Indiana Pacers' Darren Collison (2) makes a move on Charlotte Bobcats' Kemba Walker, rear, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012, in Indianapolis.
(01-07) 18:45 PST Indianapolis (AP) --
Roy Hibbert scored 20 points to help the Indiana Pacers beat the Charlotte Bobcats 99-77 on Saturday night.
Hibbert, who briefly left the game with a sprained right ankle, also had eight rebounds and three blocks. Tyler Hansbrough scored 15 points, Darren Collison had 14, and Danny Granger and George Hill each added 13 for the Pacers (6-2), who improved to 3-0 at home. Indiana was coming off an 87-74 win at Boston on Friday night.
D.J. Augustin scored 20 points, Gerald Henderson had 14 points and 10 rebounds, and Byron Mullens added 10 points and 11 rebounds for the Bobcats (2-6).
Indiana shot 51 percent and held the Bobcats to 33-percent shooting â€" the fifth time the Pacers have held an opponent under 40 percent.
Charlotte led 49-43 at halftime, but the Pacers made a run early in the third quarter. A layup by Collison tied the score at 51, and a tip-in putback by Hibbert on Indiana's next possession put the Pacers ahead. Granger broke out of his slump to push Indiana ahead 56-51. Charlotte shot 1 for 8 from the field during Indiana's 15-3 run to start the second half.
Hibbert scored on back-to-back possessions to give Indiana a four-point lead before he went down with the ankle injury. Right before Hibbert was hurt, Hill was issued a technical foul after disagreeing with a foul call against him, but Augustin missed the free throw and the Bobcats failed to score on the extra possession.
The Pacers took advantage when Jeff Foster scored on a putback to bump Indiana's lead to 68-62.
Indiana led 71-63 at the end of the third after shooting 57 percent from the field in the quarter, while Charlotte made just 5 of 25 shots in the period.
Henderson threw Hill off his back with 10:45 to go and Hill was restrained by Pacers coach Frank Vogel. Indiana's Dahntay Jones made the technical free throw then Henderson was called for an offensive foul after he threw an elbow at Hill on the next possession. By then, Indiana led 76-63, and the Pacers remained in control from there.
Notes: Charlotte F Corey Maggette missed his second straight game with a left hamstring strain. ... Indiana G Lance Stephenson did not play for the second straight game because of a sprained left ankle. ... Charlotte F Tyrus Thomas started and had 10 points and seven rebounds after missing six games with a sprained left ankle. ... Charlotte outrebounded Indiana 15-4 in the first quarter, but finished with just a 48-45 edge. ... Granger left the game briefly with a sprained left ankle. He made a 3-pointer for the 24th straight game, the longest active streak in the league. ... Charlotte F Boris Diaw fouled out in the fourth quarter after scoring just two points on 1-for-8 shooting.
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