Celtics lose second in a row

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Danny Granger scored 29 points and Dahntay Jones added a season-high 25, helping the Indiana Pacers defeat the Boston Celtics 113-104 on Saturday night.

Granger delivered on his promise from Wednesday night that the Pacers (4-3) would earn their fourth straight win. He was 6 of 9 on 3-pointers, had six rebounds and four assists and helped keep Indiana in the game.

When he wasn't making shots, his teammates were. Jones scored 12 points in the fourth quarter including eight during a decisive 19-8 run that put the Celtics in an 11-point hole with 4:20 to play.

Boston (8-3) was led by Ray Allen, who had a season-high 24. Paul Pierce started the game after bruising his left knee in Friday night's loss to Atlanta but struggled, finishing with 15 points on 4-of-10 shooting and he missed two late free throws.

It's the third time this season Boston has allowed an opponent to top 90 points. The Celtics are 0-3 in those games.

The Celtics struggled to stop Granger. Then, when Boston tried to force the ball out of his hands, Granger's teammates jumped in. Six Pacers players scored in doubles figures, including Roy Hibbert with 11 and Earl Watson with 12.

Boston had chances to open big leads, but the Pacers behind Granger continually came back.

And then there was Boston's lack of composure.

Rasheed Wallace, Kendrick Perkins and coach Doc Rivers all drew technical fouls — Perkins and Rivers during the Pacers' fourth-quarter run. And the Celtics never got closer than six the rest of the way.

The loss was Boston's first in five road games this season.

Notes:
Former Dodgers pitcher Carl Erskine played the national anthem on a harmonica.

Pacers forward Troy Murphy missed his fourth straight game with a bruised lower back.

Rivers' son, Jeremiah, and several of his teammates at Indiana University attended the game.