By CLIFF BRUNT
AP Sports Writer
Updated: 2012-04-14T01:57:42Z
Darron Cummings
Cleveland Cavaliers' Lester Hudson, right, is defended by Indiana Pacers' Louis Amundson during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, April 13, 2012, in Indianapolis.
INDIANAPOLIS -- Danny Granger scored 18 points to help the Indiana Pacers defeat the Cleveland Cavaliers 102-83 on Friday night and clinch a playoff berth.
Tyler Hansbrough scored 16 points, George Hill had 15 and seven assists, Leandro Barbosa scored 13 points and Roy Hibbert added 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Pacers, who have won seven of eight. The Pacers have won all three games Hill has started at point guard while Darren Collison has recovered from a sore groin.Indiana (37-22) matched its win total from last season. The Pacers are in third place in the Eastern Conference standings.Omri Casspi matched a season high with 14 points and Samardo Samuels had 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Cavaliers. Cleveland shot just 35 percent from the field.The Pacers, best known for their defense, scored more than 100 points for the eighth time in nine games. Indiana won the season series 3-1.Indiana trailed 36-23 in the second quarter, but Hill scored five points during a 9-0 run to tighten the game. Cleveland led 43-41 at halftime.A basket by Hibbert tied the game at 43 less than a minute into the third quarter, and a basket by David West gave Indiana a 45-43 lead. A dunk by Granger gave Indiana a 53-45 lead. Cleveland made just 1 of its first 11 shots in the second half before calling a timeout.It didn't help. A dunk by Dahntay Jones increased Indiana's lead to 66-50, and the Pacers led 75-56 at the end of the quarter. Indiana outscored Cleveland 34-13 in the period as the Cavaliers shot 3 for 18.NOTES: Anderson Varejao (right wrist fracture), Daniel Gibson (torn tendon, left foot/ankle), Kyrie Irving (contused/sprained right shoulder) and Semih Erden (right ankle sprain) missed the game for the Cavaliers. ... Cleveland and Indiana shot a combined 12-for-44 from the field in the first quarter. ... A double technical foul was called on Cleveland's Tristan Thompson and Indiana's West early in the third quarter. ... Indiana's Paul George missed all six of his shots. .... Indiana's newest free agent pickup, Kyrylo Fesenko, got his first minutes as a Pacer. The 7-foot-1, 290-pound center from the Ukraine finished with two points and three rebounds in seven minutes.
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