NBA: Indiana 91, Houston 90

A tip-in by Danny Granger with 13.7 seconds remaining Wednesday lifted Indiana to a 91-90 triumph over Houston.

The outcome spoiled the return to the Houston lineup of Shane Battier, who missed all of the exhibition season and the first 15 games of the regular campaign after having surgery in May to remove bone spurs. Battier scored five points with seven rebounds in 30 minutes.

Houston had a three-game winning streak halted.

Troy Murphy scored 15 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter and hauled down 14 rebounds for Indiana. Granger added 16 and Brandon Rush had 11.

The Rockets got 19 points from both Ron Artest and Yao Ming.

Houston owned a 10-point lead early in the fourth quarter, but Murphy brought the Pacers storming back. The Rockets still led by one when Artest missed a jumper with 25.7 seconds left.

Granger drove to the basket in an attempt to give the Pacers the lead, only to miss a layup. But he tipped in his own miss.

Yao missed a short shot for the Rockets on their final possession.

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