Pacers' comeback finishes Lakers

Murphy seals win with buzzer-beater

Pacers' Danny Granger tries to handle Kobe Bryant, who led the Lakers with 28 points. (Darron Cummings/Associated Press)

Danny Granger scored 32 points and led Indiana back from a 15-point fourth-quarter deficit, and Troy Murphy tipped in a missed shot at the buzzer to complete an improbable 118-117 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers last night in Indianapolis.

The Lakers came into the game with seven straight wins, the league's best record, and reigning MVP Kobe Bryant.

But even another terrific night from Bryant, who scored 28 points and had seven rebounds, wasn't enough to fend off the pesky Pacers.

For much of the game, Los Angeles (14-2) seemed to be waiting to take control. And thanks to a 17-0 run to close the third quarter, it seemed Los Angeles could cruise to victory.

Instead, the Pacers, who had won only once since Nov. 21, fought back from the 101-86 deficit with an incredible defensive performance.

Indiana (7-10) methodically chipped away, using a 10-0 run to get to 105-98 early in the fourth, and closing to 115-114 when Granger hit a 3-pointer from the left corner with 1:42 to go.

The Pacers finally regained the lead, 116-115, with 1:16 left when Marquis Daniels made two free throws.

But Bryant had a chance to seal it.

After his 21-footer gave Los Angeles a 117-116 lead with 58.4 seconds left, Bryant's errant 18-footer on the Lakers' final possession gave Indiana one last chance.

Coach Jim O'Brien called time out, and Daniels broke free on the baseline and tossed up a short shot that bounced off the side of the rim.

The rebound got batted around and Murphy finally tipped it toward the basket as the ball bounced on both sides of the rim before dropping through the net as the buzzer sounded.

Trail Blazers 104, Knicks 97 - In New York, Brandon Roy scored 23 points, and Portland dominated the fourth quarter for its fifth straight victory.

Rudy Fernandez made a pair of 3-pointers early in the final period and scored 18 for the Trail Blazers, who shut down the Knicks' high-powered offense for the first seven-plus minutes of the fourth and improved to 13-6, their best start after 19 games since the 1999-2000 club was 15-4.

Wizards 108, Nets 88 - Caron Butler had 22 points and 10 assists and DeShawn Stevenson added 21 to lead Washington over New Jersey. It was the first road win of the season for the Wizards (3-12) and their first win over an Eastern Conference opponent after 11 straight losses.

Pistons 89, Spurs 77 - Rasheed Wallace made three 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and scored 19 points as visiting Detroit rallied from 10 points down to beat San Antonio, despite the return of Manu Ginobili (13 points) to the Spurs' starting lineup.

Mavericks 100, Clippers 98 - Former Northeastern standout Jose Barea hit the go-ahead 3-pointer in the final minute, Dirk Nowitzki scored 29 points, and host Dallas rallied from a 15-point deficit to beat Los Angeles.

76ers 103, Bulls 95 - Andre Miller scored 9 of his season-high 28 points in overtime and Philadelphia ended its four-game losing streak with a victory over host Chicago.

Jazz 99, Kings 94 - Kyle Korver scored 15 points off the bench as Utah held off host Sacramento.

Nuggets 132, Raptors 93 - Chauncey Billups had 24 points and 14 assists in host Denver's rout of Toronto in a game that was out of reach by halftime.