INDIANAPOLIS — Frank Vogel calls the NBA a players’ league, yet the Indiana Pacers’ interim coach has changed the struggling team’s mentality and results in less than a week.

Danny Granger scored 25 points to help the Pacers beat the Portland Trail Blazers 100-87 on Friday night and improve to 3-0 under their new leader.

The Pacers fired Jim O’Brien on Sunday after the team lost seven of eight games. Now, Indiana has beaten Toronto, Cleveland and Portland, and the 37-year-old Vogel is brimming with confidence.

“This is a new team,” he said. “A new beginning. We should be excited, OK? This is going to be a special end of the year, OK? Jump on board. Come out and see us.”

Granger was questionable with a sinus infection, but he shot 7 for 13 from the field to help Indiana earn its first winning streak of more than two games this season.

Granger had been in a shooting slump, but his performance offered an example of Vogel’s no-nonsense approach.

“Danny doesn’t take bad shots anymore,” Vogel said. “We don’t take bad shots anymore. We attack the paint and we exercise patience for great shots.”

Roy Hibbert scored 15 points and Tyler Hansbrough added 13 points and eight rebounds for the Pacers, who are averaging 107 points since firing O’Brien.

Indiana has outrebounded all three opponents by at least 17 under Vogel. The Pacers outrebounded the Trail Blazers 58-39 and outscored Portland 33-18 from the free-throw line.

“We’re changing the identity of our basketball team — dramatically,” Vogel said. “We are a power post team, blood and guts, old school, smashmouth team, that plays with size, strength, speed, athleticism. We attack the basket.”

Portland coach Nate McMillan said the seeds for those lopsided numbers were sown early.

“You can’t start off the game soft and try to get aggressive, officials don’t call it that way,” he said.

Rudy Fernandez scored 19 points for the Trail Blazers, who have lost four of five. Portland’s top scorer, LaMarcus Aldridge, had 14 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out with 9:53 remaining.

“I just made a lot of dumb and silly mistakes,” Aldridge said. “I was just too aggressive and got called for it.”

Indiana squandered a 13-point lead in the second quarter, but recovered to lead 60-54 at halftime. The Pacers shot 53 percent before the break. It was the second-highest point total Portland has allowed in a first half this season.

“We are not playing with that sense of urgency,” McMillan said. “We are not defending well. Teams have been the aggressor.”

Also on Friday:

Grizzlies 112

Cavaliers 105

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Cleveland matched the longest single-season losing streak in NBA history, dropping their 23rd straight with a loss to Memphis. The Cavaliers tied the 1995-96 Grizzlies, then in Vancouver, and the 1997-98 Denver Nuggets.

Mavericks 101

Celtics 97

BOSTON — Jason Kidd made a three-pointer with 2.5 seconds left, putting Dallas ahead and leading the Mavericks to their seventh straight win. The Celtics led 97-91, but the Mavericks scored the final 10 points.

Heat 109

Bobcats 97

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Dwyane Wade had 22 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, showing no ill effects from a sore back, and Miami earned its fifth consecutive victory. LeBron James added 19 points, while former Bobcats guard Eddie House scored 16.

Magic 110

Wizards 92

WASHINGTON — Dwight Howard had 22 points and 15 rebounds to lead Orlando to the victory in Gilbert Arenas’ return to the Verizon Center. A night after playing all 48 minutes in a 104-100 loss to Miami, Howard made his first 10 field goals and didn’t miss a shot until 2:20 remained in the third quarter.

Raptors 111

Timberwolves 100

TORONTO — Andrea Bargnani scored 30 points, DeMar DeRozan had 20 and Toronto snapped a 13-game losing streak. Jose Calderon tied his career high with 19 assists as the Raptors won for the first time since a home victory over Sacramento on Jan. 2.

Hawks 101

Clippers 100

ATLANTA — Al Horford made two free throws with 0.6 seconds remaining following a flagrant foul by Blake Griffin, giving the Hawks the win. Griffin sent Marvin Williams and Horford to the floor with hard fouls in the final seconds.

76ers 100

Knicks 98

PHILADELPHIA — Elton Brand scored a season-high 33 points and Philadelphia used a 15-0 run late in the fourth quarter to get the win. Andre Iguodala had 18 points and a career-high 16 assists, and Jodie Meeks scored 14 for the 76ers, who are trying to catch the Knicks for sixth place in the Eastern Conference.

Pistons 92

Nets 82

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. — Tayshaun Prince scored 22 points, and the Pistons snapped a four-game losing streak. Rookie Greg Monroe added a career-high 20 points along with 11 rebounds for Detroit, which led by 13 early in the third quarter after beginning the second half on a 14-5 run.

Thunder 111

Suns 107

PHOENIX — Jeff Green scored 28 points and Serge Ibaka added 18 on nine-of-10 shooting to help Oklahoma escape with a victory over Phoenix. Kevin Durant, who had at least 40 points in three of his previous four games, added 24 in the Thunder’s fourth victory in five games.

Spurs 113

Kings 100

SACRAMENTO — Tony Parker scored 25 points and had seven assists and San Antonio defeated Sacramento. Tyreke Evans had 25 points and Beno Udrih scored 18 for the Kings.

Jazz 113

Nuggets 106

DENVER — Deron Williams’ return to the lineup helped Utah snap out of its funk with a win over Denver. The Jazz had lost eight of 10 and had been without Williams for the last four games after he strained a tendon in his right wrist against San Antonio on Jan. 26.