Hibbert leads Pacers past Celtics

[March 29, 2011]  INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Roy Hibbert scored 26 points as the Indiana Pacers beat the Boston Celtics 107-100 on Monday night and remained in sole possession of eighth place in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Danny Granger scored 18 points and Darren Collison added 17 for the Pacers.

Boston point guard Rajon Rondo started after missing Sunday's game against Minnesota with a jammed finger on his right hand. Coach Doc Rivers said before the game that Rondo would not play, but Rondo scored 10 points in the first 5:10 and finished with 22 points and eight assists.

Paul Pierce led Boston with 23 points, and Glen Davis added 20 for the Celtics, who are fading in their quest to catch Chicago for the best record in the East.

The Celtics shot 4 for 14 in the fourth quarter, and have lost seven of their last 12.

The Pacers entered a game ahead of Charlotte and two games ahead of Milwaukee for the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Charlotte beat Milwaukee on Monday, so the Pacers remained a game ahead of Charlotte and extended their lead over Milwaukee to three games.

Monday's game was tied in the fourth quarter before the Pacers made a run. Collison scored on a short jumper in the lane, then Hibbert found a cutting Brandon Rush to give Indiana a 98-94 lead. Collison then stole the ball from Rondo near half-court, and the 6-foot point guard went up for an emphatic two-handed dunk to put the Pacers ahead 100-94. A putback by Hibbert pushed Indiana's lead to eight with 3:52 to play.

Boston hung close, but Collison made a fadeaway jumper with 1:16 left, then made a driving layup with 34.4 seconds remaining to give Indiana a 106-100 lead.

Boston led 31-23 when Rivers sat Rondo for a rest. Indiana then went on a 14-4 run to take a 37-35 lead early in the second quarter.

Kevin Garnett was called for his third foul with 5:51 left in the second quarter, and starting center Nenad Krstic was already out with three fouls. Indiana took advantage and took a 57-49 lead at halftime. Hibbert had 19 points before the break. Indiana shot 60 percent, while Boston was at 59 percent in the first half.

A 3-point play by Hibbert early in the second half pushed Indiana's lead to 67-57, but Boston responded with an 8-2 run. A jumper by Ray Allen cut Indiana's lead to 69-65 and caused the Pacers to call timeout. The Celtics made six of their first seven shots in the second half.

Allen hit a 3-pointer to put Boston up 72-71 with 5:04 left in the third quarter, and the Celtics extended their lead to 85-81 at the end of the period.

NOTES: Hibbert scored 13 points in the first quarter on 6-for-7 shooting. ... Former Pacers Jermaine O'Neal and Troy Murphy were inactive for the Celtics. O'Neal was out with a sore left knee, while Murphy missed the game with a sprained right ankle.

[Associated Press; By CLIFF BRUNT]

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