team-high 2.8 turnovers per game.
"If he feels he can finish, we want him to finish," Curry said.
Granger stands out
Danny Granger lit up Detroit for 24 points. But he did not need a big-time scoring game to impress Curry, who said Granger probably would be named to the Eastern Conference All-Star team.
"To me, he's an All-Star this year," Curry said. "I thought last year he improved. This year, I think some of it is how much he has improved, and some of it is the kind of system he plays in."
Granger came into the game averaging 26.5 points per game. which ranks fourth in the NBA.
