Indiana Pacers coach Jim O’Brien doesn’t consider his decision to go with Earl Watson and Dahntay Jones for most of the second half of Wednesday’s loss to Atlanta as a message to starters T.J. Ford and Brandon Rush .

O’Brien said it was a matter of staying with the players who were playing well. He wasn’t referring to offense. He liked that Jones and Watson’s defensive intensity helped the Pacers erase a 10-point deficit and go ahead by one in the fourth quarter.

O’Brien might not see it as delivering a message, but Ford and Rush should see it as a reminder that playing time is not guaranteed.

Ford (three points) and Rush (six points) started, but they combined to play 12 minutes in the second half. Watson and Jones totaled 21 points in 32 minutes in the second half.

Watson (20 points) and Jones (17 points), along with Jeff Foster , Luther Head and Solomon Jones were on the court when the Pacers made their run. Watson’s 3-pointer gave them a 101-100 lead.

“They gave us the type of defensive intensity that is necessary for us to win basketball games,” O’Brien said. “We need that across the board from everybody under any circumstances.”

Injury update

Rookie Tyler Hansbrough took a “dramatic step” Thursday when he practiced full court for the first time this season.

Hansbrough, the No. 13 pick in the draft, has been sidelined with a shin problem since late July. He started practicing in the halfcourt last week.

“We’re starting to see some drastic changes and starting to see this thing heal,” Hansbrough said. “(I’m) looking to get to play in my first game in the NBA.”

The Pacers will continue to monitor Hansbrough’s practice sessions with the idea that his regular-season debut could be quickly approaching.

“If he can get to the point where he can practice for an extended period of time live, he’ll be ready for the games,” O’Brien said.

The sooner the better. Foster, who didn’t practice Thursday, has an ongoing back problem.

Forward Danny Granger will continue to have problems with his bruised right heel until he’s able to stay off it for an extended amount of time.

“I made it through (Wednesday) night and if I can get through the (Miami) game, we have a few days off, so I should be OK,” Granger said. “It’s sort of a shooting pain. It’s a matter of letting it heal.”

The All-Star forward scored a game-high 31 points against the Hawks.

JO feeling good

Heat center Jermaine O’Neal is looking forward to facing his former team tonight.

O’Neal, who spent eight seasons as a Pacer, is coming off a 22-point, 12-rebound performance in Miami’s opener.

O’Neal spent the summer working with noted trainer Tim Grover to help revive a career derailed the past few seasons because of a bad knee.

“I expect to do it every night,” O’Neal told the Associated Press. “When you go through some of the issues that I went through with my knee over the 21/2 years, you look forward to these nights.”