The Indiana Pacers are returning home from possibly their most impressive victory of the season. The Cleveland Cavaliers would likely take any win they can get right now.
Losers of four of their last five, the Cavaliers will try to break out of their slump by continuing their recent success at Conseco Fieldhouse on Tuesday night.
The Pacers (6-6) have alternated wins and losses in their last seven games but were happy to continue that pattern Monday night. After falling at home to Orlando on Saturday, Indiana bounced back with a 93-77 victory over Miami on Monday night, limiting Heat All-Star guard Dwyane Wade to a career-worst 1 for 13 from the field.
"(The Miami Heat) have been anticipating doing a lot of things before the season even started so to get the win on the road, this is a big win for us," forward Danny Granger said. "It was a really good team effort on the defensive end."
Granger and Brandon Rush had 20 points apiece to lead the Pacers.
"It is definitely a momentum builder for us," said Rush, whose previous season high was 16.
The Cavaliers (5-7) are coming off a pair of road losses to the NBA's elite. One night after falling 108-101 to New Orleans, Cleveland suffered a 116-92 rout Saturday at San Antonio.
"We wanted to use these two games as a measuring stick," forward Antawn Jamison said. "We showed signs, but it's just not consistent 48 minutes."
While poor defense has done in Cleveland in the last two games, an inability to score doomed the Cavs in a 99-85 home loss to the Pacers on Nov. 13. Granger scored a season-high 34 points for Indiana in that game, while Jamison had a team-best 19 for the Cavaliers, who shot just 38.6 percent.
Granger, averaging 21.2 points this season, also scored 36 points in last season's final meeting with Cleveland, a 116-113 road victory April 9. The Cavaliers are focused on limiting him this time.
"We're going to throw numbers at him. It's going to be a group of guys," Cleveland swingman Joey Graham said. "There's a lot of guys we're going to throw at him."
While Cleveland has lost consecutive matchups in the overall series, it has won six of seven in Indianapolis. In their last visit, the Cavaliers limited the Pacers to 33.7 percent shooting and Granger to 13 points in a 94-73 blowout Jan. 29.
Losers of four of their last five, the Cavaliers will try to break out of their slump by continuing their recent success at Conseco Fieldhouse on Tuesday night.
The Pacers (6-6) have alternated wins and losses in their last seven games but were happy to continue that pattern Monday night. After falling at home to Orlando on Saturday, Indiana bounced back with a 93-77 victory over Miami on Monday night, limiting Heat All-Star guard Dwyane Wade to a career-worst 1 for 13 from the field.
"(The Miami Heat) have been anticipating doing a lot of things before the season even started so to get the win on the road, this is a big win for us," forward Danny Granger said. "It was a really good team effort on the defensive end."
Granger and Brandon Rush had 20 points apiece to lead the Pacers.
"It is definitely a momentum builder for us," said Rush, whose previous season high was 16.
The Cavaliers (5-7) are coming off a pair of road losses to the NBA's elite. One night after falling 108-101 to New Orleans, Cleveland suffered a 116-92 rout Saturday at San Antonio.
"We wanted to use these two games as a measuring stick," forward Antawn Jamison said. "We showed signs, but it's just not consistent 48 minutes."
While poor defense has done in Cleveland in the last two games, an inability to score doomed the Cavs in a 99-85 home loss to the Pacers on Nov. 13. Granger scored a season-high 34 points for Indiana in that game, while Jamison had a team-best 19 for the Cavaliers, who shot just 38.6 percent.
Granger, averaging 21.2 points this season, also scored 36 points in last season's final meeting with Cleveland, a 116-113 road victory April 9. The Cavaliers are focused on limiting him this time.
"We're going to throw numbers at him. It's going to be a group of guys," Cleveland swingman Joey Graham said. "There's a lot of guys we're going to throw at him."
While Cleveland has lost consecutive matchups in the overall series, it has won six of seven in Indianapolis. In their last visit, the Cavaliers limited the Pacers to 33.7 percent shooting and Granger to 13 points in a 94-73 blowout Jan. 29.
