Kushalini blog

Jones scores 18, Pacers top Nets 105-86

NEWARK, N.J. – Dahntay Jones scored a season-high 18 points and the Indiana Pacers remained unbeaten in four games under interim coach Frank Vogel with a 105-86 victory over the New Jersey Nets on Sunday.

Mike Dunleavy added 17 points and hit a 3-pointer to ignite an early 10-point run that put the Pacers ahead for good.

Devin Harris had 13 points and seven assists and Brook Lopez added 13 for New Jersey, which lost its third straight.

Indiana had six players in double figures. Paul George added 14, Danny Granger and Roy Hibbert had 11 apiece and Darren Collison 10. Indiana has scored at least 100 points in each of its four games since Vogel replaced Jim O'Brien a week ago Sunday.

The game was a homecoming for both Vogel and Jones.

Vogel attended Wildwood High School, which is south of Atlantic City, and Jones grew up near Trenton, the state capital.

Indiana never trailed after Dunleavy, 6 of 8 from the field, tied the game at 8 with a 3-pointer and Collison sandwiched a jumper and a 3-pointer around a dunk by Josh McRoberts for a 15-8 lead.

The Pacers led by nine after the opening quarter. They pushed the lead to 13 at the half with a late 15-7 spurt that featured eight points from George and another 3-pointer by Dunleavy.

Jones scored 12 points in the final quarter when Indiana blew the game open.

Notes: Jordan Farmar might return to the Nets' lineup next week. The backup point guard has missed six straight games with back problems. ... Nets backup center Johan Petro tied his season-high with eight points and had a monster rejection on George on a drive at the end of the first half. ... Jones got a technical in the second quarter for disagreeing with the officials.