THE `HOUSE - Brandon Rush spent the days leading up to Tuesday's game against the Philadelphia 76ers listening to Dahntay Jones mess with him about a line Bob Kravitz used in his column on Sunday.

"I want to see if someone else can find the light switch in Brandon Rush's head -- assuming there is a light switch, a questionable proposition at best," Kravitz wrote.

Rush was looking for Kravitz after he scored a season-high 24 points in 40 minutes.
Rush took a team-high 20 shots because a lot of the plays are meant for the small forward, which is where he started at in place of the suspended Danny Granger.

Rush hasn't necessarily been shooting the ball real well from the field, but he's at least been looking for his shot more often recently. He could be on his way to another strong end of the season for the second straight year.

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Coach Jim O'Brien wasn't too happy with the league handing down a one-game suspension to Granger.

"I think we're all very surprised," O'Brien said. "(President) Larry Bird and I were baffled, but there's not a lot a franchise can do. The NBA is very strict on any altercations on the court.

"They made it known awhile ago that even a minor altercation, which is what I would say happened in Phoenix, they are going to frown upon that and suspend players and fine players. So they're very strict on that."

Roy Hibbert, who got hit with a $25,000 fine, caught a break because the replays showed that he took a swing at Steve Nash. Earl Watson also got hit with a $30,000 fine.

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Don't get nervous about the Pacers beating the 76ers.

The Pacers will have plenty of opportunities to lose games down the stretch.
They've got to go to Cleveland twice, along with games against Boston, Milwaukee, Charlotte, Oklahoma City, Utah, Atlanta, Miami, Houston and Orlando.

You should probably get nervous if they win in Boston and Milwaukee this weekend.

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