Indiana has dropped three straight games to the Suns.

A concern?

Not really, according to the players.

The Pacers feel optimistic about beating the no-longer-run-and-gun Suns because they've lost the last three games by a total of 14 points.

"We were right there with Phoenix," forward Danny Granger said. "Amare (Stoudemire) went for something like 50 points. Other than that we were in the game."

Stoudemire finished with 49.

Jeff Foster, Troy Murphy and Roy Hibbert, who all played a part in Stoudemire's big game, have to do a better job defending Stoudemire to avoid a repeat performance.

The Pacers are coming off a game in which Denver scored 135 points against them Monday.

Carmelo Anthony could barely put on his socks and struggled to fasten his watch. Tying his shoes? That was simply too much for his injured right hand. Anthony scored 21 points and set a season-high with nine assists despite injuring his hand in the third quarter of the Denver Nuggets' 135-115 win over the Indiana Pacers on Monday night.

Danny Granger couldn't quite keep up with Kevin Martin's scoring pace, but unlike Martin, he made the most important shot of the game. Granger scored 13 of his 35 points in the fourth quarter, making all six of his free throws in the final 1:30, to help the Indiana Pacers beat the Sacramento Kings 122-117 on Saturday night.

Jarrett Jack provided a much-needed victory for the Indiana Pacers and some family bragging rights for himself with one big shot. Jack made a jumper with 0.9 seconds left and scored a season-high 29 points, and the Pacers snapped a four-game losing streak with a 105-103 victory over the New York Knicks on Friday night.

Joe Johnson's stellar play is putting him in high company. The Atlanta guard scored 12 of his 27 points in the fourth quarter, including the final five of the game, and the streaking Hawks beat the Indiana Pacers 110-104 on Tuesday night. "What can you say? Joe has been huge for us this season," Hawks coach Mike Woodson said.

Chris Paul's New Orleans teammates and coaches were imploring the guard to take charge of the game against the lowly Pacers. So he did. Paul scored 11 points in the game's final 3:36 and David West hit a 17-foot fadeaway jumper with 2.5 seconds remaining to help the Hornets rally for a 105-103 win over Indiana on Sunday night.

Trailing by 17 points early, the Memphis Grizzlies refused to fold. O.J. Mayo scored 18 points, including two key free throws with a second left, and Memphis rallied past the Indiana Pacers 108-105 on Friday night to snap a four-game slide. "We caught them and perhaps they were a little overconfident based on our defense in the first half," Grizzlies coach Marc Iavaroni said.

The New Jersey Nets turned to Devin Harris, not Vince Carter, when they needed a clutch play in the final seconds against the Indiana Pacers. Harris' jumper from the top of the key as time expired gave the Nets a 108-107 victory over the Pacers on Tuesday night. The point guard finished with 29 points and 11 assists as New Jersey snapped a two-game losing streak.