Even without Granger, a 'bunch of hard-nosed kids'

INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana Pacers scoring leader Danny Granger told the Indianapolis Star earlier this week that he should be able to play tonight against the Jazz.
But, as it turns out, he won’t be dressing because of the partially torn foot tendon that’s already kept him out nine straight games.
Not that Jazz coach Jerry Sloan wants his players to make too much of that when they face the Pacers in stop No. 2 of a five-game Eastern road swing.
“This team (Indiana), they play well here at home and they’re playing well here of late,” Sloan said after today’s morning shootaround.
“Even though Granger’s out,” he added, “they’re playing better and winning games. I think you have a tendency to think, ‘Well, he’s out,’ and you come in and not get ready to play them, because you think you’ve got an easy game. But they play hard. They’re not gonna give up. They’ve got a bunch of hard-nosed kids that (are) gonna work hard.”

-30-