Sun Apr 6 20:47:53 2008

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Diener's big fourth keeps Pacers in playoff hunt

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Indianapolis, IN (Sports Network) - Danny Granger totaled 27 points and seven rebounds and the Indiana Pacers kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a hot-shooting fourth quarter that led to a 105-97 win over the Milwaukee Bucks at Conseco Fieldhouse.

Travis Diener scored 18 points - 15 in the fourth - on 6-of-8 shooting from three-point range, while Jeff Foster went for 16 points and a game-high 15 rebounds. Indiana (33-44) moved to within three games of Atlanta for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference, winning for the fourth time in five games. Five games remain on the Pacers' schedule, including a showdown with the Hawks Tuesday.

Michael Redd scored 24 points and hauled in seven boards for Milwaukee, which dropped its second straight and sixth in eight games. Charlie Villanueva added 22 points and 13 rebounds, and Andrew Bogut also had a double-double, going for 16 and 14.

The Bucks led by ten entering the final stanza, but Diener and Mike Dunleavy combined for five three-pointers during a 19-1 Pacers run to start the fourth, giving Indy an eight-point lead with under 7 1/2 minutes remaining.

Granger's runner pushed the margin to 93-82 with 5:45 to go, and it was a 101-89 game inside of three minutes after Diener buried his fifth three-ball of the quarter. Milwaukee couldn't get closer than 10 until after Granger effectively put the Bucks away with a three that made it 105-92 with a minute left on the clock.

Dunleavy finished with 17 points and seven assists, and Troy Murphy scored 13.

Desmond Mason totaled 16 points for the Bucks, who were outscored from beyond the three-point arc by 30. Indiana went 12-for-30 from long range, while Milwaukee was just 2-of-10.

Indiana held a slim 26-25 lead after one quarter, and extended that edge to five three minutes into the second on a Dunleavy three. Milwaukee closed the half on an 9-2 spurt, however, to go up 52-49 at the break.

The Bucks maintained their advantage throughout the third, then closed the period with six unanswered to head to the fourth holding a 77-67 cushion.

Game Notes

Indiana scored 38 points in the final quarter, and shot 41.8 percent from the floor on the night...Milwaukee shot 47 percent, but made just 17-of-24 free throws and committed 15 turnovers...Jermaine O'Neal, still making his way back from a 33-game absence, scored just one point but grabbed nine rebounds in his 20-plus minutes.