Danny Granger scored 17 points and Roy Hibbert collected 15 points and 11 rebounds as the Indiana Pacers moved a step closer to clinching a playoff spot with an 89-88 victory over the visiting Milwaukee Bucks on Friday.

Brandon Rush added 12 points off the bench for the Pacers (35-42), who moved two games ahead of the Charlotte Bobcats (32-43) for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East.

Indiana held a nine-point edge, 69-60, at the start of the fourth quarter before the Bucks (30-45) began to make it interesting, connecting on nine of their first 11 field goal attempts to close to within 81-80 with 4:54 remaining.

John Salmons would pull Milwaukee back within one point twice more in the final 1:29. The Bucks had a chance to win it at the buzzer but Drew Gooden could not connect on a 3-point attempt.

Brandon Jennings scored 20 points for the Bucks, who slipped four games behind the Pacers with only seven games left on the schedule.