A strong bench, led by 19 points from Al Harrington and Jonathan Bender, and dominant rebounding led the Indiana Pacers to their win and a 3-0 lead over the Boston Celtics in the first-round Eastern Conference series.
The top-seeded Pacers can complete the sweep of the best-of-seven series against eighth-seeded Boston tomorrow.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com
The top-seeded Pacers can complete the sweep of the best-of-seven series against eighth-seeded Boston tomorrow.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com
Bird watched from the stands as Ron Artest scored 22 points to help Indiana beat Boston, 90-75, yesterday for a sweep in the best-of-seven series. Jermaine O'Neal scored 18 points to help Indiana earn its first victory in a playoff series after three consecutive first-round losses.
"This was one of our goals: to get out of the first round. And we did that," said Rick Carlisle, who Bird picked to coach the Pacers after the Celtics Hall of Famer took over as president of basketball operations. "We're the first team to advance, so we're very proud of that."
The Pacers will have more than a week to rest before the Eastern Conference semifinals. They will play the winner of the first-round series between Miami and New Orleans. The Heat leads, 2-1, heading into Game 3 Tuesday.
Reggie Miller was 4 for 8 from three-point range for 14 points, making a pair of three-pointers early in the third quarter to help the Pacers open a 17-point lead.
"The younger players on this team feel obligated to go out and get a ring for Reggie," the 25-year-old O'Neal said of the team's 38-year-old elder statesman. "We know he doesn't have many more attempts left."
Paul Pierce had 27 points and 11 rebounds and Mark Blount had 21 and 13 for the Celtics, who went away meekly for the third time in the series.
"I really have a bad taste in my mouth," Pierce said, noting that the Celtics were swept in the second round last year by New Jersey. "This is really not a fun feeling."
The loss -- just the third four-game sweep in Celtics playoff history -- could signal the end for interim coach John Carroll, who took over when Jim O'Brien resigned Jan. 27. Carroll lost 12 of his first 13 games but managed to claim the last playoff spot in the East with a record that was 10 games under .500.
http://www.washingtonpost.com
"This was one of our goals: to get out of the first round. And we did that," said Rick Carlisle, who Bird picked to coach the Pacers after the Celtics Hall of Famer took over as president of basketball operations. "We're the first team to advance, so we're very proud of that."
The Pacers will have more than a week to rest before the Eastern Conference semifinals. They will play the winner of the first-round series between Miami and New Orleans. The Heat leads, 2-1, heading into Game 3 Tuesday.
Reggie Miller was 4 for 8 from three-point range for 14 points, making a pair of three-pointers early in the third quarter to help the Pacers open a 17-point lead.
"The younger players on this team feel obligated to go out and get a ring for Reggie," the 25-year-old O'Neal said of the team's 38-year-old elder statesman. "We know he doesn't have many more attempts left."
Paul Pierce had 27 points and 11 rebounds and Mark Blount had 21 and 13 for the Celtics, who went away meekly for the third time in the series.
"I really have a bad taste in my mouth," Pierce said, noting that the Celtics were swept in the second round last year by New Jersey. "This is really not a fun feeling."
The loss -- just the third four-game sweep in Celtics playoff history -- could signal the end for interim coach John Carroll, who took over when Jim O'Brien resigned Jan. 27. Carroll lost 12 of his first 13 games but managed to claim the last playoff spot in the East with a record that was 10 games under .500.
http://www.washingtonpost.com
Talk about anticlimactic. The Pacers spent four years struggling to get out of the first round, and then when they finally came into the playoffs as the favorites, the series was so lopsided that the games were unbearable to watch, and they swept the Celtics by a combined total of 67 points. I guess that is what a good coach will do for you.
Although the first round felt more like preseason than postseason, there were many positives that came from the series:
1. Ron Artest’s Attitude:
First and foremost is Ron Artest’s Attitude. I know that Ron was suspended, albeit controversially, for game two, but when you look at his attitude throughout the series, Ron was on his best behavior. He often played peacemaker when his teammates got into “heated arguments”, and when Paul Pierce lost his cool and shoved him to the floor, Ron simply took the push, laid on the ground until he had calmed himself, and then got up and continued to play the same tenacious defense he always does. If Ron can keep himself under control for the rest of the postseason as well as he did in the first round, the Pacers will be in great shape.
2. Bench Play:
The Pacers are the deepest team in the NBA. I know it. Everyone in Indiana knows it. Even Charles Barkley knows it, but why no one else around the NBA has figured it is beyond me. I would venture to guess that the Pacers’ bench could have swept the Celtics. Seriously.
6th man runner-up Al Harrington has anchored the bench all season, and did nothing to disappoint in the playoffs, nearly averaging a double-double (14.5 pts, 9.8 reb). As impressive as it is to have a double-double guy coming off of the bench, the play of Jonathan Bender and Freddie Jones was just as exciting. Both proved that they could be regular contributors off of the bench, providing a much-needed scoring punch to the Pacer line-up. It was the bench, led by Bender’s team high 19 points, that won game two for the Pacers. We know Al is going to bring his “A” game, but if the Pacers continue to get solid, even spectacular, play from the rest of their bench, they could be really scary.
2nd Round:
The Pacers are in the middle of a huge layoff as they wait for the first round to play itself out. They know they will play either Miami or New Orleans, who are now essentially in a three games series as each team has held serve for the first four games of the series. Neither team won more than 42 games, meaning that neither would have been in the playoffs if they played in the Western Conference. Nevertheless the Pacers will have to take the second round just as seriously as they did the first round because both Miami and New Orleans could present match-up problems for the Pacers.
Although Miami is the forth seed, and came into the playoffs playing much better than New Orleans, you have to believe the Pacers are secretly routing for the Heat to win. Miami’s starting frontcourt of Lamar Odom and Brian Grant would simply have no answer for Al Harrington and Jermaine O’Neal. New Orleans is a different story. With Jamal Magloire and PJ Brown on the inside, and Baron Davis and possibly Jamal Mashburn on the outside, the Hornets could really stretch the Pacers.
The best part about the second round will come a little lower down in the bracket as the Nets take on the Pistons. These two teams will be beating each other up while the Pacers will hopefully have a relatively easy series in the second round. Coach Carlisle will have the Pacers ready and if Artest can keep his cool, and the bench keeps chugging along, the Pacers will have a great shot of getting back to the Finals.
http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_8086.shtml
Although the first round felt more like preseason than postseason, there were many positives that came from the series:
1. Ron Artest’s Attitude:
First and foremost is Ron Artest’s Attitude. I know that Ron was suspended, albeit controversially, for game two, but when you look at his attitude throughout the series, Ron was on his best behavior. He often played peacemaker when his teammates got into “heated arguments”, and when Paul Pierce lost his cool and shoved him to the floor, Ron simply took the push, laid on the ground until he had calmed himself, and then got up and continued to play the same tenacious defense he always does. If Ron can keep himself under control for the rest of the postseason as well as he did in the first round, the Pacers will be in great shape.
2. Bench Play:
The Pacers are the deepest team in the NBA. I know it. Everyone in Indiana knows it. Even Charles Barkley knows it, but why no one else around the NBA has figured it is beyond me. I would venture to guess that the Pacers’ bench could have swept the Celtics. Seriously.
6th man runner-up Al Harrington has anchored the bench all season, and did nothing to disappoint in the playoffs, nearly averaging a double-double (14.5 pts, 9.8 reb). As impressive as it is to have a double-double guy coming off of the bench, the play of Jonathan Bender and Freddie Jones was just as exciting. Both proved that they could be regular contributors off of the bench, providing a much-needed scoring punch to the Pacer line-up. It was the bench, led by Bender’s team high 19 points, that won game two for the Pacers. We know Al is going to bring his “A” game, but if the Pacers continue to get solid, even spectacular, play from the rest of their bench, they could be really scary.
2nd Round:
The Pacers are in the middle of a huge layoff as they wait for the first round to play itself out. They know they will play either Miami or New Orleans, who are now essentially in a three games series as each team has held serve for the first four games of the series. Neither team won more than 42 games, meaning that neither would have been in the playoffs if they played in the Western Conference. Nevertheless the Pacers will have to take the second round just as seriously as they did the first round because both Miami and New Orleans could present match-up problems for the Pacers.
Although Miami is the forth seed, and came into the playoffs playing much better than New Orleans, you have to believe the Pacers are secretly routing for the Heat to win. Miami’s starting frontcourt of Lamar Odom and Brian Grant would simply have no answer for Al Harrington and Jermaine O’Neal. New Orleans is a different story. With Jamal Magloire and PJ Brown on the inside, and Baron Davis and possibly Jamal Mashburn on the outside, the Hornets could really stretch the Pacers.
The best part about the second round will come a little lower down in the bracket as the Nets take on the Pistons. These two teams will be beating each other up while the Pacers will hopefully have a relatively easy series in the second round. Coach Carlisle will have the Pacers ready and if Artest can keep his cool, and the bench keeps chugging along, the Pacers will have a great shot of getting back to the Finals.
http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_8086.shtml
It would have been nice for the Indiana Pacers had Miami eliminated New Orleans from their first-round playoff series Sunday. That way, they could've spent three days preparing for the Heat.
Then again, it's nice for the Pacers that the Heat and Hornets will bump and grind for the maximum seven games, and have just one practice before beginning second-round play against the Pacers at Conseco Fieldhouse on Thursday.
"My feeling all along is that we have to accept whatever happens," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said Sunday, after New Orleans forced a Game 7 with an 89-83 win over the Heat. "We all understood we were going to have a long break and the best thing is to make the best of it."
The Pacers' practices today and Tuesday will be general in nature. After the Heat and Hornets conclude their series Tuesday night, the Pacers will have one practice while knowing their next opponent.
"There are certain things common to both teams we can do in the next couple of days," Carlisle said. "We'll concentrate on those things and prepare for other things coming at us.
"It's an unusual deal, without question."
Favorable tradeoff?
Most of the Pacers' players are pleased to see the Heat and Hornets going the distance.
"The longer our next series goes, we're going to have fresher bodies than (Miami or New Orleans)," guard Reggie Miller said. "Come Game 3 or 4 or 5 of ours, we'll be much fresher than they will."
The Pacers will be trading rust for bruises. They have to endure an 11-day wait since eliminating Boston on April 25, but they should be healthier and more rested than whomever they play.
"Nobody's a machine," forward Ron Artest said. "People can get tired. You always want to take advantage of what's in your favor. You still can't take it for granted, though."
O'Neal reverting to form
Jermaine O'Neal's field goal percentage during the regular season was .434, the lowest in his four years with the Pacers.
His percentage in the first-round series against Boston was .444, .23 lower than last season's playoff series against the Celtics.
He's addressed the drop-offs by going back to work on his jump hook, a shot he abandoned most of the regular season.
"I'm going back to the basics and the things I did in high school that had me shooting a higher percentage," he said.
O'Neal has been talking on the telephone with his high school coach, George Glymph, a member of the Pacers' coaching staff the past three years who now works with New York. Glymph has provided some tips on regaining his lost touch.
"I guess (the long layoff between rounds) is a plus for me now because I'm able to go back and make those adjustments and do some things in the second and third round that (opponents) haven't seen this year," O'Neal said.
http://www.indystar.com/articles/6/143262-4836-179.html
Then again, it's nice for the Pacers that the Heat and Hornets will bump and grind for the maximum seven games, and have just one practice before beginning second-round play against the Pacers at Conseco Fieldhouse on Thursday.
"My feeling all along is that we have to accept whatever happens," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said Sunday, after New Orleans forced a Game 7 with an 89-83 win over the Heat. "We all understood we were going to have a long break and the best thing is to make the best of it."
The Pacers' practices today and Tuesday will be general in nature. After the Heat and Hornets conclude their series Tuesday night, the Pacers will have one practice while knowing their next opponent.
"There are certain things common to both teams we can do in the next couple of days," Carlisle said. "We'll concentrate on those things and prepare for other things coming at us.
"It's an unusual deal, without question."
Favorable tradeoff?
Most of the Pacers' players are pleased to see the Heat and Hornets going the distance.
"The longer our next series goes, we're going to have fresher bodies than (Miami or New Orleans)," guard Reggie Miller said. "Come Game 3 or 4 or 5 of ours, we'll be much fresher than they will."
The Pacers will be trading rust for bruises. They have to endure an 11-day wait since eliminating Boston on April 25, but they should be healthier and more rested than whomever they play.
"Nobody's a machine," forward Ron Artest said. "People can get tired. You always want to take advantage of what's in your favor. You still can't take it for granted, though."
O'Neal reverting to form
Jermaine O'Neal's field goal percentage during the regular season was .434, the lowest in his four years with the Pacers.
His percentage in the first-round series against Boston was .444, .23 lower than last season's playoff series against the Celtics.
He's addressed the drop-offs by going back to work on his jump hook, a shot he abandoned most of the regular season.
"I'm going back to the basics and the things I did in high school that had me shooting a higher percentage," he said.
O'Neal has been talking on the telephone with his high school coach, George Glymph, a member of the Pacers' coaching staff the past three years who now works with New York. Glymph has provided some tips on regaining his lost touch.
"I guess (the long layoff between rounds) is a plus for me now because I'm able to go back and make those adjustments and do some things in the second and third round that (opponents) haven't seen this year," O'Neal said.
http://www.indystar.com/articles/6/143262-4836-179.html
It wasn’t the smoothest transition ever when Larry Bird told Isiah Thomas he was no longer needed and hired Rick Carlisle to coach the Pacers. And hiring a guy who had been cast adrift by another team for not winning enough playoff games added to the controversy.
But changing coaches, especially ones such as Thomas, is never a placid affair. The new guy has to pose under a microscope on the way to his new office and have every wart and blemish and scar poked at and described in nauseous detail before listening to squads of total strangers comment on whether he’s fit for the job.
We heard he was inflexible and not very good at communicating. He didn’t get along with management. He didn’t do a lot of things, we heard, which is why Detroit kicked him out despite consecutive division titles and getting to the Eastern Conference finals last year.
But now that Carlisle’s first season has extended into May, with June getting closer, the many criticisms and questions that greeted him on his arrival in Indianapolis seem petty, and we don’t hear a lot about his lack of communication skills or stubbornness.
And, before the Pacers even play a second-round game, you have to give Bird credit. He got this one nearly perfect.
Carlisle did more than succeed with a franchise that has had a lot of success over the years yet still fights an image of being something of an underachiever. He didn’t just win the East, he had the best record in the entire league and set a franchise record with 61 wins.
Not that no one is criticizing him anymore. Now, what we hear is that he’s a shameless promoter of his own players, going so far as to send videos and stat breakdowns to writers in what was a successful effort to sell his player, Ron Artest, as the Defensive Player of the Year.
Pistons’ coach Larry Brown, who was selling his own player, Ben Wallace, intimated that Carlisle’s marketing campaign was bush league. San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich, who wanted his Bruce Bowen to get the prize, sneered at the stat package Carlisle compiled to support Artest.
Okay, so maybe Carlisle went a little overboard, resorting to the sort of promotional campaigns that we find so annoying when waged by colleges in support of their real or imagined Heisman Trophy candidates. On the other hand, it’s hard to criticize a coach for praising his own players.
Before Carlisle arrived in Indy, Artest was known for two things: Defense and objectionable behavior, and not in that order. A year ago, Artest missed 12 games because of six suspensions, including one levied against him by his own team. He was often out-of-control on the court and a total jerk off it, as when he smashed a television camera for the sin of recording his image in a corridor under Madison Square Garden.
This year, Artest has missed just two games, including one in the first round of the playoffs when he took several steps onto the court from the bench during an on-court scrum. Instead of declaring that everyone was picking on him, Artest acknowledged that he did the crime and was ready to do the time.
So if Carlisle supported Artest, the player gave him a lot of reason to. Artest became a better citizen under Carlisle, and don’t think that didn’t have a lot to do with the quiet maturity the Pacers showed under their new coach. And, if you were coaching the Pacers, who would you rather have as your friend, Artest or Larry Brown and Gregg Popovich? Me, too.
Carlisle’s ability to get Artest on his side and with the program is perhaps a clearer indication of the coach’s ability than the Pacers’ 61 wins. The two are intimately related, as are the performances of a line-up that is, despite the presence of Reggie Miller, one of the younger teams in the league. With Miller, the Pacers average 27.6; without him, 26.7. Their two premier players, Jermaine O’Neal and Artest, are just 25 and 24 respectively.
Guys who are stubborn or who yell too much don’t have the kind of success Carlisle has with players as young as these. Either he learned a lot since leaving Detroit, or the Pistons exaggerated Carlisle’s alleged deficiencies to justify letting him go.
It doesn’t matter now in either city. The Pistons had a very good year under Brown, and the Pacers are very happy with Carlisle.
In fact, everybody involved in the coaching changes came out looking pretty good. Thomas, after whining mightily after Bird let him go, landed on his feet in mid-season in New York, where, as general manager, he created the first genuine excitement Knicks fans have felt in three years.
The Pacers are more than happy to let New York have its little burst of euphoria. Thomas, they are surely saying, is behaving the same way with the Knicks as he did when coaching the Pacers, which is with too much emotion and not enough patience. He got the Knicks into the playoffs — with a sub-.500 record — but whether they are actually a better team for the future is questionable.
Carlisle, meanwhile, has given the Pacers what they lacked — an even keel. The team talks now not about cranking itself up about approaching the game like blue-collar workers, with determination and dedication and hard work. So far, they’ve been awfully successful, winning the East and wiping out Boston in the first round.
It’s a great start, and best of all for the Pacers, Bird won’t panic and change coaches again if the Pacers don’t make the NBA Finals. Carlisle’s his one-time teammate on the Celtics and his man for the job. Larry Legend will stick with him. Looking at what he’s done, who wouldn’t?
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/4894694/
But changing coaches, especially ones such as Thomas, is never a placid affair. The new guy has to pose under a microscope on the way to his new office and have every wart and blemish and scar poked at and described in nauseous detail before listening to squads of total strangers comment on whether he’s fit for the job.
We heard he was inflexible and not very good at communicating. He didn’t get along with management. He didn’t do a lot of things, we heard, which is why Detroit kicked him out despite consecutive division titles and getting to the Eastern Conference finals last year.
But now that Carlisle’s first season has extended into May, with June getting closer, the many criticisms and questions that greeted him on his arrival in Indianapolis seem petty, and we don’t hear a lot about his lack of communication skills or stubbornness.
And, before the Pacers even play a second-round game, you have to give Bird credit. He got this one nearly perfect.
Carlisle did more than succeed with a franchise that has had a lot of success over the years yet still fights an image of being something of an underachiever. He didn’t just win the East, he had the best record in the entire league and set a franchise record with 61 wins.
Not that no one is criticizing him anymore. Now, what we hear is that he’s a shameless promoter of his own players, going so far as to send videos and stat breakdowns to writers in what was a successful effort to sell his player, Ron Artest, as the Defensive Player of the Year.
Pistons’ coach Larry Brown, who was selling his own player, Ben Wallace, intimated that Carlisle’s marketing campaign was bush league. San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich, who wanted his Bruce Bowen to get the prize, sneered at the stat package Carlisle compiled to support Artest.
Okay, so maybe Carlisle went a little overboard, resorting to the sort of promotional campaigns that we find so annoying when waged by colleges in support of their real or imagined Heisman Trophy candidates. On the other hand, it’s hard to criticize a coach for praising his own players.
Before Carlisle arrived in Indy, Artest was known for two things: Defense and objectionable behavior, and not in that order. A year ago, Artest missed 12 games because of six suspensions, including one levied against him by his own team. He was often out-of-control on the court and a total jerk off it, as when he smashed a television camera for the sin of recording his image in a corridor under Madison Square Garden.
This year, Artest has missed just two games, including one in the first round of the playoffs when he took several steps onto the court from the bench during an on-court scrum. Instead of declaring that everyone was picking on him, Artest acknowledged that he did the crime and was ready to do the time.
So if Carlisle supported Artest, the player gave him a lot of reason to. Artest became a better citizen under Carlisle, and don’t think that didn’t have a lot to do with the quiet maturity the Pacers showed under their new coach. And, if you were coaching the Pacers, who would you rather have as your friend, Artest or Larry Brown and Gregg Popovich? Me, too.
Carlisle’s ability to get Artest on his side and with the program is perhaps a clearer indication of the coach’s ability than the Pacers’ 61 wins. The two are intimately related, as are the performances of a line-up that is, despite the presence of Reggie Miller, one of the younger teams in the league. With Miller, the Pacers average 27.6; without him, 26.7. Their two premier players, Jermaine O’Neal and Artest, are just 25 and 24 respectively.
Guys who are stubborn or who yell too much don’t have the kind of success Carlisle has with players as young as these. Either he learned a lot since leaving Detroit, or the Pistons exaggerated Carlisle’s alleged deficiencies to justify letting him go.
It doesn’t matter now in either city. The Pistons had a very good year under Brown, and the Pacers are very happy with Carlisle.
In fact, everybody involved in the coaching changes came out looking pretty good. Thomas, after whining mightily after Bird let him go, landed on his feet in mid-season in New York, where, as general manager, he created the first genuine excitement Knicks fans have felt in three years.
The Pacers are more than happy to let New York have its little burst of euphoria. Thomas, they are surely saying, is behaving the same way with the Knicks as he did when coaching the Pacers, which is with too much emotion and not enough patience. He got the Knicks into the playoffs — with a sub-.500 record — but whether they are actually a better team for the future is questionable.
Carlisle, meanwhile, has given the Pacers what they lacked — an even keel. The team talks now not about cranking itself up about approaching the game like blue-collar workers, with determination and dedication and hard work. So far, they’ve been awfully successful, winning the East and wiping out Boston in the first round.
It’s a great start, and best of all for the Pacers, Bird won’t panic and change coaches again if the Pacers don’t make the NBA Finals. Carlisle’s his one-time teammate on the Celtics and his man for the job. Larry Legend will stick with him. Looking at what he’s done, who wouldn’t?
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/4894694/
The Indiana Pacers players aren't the only ones who are having difficulty with the extended layoff between playoff series.
While the players are working to keep their competitive edge during what seems like an endless 11-day wait between games, the coaches have been working just as hard to devise unique practice schedules to break up the monotony.
"They're trying. The coaches are trying," Jermaine O'Neal said with a grin. "You guys have to come up with an award for that. They're definitely trying and doing their absolute best to keep this team ready. It's a tough thing."
With no opponent to prepare for, coach Rick Carlisle and his staff have used scrimmages and competitive drills to keep the players' interest over the last week.
The Pacers, who haven't played since wrapping up a first-round sweep of Boston on April 25, will face the winner of the New Orleans-Miami Game 7 played Tuesday night at Miami.
"They made it fun, they made it competitive," Ron Artest said. "We got tired of seeing the same faces, but the coaches made it interesting."
In between scrimmages, Carlisle, who loves the smaller details of the game, conducted drills on almost every minute aspect or game situation they might face through the playoffs.
From end-of-the-game scenarios, to pick-and-rolls and ball movement, the Pacers have done just about everything they can do. Now they wait.
"The good thing is that by (Tuesday) night we'll know who the opponent is going to be," Carlisle said after practice Tuesday. "So that puts us in a different phase in our preparation."
Backup point guard Anthony Johnson has been in this situation before as a member of the New Jersey Nets last season. The Nets swept the Celtics in Round 2 and the Pistons in the Eastern Conference finals before losing to San Antonio in the NBA Finals.
"I've welcomed the break, but for 11 days, that's a little too long," Johnson said. "We're tired of beating up on each other. It's getting a little testy out there."
Competition has been heated at times during the break, but Fred Jones said that will only help them when they come back for Game 1 of the second round Thursday.
"They came up with a few little competitive games for us," Jones said. "They've done their job. As players, we love competing. I think we made it even better because nobody even gave an inch and nobody wanted to lose."
The good news is, the Pacers are as healthy as they have been all season, so much so that Carlisle has had the rare luxury of being able to use all 15 players to form three teams of five in practice.
"That's something we haven't done since the early stages of the season," Carlisle said. "(The layoff) has been a challenge, but I still feel it's been just as much positive for us."
Al Harrington said that in the past few days, the starters have beaten the second team in most scrimmaging but lost to the third team on a few occasions.
"Everybody's getting whupped by somebody," Harrington said.
It's clear, however, that the Pacers are ready to start whupping somebody else.
"It's crunch time now," Jones said. "We're close."
As of Tuesday evening, about 2,700 tickets remained for Thursday's second-round playoff opener. Ticket prices at Conseco Fieldhouse range from $14 to $53.
http://www.fortwayne.com
While the players are working to keep their competitive edge during what seems like an endless 11-day wait between games, the coaches have been working just as hard to devise unique practice schedules to break up the monotony.
"They're trying. The coaches are trying," Jermaine O'Neal said with a grin. "You guys have to come up with an award for that. They're definitely trying and doing their absolute best to keep this team ready. It's a tough thing."
With no opponent to prepare for, coach Rick Carlisle and his staff have used scrimmages and competitive drills to keep the players' interest over the last week.
The Pacers, who haven't played since wrapping up a first-round sweep of Boston on April 25, will face the winner of the New Orleans-Miami Game 7 played Tuesday night at Miami.
"They made it fun, they made it competitive," Ron Artest said. "We got tired of seeing the same faces, but the coaches made it interesting."
In between scrimmages, Carlisle, who loves the smaller details of the game, conducted drills on almost every minute aspect or game situation they might face through the playoffs.
From end-of-the-game scenarios, to pick-and-rolls and ball movement, the Pacers have done just about everything they can do. Now they wait.
"The good thing is that by (Tuesday) night we'll know who the opponent is going to be," Carlisle said after practice Tuesday. "So that puts us in a different phase in our preparation."
Backup point guard Anthony Johnson has been in this situation before as a member of the New Jersey Nets last season. The Nets swept the Celtics in Round 2 and the Pistons in the Eastern Conference finals before losing to San Antonio in the NBA Finals.
"I've welcomed the break, but for 11 days, that's a little too long," Johnson said. "We're tired of beating up on each other. It's getting a little testy out there."
Competition has been heated at times during the break, but Fred Jones said that will only help them when they come back for Game 1 of the second round Thursday.
"They came up with a few little competitive games for us," Jones said. "They've done their job. As players, we love competing. I think we made it even better because nobody even gave an inch and nobody wanted to lose."
The good news is, the Pacers are as healthy as they have been all season, so much so that Carlisle has had the rare luxury of being able to use all 15 players to form three teams of five in practice.
"That's something we haven't done since the early stages of the season," Carlisle said. "(The layoff) has been a challenge, but I still feel it's been just as much positive for us."
Al Harrington said that in the past few days, the starters have beaten the second team in most scrimmaging but lost to the third team on a few occasions.
"Everybody's getting whupped by somebody," Harrington said.
It's clear, however, that the Pacers are ready to start whupping somebody else.
"It's crunch time now," Jones said. "We're close."
As of Tuesday evening, about 2,700 tickets remained for Thursday's second-round playoff opener. Ticket prices at Conseco Fieldhouse range from $14 to $53.
http://www.fortwayne.com
A shocking thought suddenly overtook me late Tuesday night: The Miami Heat can beat the Indiana Pacers, who from the first month of the season established themselves as the best team in the Eastern Conference. That would send the Heat, left for dead in the early weeks of this NBA season, to the Eastern finals. I don't think it will happen, but it could.
While the Pacers have been chilling for what seems like the past two months back in Indy (the result of having swept the Boston Celtics), the Heat have been establishing themselves as the World Wrestling Federation's team of the month (the result of getting extended to seven games by the New Orleans Hornets).
And though we will hear much in the next few days about the relative merits of Indy's resting while Miami was playing, it's clear the Heat used the time well, not merely winning the series but, more important, forging a tough identity and building confidence. The Pacers may be well rested, but after watching the blood-and-guts mayhem of that Miami-New Orleans series, they don't know exactly what they will face. They should be able to handle the Heat at home -- they had better handle the Heat at home -- but Miami has suddenly become a formidable team in South Florida.
It's not entirely the league office's fault that the Pacers will have been off for 11 days by the time they host the Heat in Game 1 of the Eastern semis on Thursday; it's partly the result of the Celtics falling down so expediently in four games. But any thought that concern for television ratings was not the No. 1 factor when the NBA set up its playoff schedule should be dismissed. The idea to expand first-round series to seven games is one thing, but to spread them out over three weekends is ridiculous. Consider this: Game 2 of the Detroit Pistons-New Jersey Nets series was set before Game 1 because ESPN had to have a TV game and Friday night was its designated slot. That is the tail wagging the dog no matter how you spin it.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/writers/jack_mccallum/05/05/firstround/
While the Pacers have been chilling for what seems like the past two months back in Indy (the result of having swept the Boston Celtics), the Heat have been establishing themselves as the World Wrestling Federation's team of the month (the result of getting extended to seven games by the New Orleans Hornets).
And though we will hear much in the next few days about the relative merits of Indy's resting while Miami was playing, it's clear the Heat used the time well, not merely winning the series but, more important, forging a tough identity and building confidence. The Pacers may be well rested, but after watching the blood-and-guts mayhem of that Miami-New Orleans series, they don't know exactly what they will face. They should be able to handle the Heat at home -- they had better handle the Heat at home -- but Miami has suddenly become a formidable team in South Florida.
It's not entirely the league office's fault that the Pacers will have been off for 11 days by the time they host the Heat in Game 1 of the Eastern semis on Thursday; it's partly the result of the Celtics falling down so expediently in four games. But any thought that concern for television ratings was not the No. 1 factor when the NBA set up its playoff schedule should be dismissed. The idea to expand first-round series to seven games is one thing, but to spread them out over three weekends is ridiculous. Consider this: Game 2 of the Detroit Pistons-New Jersey Nets series was set before Game 1 because ESPN had to have a TV game and Friday night was its designated slot. That is the tail wagging the dog no matter how you spin it.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/writers/jack_mccallum/05/05/firstround/
The Heat will win if ...
They can turn the series into a hoops version of the Indy 500. Just like in its previous series against the Hornets, Miami is facing a bigger and more physical team in the Pacers. That means the Heat again need to rev their motors, open the throttle and burn rubber as much as possible. Dwyane Wade, Eddie Jones, Caron Butler and Lamar Odom give them four speedy, athletic guys who can finish at the rim and knock down three-pointers in transition.
The problem for the Heat is that, unlike the Hornets, the Pacers actually know how to get the ball to their All-Star big man. In the last series, New Orleans failed to do so with Jamaal Magloire, and instead settled for a bunch of long-range shots that fueled Miami's transition game. Still, 6-foot-9 Heat center Brian Grant did a fantastic job denying Magloire, and will make O'Neal work for everything, too. Unfortunately for Grant, Miami's lack of overall size down low forces it to double-team frequently. Consequently, the Heat give up offensive rebounds. Odom and Butler will need to be all over the defensive glass to give Miami a chance.
The Heat are peaking, and should be in rhythm after having gone the distance with the Hornets. They're also tough at home, where they have won 16 in a row. If they can steal one of the first two at Conseco, they could make it interesting.
The Pacers win if ...
They don't settle for outside shots. The Heat are going to gang up on O'Neal like they did Magloire in the Hornets series, and hope Indy's outside shooters can't beat them. The Pacers must stay patient and not fall into the trap. Long shots will only give Miami a chance to get long rebounds and get out on the break. Rick Carlisle eventually will find ways to exploit Miami's defense if his players don't just fire away every time they get an open look at the basket.
Defensively, Jamaal Tinsley must stay in front of Wade and keep him out of the lane as much as possible. If he does, O'Neal and Ron Artest will take care of Odom. Jeff Foster, meanwhile, must provide his usual hustle and energy plays to offset Miami's youthful exuberance. He also needs to make Odom pay for leaving him to double-team O'Neal.
As in the Celtics series, the Pacers' bench could be a factor. Al Harrington, Fred Jones, Jonathan Bender, Anthony Johnson and Austin Croshere are dangerous and versatile, and could dominate against a thin Heat reserve corps. Harrington, in particular, is an X-factor if Miami pays too much attention to O'Neal and Artest.
Overall, Indiana appears too deep and balanced for Miami. The Pacers have won 15 of 17, including a dominating four-game sweep of the Celtics. If they can shake off the rust from that 11-day layoff, there is no reason to think they won't continue to roll.
Key matchup
O'Neal vs. Grant. Though undersized at 6 feet 9 inches, Grant is a strong, smart defender who knows how to use leverage without getting called for fouls. He's also excellent at showing on pick-and-rolls and rotating to help teammates. O'Neal (22.3 points, 12.7 rebounds, 3.0 blocks vs. the Heat during the regular season) is a dominant force at both ends. He will need to be aggressive and patient on offense, and not allow Grant to frustrate him. It will be a mental test for O'Neal, who will probably have to cover Odom at the other end. How well O'Neal adjusts to Grant's defense and Miami's attempts to deny him the ball will be a key for the Pacers.
Interesting fact
The only other team to have 11 days off between a series was the 1982 Lakers. They beat the 76ers in Philadelphia in Game 1 of the Finals, and went on to win the title in six games.
The pick
Miami needed seven games to beat New Orleans. The Pacers, even if rusty, are a lot better than the Hornets. Pacers in 5.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com
They can turn the series into a hoops version of the Indy 500. Just like in its previous series against the Hornets, Miami is facing a bigger and more physical team in the Pacers. That means the Heat again need to rev their motors, open the throttle and burn rubber as much as possible. Dwyane Wade, Eddie Jones, Caron Butler and Lamar Odom give them four speedy, athletic guys who can finish at the rim and knock down three-pointers in transition.
The problem for the Heat is that, unlike the Hornets, the Pacers actually know how to get the ball to their All-Star big man. In the last series, New Orleans failed to do so with Jamaal Magloire, and instead settled for a bunch of long-range shots that fueled Miami's transition game. Still, 6-foot-9 Heat center Brian Grant did a fantastic job denying Magloire, and will make O'Neal work for everything, too. Unfortunately for Grant, Miami's lack of overall size down low forces it to double-team frequently. Consequently, the Heat give up offensive rebounds. Odom and Butler will need to be all over the defensive glass to give Miami a chance.
The Heat are peaking, and should be in rhythm after having gone the distance with the Hornets. They're also tough at home, where they have won 16 in a row. If they can steal one of the first two at Conseco, they could make it interesting.
The Pacers win if ...
They don't settle for outside shots. The Heat are going to gang up on O'Neal like they did Magloire in the Hornets series, and hope Indy's outside shooters can't beat them. The Pacers must stay patient and not fall into the trap. Long shots will only give Miami a chance to get long rebounds and get out on the break. Rick Carlisle eventually will find ways to exploit Miami's defense if his players don't just fire away every time they get an open look at the basket.
Defensively, Jamaal Tinsley must stay in front of Wade and keep him out of the lane as much as possible. If he does, O'Neal and Ron Artest will take care of Odom. Jeff Foster, meanwhile, must provide his usual hustle and energy plays to offset Miami's youthful exuberance. He also needs to make Odom pay for leaving him to double-team O'Neal.
As in the Celtics series, the Pacers' bench could be a factor. Al Harrington, Fred Jones, Jonathan Bender, Anthony Johnson and Austin Croshere are dangerous and versatile, and could dominate against a thin Heat reserve corps. Harrington, in particular, is an X-factor if Miami pays too much attention to O'Neal and Artest.
Overall, Indiana appears too deep and balanced for Miami. The Pacers have won 15 of 17, including a dominating four-game sweep of the Celtics. If they can shake off the rust from that 11-day layoff, there is no reason to think they won't continue to roll.
Key matchup
O'Neal vs. Grant. Though undersized at 6 feet 9 inches, Grant is a strong, smart defender who knows how to use leverage without getting called for fouls. He's also excellent at showing on pick-and-rolls and rotating to help teammates. O'Neal (22.3 points, 12.7 rebounds, 3.0 blocks vs. the Heat during the regular season) is a dominant force at both ends. He will need to be aggressive and patient on offense, and not allow Grant to frustrate him. It will be a mental test for O'Neal, who will probably have to cover Odom at the other end. How well O'Neal adjusts to Grant's defense and Miami's attempts to deny him the ball will be a key for the Pacers.
Interesting fact
The only other team to have 11 days off between a series was the 1982 Lakers. They beat the 76ers in Philadelphia in Game 1 of the Finals, and went on to win the title in six games.
The pick
Miami needed seven games to beat New Orleans. The Pacers, even if rusty, are a lot better than the Hornets. Pacers in 5.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com
INDIANAPOLIS -- Overachievers?
No question. After all, who would have expected a team 11 games below .500 on March 2 to be here, two months later, in the Eastern Conference semifinals?
Overmatched?
That appears to be the Heat's new reality after Thursday's 94-81 loss to the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of this best-of-7 series.
"They really put it to us for a while there,'' said guard Dwyane Wade, who did his best to keep the Heat afloat with 22 points and seven rebounds.
Shaky at the start and overwhelmed in the third quarter, the Heat found itself with its most lopsided loss in 37 games.
"They just outplayed us," coach Stan Van Gundy said. "They do a great job of attacking. They defended us extremely well.
Based on the opposition, even the trademark resiliency the Heat has displayed these past two months might not be enough, not with Indiana shooting 9 of 18 on 3-pointers, including 5 of 6 by point guard Jamaal Tinsley.
"You've got to give up something,'' Wade said after the Heat did a surprisingly effective job against Pacers All-Star power forward Jermaine O'Neal.
Having emerged in the first round to oust the pesky New Orleans Hornets in Tuesday's Game 7 at AmericanAirlines Arena, the Heat 48 hours later found itself facing something far more potent and powerful at sold-out Conseco Fieldhouse.
"There's a reason this team's won 61 games," Van Gundy said. "There's not a lot of holes at either end of the floor."
In the first quarter, the Heat took the brunt of the Pacers' defense, missing 13 consecutive shots. In the third quarter, Indiana's offense seized control with a 26-5 blitz that produced a 60-37 lead. A 25-12 Pacers scoring edge at the foul line made it academic.
Those numbers are bad enough. Others are more daunting.
The Heat is 1-4 all-time when losing the first game of a playoff series. Further, it now has lost its past seven postseason road games.
By contrast, Indiana has won 11 of 13 playoff series when taking Game 1 and has won all five of its second-round postseason series.
As for the present reality, Thursday's loss was the Heat's 10th in a row to the Pacers, a team that looked every bit of its league-leading regular-season record.
"I've got to find some answers I haven't had all year," Van Gundy said.
The real concern entering Saturday's Game 2 at Conseco is that the Heat did not even see the best of Indiana's best. O'Neal, the third-place finisher in this season's balloting for Most Valuable Player, was limited to 5-of-17 shooting, with 13 points, seven rebounds and one blocked shot.
"I thought we did a decent job on Jermaine,'' Van Gundy said, "and I also thought he missed some shots."
Instead, Pacers small forward Ron Artest, presented with his Defensive Player of the Year Award just before the opening tip-off, took care of matters on both ends. He not only closed with 25 points but also anchored a defense that left the Heat at 38.1 percent from the field.
"Ron Artest was a monster," Van Gundy said. "That guy gets the ball in the middle of the paint and makes seemingly difficult shots."
From the Heat, through the first three quarters, there mostly was fatigue and feebleness, save for a 20-9 run going into the final period.
Through it all, Wade, who had started only one of the team's three regular-season meetings because of injuries, helped the Heat close what was a 23-point deficit to eight in the final period, before Pacers guard Reggie Miller sealed it with a trademark 3-pointer.
Having developed a niche of playing through adversity, the Heat had to do it again when power forward Lamar Odom went to the locker room in the first quarter for three stitches to the bottom of his chin. He was hurt while falling to the court after being stripped of the ball, returning midway through the second period. He closed 5 of 15 from the field for 12 points.
The Pacers whot 50 percent from the field in the first half (17 of 34), while the Heat shot 14 of 44. About the only Heat player who did not struggle on offense in the first half was guard Eddie Jones. Of course, Jones took only one shot in the first half, a 3-pointer he converted at the start of the second period. He closed 1 of 3 for four points, limited by foul trouble.
"We won't say, `Uncle,'" Jones insisted.
Seeking to revive his team, Van Gundy went nine deep early, giving action to forwards Rasual Butler and Malik Allen in a bid to shake his team's early lethargy. Against the Hornets, Van Gundy rarely dipped beyond Alston and reserve forward Udonis Haslem. Allen was active and responded with eight rebounds.
One positive for the Heat in the first half was a steal by forward Caron Butler, which gave him at least one in each playoff game this season, one off the franchise-record nine-game streak of former swingman Dan Majerle.
After Game 2 Saturday here, the series switches to AmericanAirlines Arena for Games 3 and 4 on Monday and Wednesday. The winner of this series plays the winner of New Jersey-Detroit in the Eastern Conference finals, a level the Heat has reached only once in its 16 seasons.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com
No question. After all, who would have expected a team 11 games below .500 on March 2 to be here, two months later, in the Eastern Conference semifinals?
Overmatched?
That appears to be the Heat's new reality after Thursday's 94-81 loss to the Indiana Pacers in Game 1 of this best-of-7 series.
"They really put it to us for a while there,'' said guard Dwyane Wade, who did his best to keep the Heat afloat with 22 points and seven rebounds.
Shaky at the start and overwhelmed in the third quarter, the Heat found itself with its most lopsided loss in 37 games.
"They just outplayed us," coach Stan Van Gundy said. "They do a great job of attacking. They defended us extremely well.
Based on the opposition, even the trademark resiliency the Heat has displayed these past two months might not be enough, not with Indiana shooting 9 of 18 on 3-pointers, including 5 of 6 by point guard Jamaal Tinsley.
"You've got to give up something,'' Wade said after the Heat did a surprisingly effective job against Pacers All-Star power forward Jermaine O'Neal.
Having emerged in the first round to oust the pesky New Orleans Hornets in Tuesday's Game 7 at AmericanAirlines Arena, the Heat 48 hours later found itself facing something far more potent and powerful at sold-out Conseco Fieldhouse.
"There's a reason this team's won 61 games," Van Gundy said. "There's not a lot of holes at either end of the floor."
In the first quarter, the Heat took the brunt of the Pacers' defense, missing 13 consecutive shots. In the third quarter, Indiana's offense seized control with a 26-5 blitz that produced a 60-37 lead. A 25-12 Pacers scoring edge at the foul line made it academic.
Those numbers are bad enough. Others are more daunting.
The Heat is 1-4 all-time when losing the first game of a playoff series. Further, it now has lost its past seven postseason road games.
By contrast, Indiana has won 11 of 13 playoff series when taking Game 1 and has won all five of its second-round postseason series.
As for the present reality, Thursday's loss was the Heat's 10th in a row to the Pacers, a team that looked every bit of its league-leading regular-season record.
"I've got to find some answers I haven't had all year," Van Gundy said.
The real concern entering Saturday's Game 2 at Conseco is that the Heat did not even see the best of Indiana's best. O'Neal, the third-place finisher in this season's balloting for Most Valuable Player, was limited to 5-of-17 shooting, with 13 points, seven rebounds and one blocked shot.
"I thought we did a decent job on Jermaine,'' Van Gundy said, "and I also thought he missed some shots."
Instead, Pacers small forward Ron Artest, presented with his Defensive Player of the Year Award just before the opening tip-off, took care of matters on both ends. He not only closed with 25 points but also anchored a defense that left the Heat at 38.1 percent from the field.
"Ron Artest was a monster," Van Gundy said. "That guy gets the ball in the middle of the paint and makes seemingly difficult shots."
From the Heat, through the first three quarters, there mostly was fatigue and feebleness, save for a 20-9 run going into the final period.
Through it all, Wade, who had started only one of the team's three regular-season meetings because of injuries, helped the Heat close what was a 23-point deficit to eight in the final period, before Pacers guard Reggie Miller sealed it with a trademark 3-pointer.
Having developed a niche of playing through adversity, the Heat had to do it again when power forward Lamar Odom went to the locker room in the first quarter for three stitches to the bottom of his chin. He was hurt while falling to the court after being stripped of the ball, returning midway through the second period. He closed 5 of 15 from the field for 12 points.
The Pacers whot 50 percent from the field in the first half (17 of 34), while the Heat shot 14 of 44. About the only Heat player who did not struggle on offense in the first half was guard Eddie Jones. Of course, Jones took only one shot in the first half, a 3-pointer he converted at the start of the second period. He closed 1 of 3 for four points, limited by foul trouble.
"We won't say, `Uncle,'" Jones insisted.
Seeking to revive his team, Van Gundy went nine deep early, giving action to forwards Rasual Butler and Malik Allen in a bid to shake his team's early lethargy. Against the Hornets, Van Gundy rarely dipped beyond Alston and reserve forward Udonis Haslem. Allen was active and responded with eight rebounds.
One positive for the Heat in the first half was a steal by forward Caron Butler, which gave him at least one in each playoff game this season, one off the franchise-record nine-game streak of former swingman Dan Majerle.
After Game 2 Saturday here, the series switches to AmericanAirlines Arena for Games 3 and 4 on Monday and Wednesday. The winner of this series plays the winner of New Jersey-Detroit in the Eastern Conference finals, a level the Heat has reached only once in its 16 seasons.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com
About the Heat: The Heat is 0-4 in the playoffs on the road, after going 13-28 on the road during the regular season. It also has lost seven consecutive road playoff games. The Heat has lost 10 in a row to the Pacers, counting its 94-81 loss Thursday in the first game of this best-of-7 Eastern Conference semifinal series and its 0-3 regular-season record against Indiana. The 13-point loss in Game 1 was its most lopsided setback in 37 games, dating to a 98-83 home loss to the Lakers on Feb. 10.
About the Pacers: Indiana has won 11 in a row at home counting its two first-round victories over Boston at Conseco Fieldhouse and Thursday's victory. Further, counting this series opener and its 4-0 first-round sweep of the Celtics, the Pacers have won 10 consecutive games overall. The Pacers' five-game playoff winning streak is their longest since winning their first seven of the 1999 postseason. The 17 points in Game 1 by point guard Jamaal Tinsley, who shot 5 of 6 on 3-pointers, were a career playoff high. The 25 points by forward Ron Artest in Game 1 were one off his career playoff high, with Indiana now 35-5 since the start of the regular season when he scores 20 or more. The three blocked shots by reserve forward Al Harrington in Game 1 were a career playoff high. The 10 rebounds by center Jeff Foster in Game 1 featured a playoff career-high six offensive rebounds.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com
About the Pacers: Indiana has won 11 in a row at home counting its two first-round victories over Boston at Conseco Fieldhouse and Thursday's victory. Further, counting this series opener and its 4-0 first-round sweep of the Celtics, the Pacers have won 10 consecutive games overall. The Pacers' five-game playoff winning streak is their longest since winning their first seven of the 1999 postseason. The 17 points in Game 1 by point guard Jamaal Tinsley, who shot 5 of 6 on 3-pointers, were a career playoff high. The 25 points by forward Ron Artest in Game 1 were one off his career playoff high, with Indiana now 35-5 since the start of the regular season when he scores 20 or more. The three blocked shots by reserve forward Al Harrington in Game 1 were a career playoff high. The 10 rebounds by center Jeff Foster in Game 1 featured a playoff career-high six offensive rebounds.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Pacers are dominating the playoffs like no other team in NBA history.
Reggie Miller scored 19 points in 18 minutes last night to lead Indiana to a 91-80 win over Miami, the Pacers' NBA-record sixth straight double-digit playoff victory.
The previous record was shared by the 1985 Los Angeles Lakers and 1947 Philadelphia Warriors.
Ron Artest had 20 points and five assists for the Pacers, who take a 2-0 series lead in this Eastern Conference semifinal series to Miami — where the Heat have won 16 straight games — for tomorrow's Game 3.
"We can play much better," Miller said. "We're finding ways to win, which is encouraging, but we have to play better."
Miller got the Pacers rolling with a three-pointer off one leg with Eddie Jones' hand in his face to beat the second-quarter buzzer and get the Pacers rolling.
The 38-year-old Miller was 6 for 10 from the field with three three-pointers
"Reggie Miller just killed us," Heat coach Stan Van Gundy said. "He's done it before. We're not the first team he's done it to."
Miller hit two threes in the first 4:30 of the second half to hold off the Heat.
Lamar Odom led Miami with 19 points and 12 rebounds before fouling out with 4:05 to play.
Miami shot 40.5 percent for the game and was 1 of 6 from three-point range. Indiana, on the other hand, made seven threes to offset being beaten on the boards, 44-38.
"It's the same old problems for us," Van Gundy said. "We competed hard. We attacked the basket, but they were just too much. They have too many weapons."
Note
• Pacers center Jeff Foster left the game in the third quarter with a bruised right hip he appeared to injure while going for an offensive rebound in the first quarter. But he plans to play in Game 3.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com
Reggie Miller scored 19 points in 18 minutes last night to lead Indiana to a 91-80 win over Miami, the Pacers' NBA-record sixth straight double-digit playoff victory.
The previous record was shared by the 1985 Los Angeles Lakers and 1947 Philadelphia Warriors.
Ron Artest had 20 points and five assists for the Pacers, who take a 2-0 series lead in this Eastern Conference semifinal series to Miami — where the Heat have won 16 straight games — for tomorrow's Game 3.
"We can play much better," Miller said. "We're finding ways to win, which is encouraging, but we have to play better."
Miller got the Pacers rolling with a three-pointer off one leg with Eddie Jones' hand in his face to beat the second-quarter buzzer and get the Pacers rolling.
The 38-year-old Miller was 6 for 10 from the field with three three-pointers
"Reggie Miller just killed us," Heat coach Stan Van Gundy said. "He's done it before. We're not the first team he's done it to."
Miller hit two threes in the first 4:30 of the second half to hold off the Heat.
Lamar Odom led Miami with 19 points and 12 rebounds before fouling out with 4:05 to play.
Miami shot 40.5 percent for the game and was 1 of 6 from three-point range. Indiana, on the other hand, made seven threes to offset being beaten on the boards, 44-38.
"It's the same old problems for us," Van Gundy said. "We competed hard. We attacked the basket, but they were just too much. They have too many weapons."
Note
• Pacers center Jeff Foster left the game in the third quarter with a bruised right hip he appeared to injure while going for an offensive rebound in the first quarter. But he plans to play in Game 3.
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com
It's popular to refer to the NBA's Eastern Conference as inferior to the West, and it's justified.
An Eastern Conference team hasn't won the championship since the Chicago Bulls in 1998. This season, two East teams (New York, Boston) made the playoffs with sub-.500 records while two others (New Orleans, Milwaukee) were 41-41.
Still, don't underrate the Indiana Pacers, who handled the Miami Heat on Saturday to take a 2-0 lead in their playoff series.
The Pacers were the only team to win 60 regular-season games. Indiana split against Minnesota, the Lakers and San Antonio.
Larry Bird's hiring of Rick Carlisle as coach made the Pacers tougher and more disciplined, things that appeared to be lacking under Isiah Thomas. Jermaine O'Neal is an all-star. Ron Artest is the league's best defender. Al Harrington is blossoming in his sixth season out of high school. And they still have some guy named Reggie Miller.
Indiana is a legitimate contender.
http://www.dailypress.com
An Eastern Conference team hasn't won the championship since the Chicago Bulls in 1998. This season, two East teams (New York, Boston) made the playoffs with sub-.500 records while two others (New Orleans, Milwaukee) were 41-41.
Still, don't underrate the Indiana Pacers, who handled the Miami Heat on Saturday to take a 2-0 lead in their playoff series.
The Pacers were the only team to win 60 regular-season games. Indiana split against Minnesota, the Lakers and San Antonio.
Larry Bird's hiring of Rick Carlisle as coach made the Pacers tougher and more disciplined, things that appeared to be lacking under Isiah Thomas. Jermaine O'Neal is an all-star. Ron Artest is the league's best defender. Al Harrington is blossoming in his sixth season out of high school. And they still have some guy named Reggie Miller.
Indiana is a legitimate contender.
http://www.dailypress.com
Jermaine O'Neal made it look so easy in the fourth quarter, hitting eight consecutive free throws. If only he could have done it earlier.
Indiana's All-Star forward missed five free throws in the third, helping the Miami Heat build their biggest lead of the series.
It was all the momentum the Heat team needed to extend their home winning streak to 17 games and cut Indiana's lead to 2-1 in the Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Dwyane Wade scored 25 points -- including 14 in the fourth -- and the Heat handed Indiana its first loss of the postseason, 94-87 Monday night.
O'Neal led the Pacers with 29 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots. But he also took blame for his team losing the rebounding battle (43-35) for the third straight game.
"This is on my back," he said. "I have to set the tone. If I'm aggressive in getting rebounds, it's like a virus that spreads. They wanted it more. We had a lot of breakdowns."
Lamar Odom had 16 points and nine rebounds for the Heat.
Game 4 is Wednesday night in Miami, where the Heat haven't lost since March 2.
"Our guys really feed off the electricity and energy in this building," Heat coach Stan Van Gundy said. "They not only feed off the fans, but they want to perform for them. If I could bottle it up and take it on the road with us I would."
The home-court edge helped Miami beat the Pacers for the first time in 12 tries.
"They finally came to play," said Pacers forward Ron Artest, held to 14 points after scoring 45 in the first two games. "Now we've got to come to play."
The Pacers kept the game close thanks to nine 3-pointers, including four in the fourth quarter.
The Heat used a 7-0 run to take a 79-72 lead with 2:55 to play. Wade hit a pull-up jumper at the foul line, then dunked over O'Neal on the next possession.
"Dwyane has very little fear for a rookie," Van Gundy said.
Miami got plenty of help in the fourth from Indiana, which made just one of their first 11 shots in the quarter.
The Pacers went without a field goal until the 6:20 mark of the period. They made just one more field goal until the final minute of the game.
"We slipped a little tonight and they took advantage," forward Jonathan Bender said. "Obviously when they get home they have more confidence. They got into it and they came out strong. Now we have to make this our house, play like we're at home."
Indiana cut the lead to 91-87 on a 3-pointer by Reggie Miller with 21.7 seconds remaining. Odom then missed two free throws, but got his own rebound to prevent a frantic finish. He made one shot from the line after a foul to put it away.
"We're going to have to play much better to beat this team here," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said.
Despite the victory, the Heat still face a tough task in the series. Of the 173 previous best-of-seven series to begin 2-0, the trailing team has come back to win the series just seven times.
The Pacers, who had the best record in the NBA during the regular season, had been 6-0 in the postseason. They also set an NBA record by winning all six by double digits.
"We knew we weren't going to go undefeated," said Miller, who took just two shots. "It was a matter of time. But we know we can play better. We haven't played well in any of the first three games."
Although the Heat kept Artest in check, O'Neal found his shooting touch that had been missing in the first two games. He was 9-of-21 from the floor after shooting 31 percent in the first two games against defensive-minded Brian Grant.
He could have done more damage had he not struggled from the line. In all, the Pacers missed 12 free throws.
"We came here to get at least one game," Pacers forward Al Harrington said. "We didn't get Game 3, so we have to get Game 4. They're a lot more confident at home. We expected it. We just missed shots and we missed free throws. They showed a lot of heart and character." ^Notes: Pacers guard Jamaal Tinsley had X-rays on his left ankle after the game. Results were not available. ... Grant set his career postseason record with 16 rebounds. ... Miami's Butler set a team playoff record with a first-quarter steal, his 10th consecutive postseason game with a swipe. The previous record was nine, set by Dan Majerle in 1999 and tied in 2000.
http://sfgate.com
Indiana's All-Star forward missed five free throws in the third, helping the Miami Heat build their biggest lead of the series.
It was all the momentum the Heat team needed to extend their home winning streak to 17 games and cut Indiana's lead to 2-1 in the Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Dwyane Wade scored 25 points -- including 14 in the fourth -- and the Heat handed Indiana its first loss of the postseason, 94-87 Monday night.
O'Neal led the Pacers with 29 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots. But he also took blame for his team losing the rebounding battle (43-35) for the third straight game.
"This is on my back," he said. "I have to set the tone. If I'm aggressive in getting rebounds, it's like a virus that spreads. They wanted it more. We had a lot of breakdowns."
Lamar Odom had 16 points and nine rebounds for the Heat.
Game 4 is Wednesday night in Miami, where the Heat haven't lost since March 2.
"Our guys really feed off the electricity and energy in this building," Heat coach Stan Van Gundy said. "They not only feed off the fans, but they want to perform for them. If I could bottle it up and take it on the road with us I would."
The home-court edge helped Miami beat the Pacers for the first time in 12 tries.
"They finally came to play," said Pacers forward Ron Artest, held to 14 points after scoring 45 in the first two games. "Now we've got to come to play."
The Pacers kept the game close thanks to nine 3-pointers, including four in the fourth quarter.
The Heat used a 7-0 run to take a 79-72 lead with 2:55 to play. Wade hit a pull-up jumper at the foul line, then dunked over O'Neal on the next possession.
"Dwyane has very little fear for a rookie," Van Gundy said.
Miami got plenty of help in the fourth from Indiana, which made just one of their first 11 shots in the quarter.
The Pacers went without a field goal until the 6:20 mark of the period. They made just one more field goal until the final minute of the game.
"We slipped a little tonight and they took advantage," forward Jonathan Bender said. "Obviously when they get home they have more confidence. They got into it and they came out strong. Now we have to make this our house, play like we're at home."
Indiana cut the lead to 91-87 on a 3-pointer by Reggie Miller with 21.7 seconds remaining. Odom then missed two free throws, but got his own rebound to prevent a frantic finish. He made one shot from the line after a foul to put it away.
"We're going to have to play much better to beat this team here," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said.
Despite the victory, the Heat still face a tough task in the series. Of the 173 previous best-of-seven series to begin 2-0, the trailing team has come back to win the series just seven times.
The Pacers, who had the best record in the NBA during the regular season, had been 6-0 in the postseason. They also set an NBA record by winning all six by double digits.
"We knew we weren't going to go undefeated," said Miller, who took just two shots. "It was a matter of time. But we know we can play better. We haven't played well in any of the first three games."
Although the Heat kept Artest in check, O'Neal found his shooting touch that had been missing in the first two games. He was 9-of-21 from the floor after shooting 31 percent in the first two games against defensive-minded Brian Grant.
He could have done more damage had he not struggled from the line. In all, the Pacers missed 12 free throws.
"We came here to get at least one game," Pacers forward Al Harrington said. "We didn't get Game 3, so we have to get Game 4. They're a lot more confident at home. We expected it. We just missed shots and we missed free throws. They showed a lot of heart and character." ^Notes: Pacers guard Jamaal Tinsley had X-rays on his left ankle after the game. Results were not available. ... Grant set his career postseason record with 16 rebounds. ... Miami's Butler set a team playoff record with a first-quarter steal, his 10th consecutive postseason game with a swipe. The previous record was nine, set by Dan Majerle in 1999 and tied in 2000.
http://sfgate.com
MIAMI -- The Indiana Pacers do losses well. That's one reason they had so few of them during the best regular season in the franchise's history.
It took only a few moments to detect a mood swing after Tuesday's practice, one that ran about 45 minutes longer than scheduled. The Pacers' 94-87 loss to Miami on Monday -- their first playoff loss after six double-figure victories and their first loss of any kind since an 18-point collapse at Detroit on April 4 -- still stung.
"Sometimes when you go six (playoff) games without losing and they're not that close you kind of disrespect the game a little bit," Jermaine O'Neal said. "That's what we did last night. We disrespected the game of basketball and didn't give ourselves a chance to win.
"It was almost embarrassing to watch the tapes this morning. We should have no problem coming into this game being focused."
The Pacers will encounter colliding trends as they take their 2-1 series lead into tonight's game at AmericanAirlines Arena.
They are 18-3 this season after losses, and dropped consecutive games just three times in their 61-win season. Miami, meanwhile, has won 17 consecutive games at home, where its energy level and shot making are cranked up by the crowd noise.
There should be plenty of it for this game, the most influential of the season for both teams. The Pacers have the option of heading home with a 3-1 lead and a chance to end the series at Conseco Fieldhouse on Saturday, or being tied 2-2, which would bring a best-of-three finish.
"It's going to bring incredible intensity out of both teams," Heat coach Stan Van Gundy said. "That fourth game in a 2-1 series is always big. There will be a great deal of intensity. But when you get to this time of the year, all of the games are pretty intense."
The Pacers were still chastising themselves Tuesday for their sins Monday, when they again tried to cover their warts with the gloss of 3-point shooting. They got away with that emergency makeover in the first two games of the series, but not in Game 3.
They don't want to resort to quick fixes tonight. The plan is to execute what Al Harrington called "a lot of little things that you start to overlook when you win."
They want to rotate better defensively to cut off Dwyane Wade's penetration, box out better to keep Miami off the boards and get better ball movement and shot distribution offensively.
Wade scored 25 points Monday, 14 in the fourth quarter, by getting inside the Pacers' defense. His defender, Jamaal Tinsley, played with a sprained ankle in the second half, but he's supposed to get help regardless.
Miami also outrebounded the Pacers for the third straight game, a reversal from the three regular-season meetings, and limited them to 39 percent shooting.
The Pacers contributed to Miami's defensive effort with quick shots. O'Neal, taking advantage of Miami's decision to stop double-teaming him, scored 29 points but needed 21 shots to do it.
"I rushed a couple of shots trying to get my rhythm," he said. "That's not who I am. I have to get my team going. I don't care anymore about how I shoot the ball. I have to be more of a leader and make sure guys are in the right place at the right time."
Ron Artest, the Pacers' other primary option, was even less effective, hitting 4-of-18 shots.
"I took a lot of bad shots," he said. "That was pretty much it, not playing smart."
Reggie Miller, globally famous for playoff heroics, was even less effective, taking just two shots and hitting one.
Miller didn't say he wants more shots, but he sounded an alarm for better teamwork.
"I'm just waiting for us to play 48 minutes together as a team," he said.
"If we play together for 48 minutes with the type of talent that we have on this team, we can be very successful."
The Pacers, however, won't be playing an intrasquad scrimmage tonight. Miami sees plenty of areas for improvement as well, and has the benefits of growing confidence, maximum fan support and familiar surroundings.
Van Gundy said his team hit just 6-of-31 jump shots in Game 2 in Indianapolis, but hit 15-of-33 on Monday.
"Did we get better shots? I don't know," he said. "We just made more of them. I still think we can execute better and hopefully we will."
The Pacers, however, are the No. 1 seed, the favorite to win this series and the more experienced team.
This time, they plan to play like it.
"It's never about what the other team does," O'Neal said. "It's about what we do."
http://www.indystar.com/articles/0/145642-9700-179.html
It took only a few moments to detect a mood swing after Tuesday's practice, one that ran about 45 minutes longer than scheduled. The Pacers' 94-87 loss to Miami on Monday -- their first playoff loss after six double-figure victories and their first loss of any kind since an 18-point collapse at Detroit on April 4 -- still stung.
"Sometimes when you go six (playoff) games without losing and they're not that close you kind of disrespect the game a little bit," Jermaine O'Neal said. "That's what we did last night. We disrespected the game of basketball and didn't give ourselves a chance to win.
"It was almost embarrassing to watch the tapes this morning. We should have no problem coming into this game being focused."
The Pacers will encounter colliding trends as they take their 2-1 series lead into tonight's game at AmericanAirlines Arena.
They are 18-3 this season after losses, and dropped consecutive games just three times in their 61-win season. Miami, meanwhile, has won 17 consecutive games at home, where its energy level and shot making are cranked up by the crowd noise.
There should be plenty of it for this game, the most influential of the season for both teams. The Pacers have the option of heading home with a 3-1 lead and a chance to end the series at Conseco Fieldhouse on Saturday, or being tied 2-2, which would bring a best-of-three finish.
"It's going to bring incredible intensity out of both teams," Heat coach Stan Van Gundy said. "That fourth game in a 2-1 series is always big. There will be a great deal of intensity. But when you get to this time of the year, all of the games are pretty intense."
The Pacers were still chastising themselves Tuesday for their sins Monday, when they again tried to cover their warts with the gloss of 3-point shooting. They got away with that emergency makeover in the first two games of the series, but not in Game 3.
They don't want to resort to quick fixes tonight. The plan is to execute what Al Harrington called "a lot of little things that you start to overlook when you win."
They want to rotate better defensively to cut off Dwyane Wade's penetration, box out better to keep Miami off the boards and get better ball movement and shot distribution offensively.
Wade scored 25 points Monday, 14 in the fourth quarter, by getting inside the Pacers' defense. His defender, Jamaal Tinsley, played with a sprained ankle in the second half, but he's supposed to get help regardless.
Miami also outrebounded the Pacers for the third straight game, a reversal from the three regular-season meetings, and limited them to 39 percent shooting.
The Pacers contributed to Miami's defensive effort with quick shots. O'Neal, taking advantage of Miami's decision to stop double-teaming him, scored 29 points but needed 21 shots to do it.
"I rushed a couple of shots trying to get my rhythm," he said. "That's not who I am. I have to get my team going. I don't care anymore about how I shoot the ball. I have to be more of a leader and make sure guys are in the right place at the right time."
Ron Artest, the Pacers' other primary option, was even less effective, hitting 4-of-18 shots.
"I took a lot of bad shots," he said. "That was pretty much it, not playing smart."
Reggie Miller, globally famous for playoff heroics, was even less effective, taking just two shots and hitting one.
Miller didn't say he wants more shots, but he sounded an alarm for better teamwork.
"I'm just waiting for us to play 48 minutes together as a team," he said.
"If we play together for 48 minutes with the type of talent that we have on this team, we can be very successful."
The Pacers, however, won't be playing an intrasquad scrimmage tonight. Miami sees plenty of areas for improvement as well, and has the benefits of growing confidence, maximum fan support and familiar surroundings.
Van Gundy said his team hit just 6-of-31 jump shots in Game 2 in Indianapolis, but hit 15-of-33 on Monday.
"Did we get better shots? I don't know," he said. "We just made more of them. I still think we can execute better and hopefully we will."
The Pacers, however, are the No. 1 seed, the favorite to win this series and the more experienced team.
This time, they plan to play like it.
"It's never about what the other team does," O'Neal said. "It's about what we do."
http://www.indystar.com/articles/0/145642-9700-179.html
MIAMI, May 12 - The Indiana Pacers do not lose two straight games often, but they lost their second straight Wednesday night when the Miami Heat, buoyed by another frenzied home crowd, evened its four-of-seven-game Eastern Conference semifinal series at 2-2.
The Heat took charge of the game in the second half in defeating Indiana, 100-88, at American Airlines Arena.
The victory was Miami's 18th straight at home and second in a row over the Pacers, who lost two straight games only three times during the regular season. The series returns to Indiana for Game 5 on Saturday.
"By a show of hands, anybody here think it'd be 2-2 now?" Miami's Lamar Odom said to reporters after the game. No one raised a hand.
Odom led the Heat with 22 points. Caron Butler added 21 and Dwyane Wade chipped in with 20. Jermaine O'Neal had 37 for Indiana and Ron Artest added 28. They made 26 of Indiana's 33 field goals.
"Defensively we've regressed," Indiana Coach Rick Carlisle said. "We've allowed them to catch a real wave of momentum offensively. It's not going to be easy to take that away."
The game, before 20,128, was marred by a scuffle with 2 minutes 9 seconds left when the Heat's Eddie Jones, driving for a layup, was grabbed from behind by Jamaal Tinsley.
Just over a minute later, Artest was ejected for tackling Wade as he drove to the basket.
The Heat turned the game into a near laugher by outscoring Indiana in the second half, 47-32.
"I just thought the game was easy for them in the first half," Miami Coach Stan Van Gundy said. "They scored some in the second half, but we made the game a lot harder."
Miami put the game away without center Brian Grant, who was in the locker room getting a dislocated right pinkie popped back into place. As he left the court, Grant urged his teammates, "Just win the game."
Grant said he intended to play Saturday no matter how his finger feels. "It's seven games," he said. "You've got to go. About the only thing that could keep me out is a broken leg, and my legs are fine."
Almost lost in the Heat's second-half flurry was that the Pacers set an impressive tempo in the first quarter, sprinting to a 33-26 lead behind O'Neal's 14 points and Artest's 10.
"They were force-feeding him the ball, particularly in the first half," Grant said of O'Neal. "I was with him sometimes on his first move and his second, but then he'd make a third move and score. He's longer and he's very quick. The kid's an All-Star."
The Heat, once down by 9, cut its deficit to 31-26 on a 3-pointer by the backup point guard Rafer Alston with four seconds left in the first quarter. But the Pacers backup guard Anthony Johnson raced downcourt for a layup at the buzzer.
Alston's 3-pointer early in the second quarter signaled a turnaround for the Heat. It launched a 10-point run that put Miami ahead for the first time, 38-37. The Heat would not lead again in the quarter, but the score was tied seven times. O'Neal had 26 points by halftime. Four times in a row, when the Heat was in position to take the lead, there was O'Neal to put his team back on top.
With the score 51-51, Artest took over with a short jumper. Wade tied it with two free throws with 11.6 seconds left, but Austin Croshere, scoreless at that point, gave the Pacers a 56-53 halftime lead with a 3-pointer two-tenths of a second from intermission.
The Heat came out so unfazed in the second half that it had a 76-69 lead by the end of the third quarter. Miami quickly expanded its lead to 10 points into the fourth. Again it was Odom, not considered a strong outside shooter, who made Indiana squirm, this time with a 3-pointer.
Alston soon widened the lead to 11 with a 3-pointer. After Grant left, the Pacers used a Croshere dunk to make it a 4-point game, but that was as close as they would get.
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/13/sports/basketball/13miami.html
The Heat took charge of the game in the second half in defeating Indiana, 100-88, at American Airlines Arena.
The victory was Miami's 18th straight at home and second in a row over the Pacers, who lost two straight games only three times during the regular season. The series returns to Indiana for Game 5 on Saturday.
"By a show of hands, anybody here think it'd be 2-2 now?" Miami's Lamar Odom said to reporters after the game. No one raised a hand.
Odom led the Heat with 22 points. Caron Butler added 21 and Dwyane Wade chipped in with 20. Jermaine O'Neal had 37 for Indiana and Ron Artest added 28. They made 26 of Indiana's 33 field goals.
"Defensively we've regressed," Indiana Coach Rick Carlisle said. "We've allowed them to catch a real wave of momentum offensively. It's not going to be easy to take that away."
The game, before 20,128, was marred by a scuffle with 2 minutes 9 seconds left when the Heat's Eddie Jones, driving for a layup, was grabbed from behind by Jamaal Tinsley.
Just over a minute later, Artest was ejected for tackling Wade as he drove to the basket.
The Heat turned the game into a near laugher by outscoring Indiana in the second half, 47-32.
"I just thought the game was easy for them in the first half," Miami Coach Stan Van Gundy said. "They scored some in the second half, but we made the game a lot harder."
Miami put the game away without center Brian Grant, who was in the locker room getting a dislocated right pinkie popped back into place. As he left the court, Grant urged his teammates, "Just win the game."
Grant said he intended to play Saturday no matter how his finger feels. "It's seven games," he said. "You've got to go. About the only thing that could keep me out is a broken leg, and my legs are fine."
Almost lost in the Heat's second-half flurry was that the Pacers set an impressive tempo in the first quarter, sprinting to a 33-26 lead behind O'Neal's 14 points and Artest's 10.
"They were force-feeding him the ball, particularly in the first half," Grant said of O'Neal. "I was with him sometimes on his first move and his second, but then he'd make a third move and score. He's longer and he's very quick. The kid's an All-Star."
The Heat, once down by 9, cut its deficit to 31-26 on a 3-pointer by the backup point guard Rafer Alston with four seconds left in the first quarter. But the Pacers backup guard Anthony Johnson raced downcourt for a layup at the buzzer.
Alston's 3-pointer early in the second quarter signaled a turnaround for the Heat. It launched a 10-point run that put Miami ahead for the first time, 38-37. The Heat would not lead again in the quarter, but the score was tied seven times. O'Neal had 26 points by halftime. Four times in a row, when the Heat was in position to take the lead, there was O'Neal to put his team back on top.
With the score 51-51, Artest took over with a short jumper. Wade tied it with two free throws with 11.6 seconds left, but Austin Croshere, scoreless at that point, gave the Pacers a 56-53 halftime lead with a 3-pointer two-tenths of a second from intermission.
The Heat came out so unfazed in the second half that it had a 76-69 lead by the end of the third quarter. Miami quickly expanded its lead to 10 points into the fourth. Again it was Odom, not considered a strong outside shooter, who made Indiana squirm, this time with a 3-pointer.
Alston soon widened the lead to 11 with a 3-pointer. After Grant left, the Pacers used a Croshere dunk to make it a 4-point game, but that was as close as they would get.
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/13/sports/basketball/13miami.html
Back in October, the Indiana Pacers' primary focus in training camp was a team defensive concept that featured the principles of ball pressure and help.
Today, with their biggest game of the season looming, their primary focus in practice will be that same team defensive concept.
Their oldest concern happens to be their greatest concern because they abandoned their principles in Miami, where they dropped two games to fall into a 2-2 tie with the Heat in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal playoff series.
"Our principles, our philosophies that we've covered since training camp, it seems like they've gone out the window," Reggie Miller said following Wednesday's 100-88 loss in Miami.
The Pacers arrived home from that game at 3 a.m. Thursday and had the rest of the day to rest and reflect. They'll go back to work today to prepare for Game 5 on Saturday at Conseco Fieldhouse.
Coach Rick Carlisle should have little trouble devising a practice schedule. If he wants, he probably could dust off one from training camp. One that includes work on cutting off dribble penetration, rotating to give help, contesting shots and eliminating second shots.
"Defensively, we're going to have to do some things better, without question," Carlisle said Thursday from his fieldhouse office.
"Miami is a team that can expose you because they're athletic and skilled. They do a great job of driving the ball and moving the ball."
Heading into the series, the logical assessment was that Miami's only hope was to speed up the tempo to negate its disadvantage on the boards. After all, it had been outrebounded by 24 in the three regular-season meetings with the Pacers and outscored them by 19 on fast-break points.
The Pacers must be nostalgic for those days now. Miami has controlled the boards in all four playoff games, by a total of 23. Miami outscored them 14-0 on fast-break points in Game 1 of this series, and the Pacers have scored three transition points since.
The Heat have done what few figured they could do: dominate in the halfcourt. Forward Lamar Odom and rookie point guard Dwyane Wade are beating their defenders off the dribble with regularity, getting to the basket for dunks or drawing fouls.
Wade, who's averaging 21.5 points in the series, has attempted 38 foul shots. Pacers point guard Jamaal Tinsley has attempted five. Odom, averaging 17.3 points on 52 percent shooting, has been either too quick or too tall for whoever guards him.
Odom's versatility was most obvious in the third quarter of Wednesday's game, when he scored six points in an 8-0 run that brought the Heat back from a one-point deficit. He started the streak with two foul shots after drawing a foul from Jermaine O'Neal and finished it with a soaring dunk over O'Neal after beating Miller off the dribble from the top of the key and a dunk over Al Harrington, who had turned his back on the weak side.
Wade and Odom emphasize the need for solid team defensive play, but their superior quickness has made that difficult.
The Pacers attempted to address the concern Wednesday by playing zone defense on seven possessions in the first half. They set up in a 3-2 formation after made field goals, with Ron Artest out front, but the results were mixed, just as they were when playing man-to-man defense. Miami had three missed field goals, two made field goals, two free throws and a turnover.
"Their shot-making was so good early we wanted to change their rhythm," Carlisle said. "We'll continue to look at (that) possibility. Philosophically, we don't believe in zone as a constant, but we like to have it as a change of pace. At times it's been efficient and at times it's been tough because it makes it difficult to rebound.
"The reality was neither defense was as effective as it needed to be."
http://www.indystar.com/articles/1/146409-1561-036.html
Today, with their biggest game of the season looming, their primary focus in practice will be that same team defensive concept.
Their oldest concern happens to be their greatest concern because they abandoned their principles in Miami, where they dropped two games to fall into a 2-2 tie with the Heat in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal playoff series.
"Our principles, our philosophies that we've covered since training camp, it seems like they've gone out the window," Reggie Miller said following Wednesday's 100-88 loss in Miami.
The Pacers arrived home from that game at 3 a.m. Thursday and had the rest of the day to rest and reflect. They'll go back to work today to prepare for Game 5 on Saturday at Conseco Fieldhouse.
Coach Rick Carlisle should have little trouble devising a practice schedule. If he wants, he probably could dust off one from training camp. One that includes work on cutting off dribble penetration, rotating to give help, contesting shots and eliminating second shots.
"Defensively, we're going to have to do some things better, without question," Carlisle said Thursday from his fieldhouse office.
"Miami is a team that can expose you because they're athletic and skilled. They do a great job of driving the ball and moving the ball."
Heading into the series, the logical assessment was that Miami's only hope was to speed up the tempo to negate its disadvantage on the boards. After all, it had been outrebounded by 24 in the three regular-season meetings with the Pacers and outscored them by 19 on fast-break points.
The Pacers must be nostalgic for those days now. Miami has controlled the boards in all four playoff games, by a total of 23. Miami outscored them 14-0 on fast-break points in Game 1 of this series, and the Pacers have scored three transition points since.
The Heat have done what few figured they could do: dominate in the halfcourt. Forward Lamar Odom and rookie point guard Dwyane Wade are beating their defenders off the dribble with regularity, getting to the basket for dunks or drawing fouls.
Wade, who's averaging 21.5 points in the series, has attempted 38 foul shots. Pacers point guard Jamaal Tinsley has attempted five. Odom, averaging 17.3 points on 52 percent shooting, has been either too quick or too tall for whoever guards him.
Odom's versatility was most obvious in the third quarter of Wednesday's game, when he scored six points in an 8-0 run that brought the Heat back from a one-point deficit. He started the streak with two foul shots after drawing a foul from Jermaine O'Neal and finished it with a soaring dunk over O'Neal after beating Miller off the dribble from the top of the key and a dunk over Al Harrington, who had turned his back on the weak side.
Wade and Odom emphasize the need for solid team defensive play, but their superior quickness has made that difficult.
The Pacers attempted to address the concern Wednesday by playing zone defense on seven possessions in the first half. They set up in a 3-2 formation after made field goals, with Ron Artest out front, but the results were mixed, just as they were when playing man-to-man defense. Miami had three missed field goals, two made field goals, two free throws and a turnover.
"Their shot-making was so good early we wanted to change their rhythm," Carlisle said. "We'll continue to look at (that) possibility. Philosophically, we don't believe in zone as a constant, but we like to have it as a change of pace. At times it's been efficient and at times it's been tough because it makes it difficult to rebound.
"The reality was neither defense was as effective as it needed to be."
http://www.indystar.com/articles/1/146409-1561-036.html
About the Heat: Dating to the regular season, the Heat has won 24 of its past 32. The Heat is 0-5 in the playoffs on the road after going 13-28 on the road during the regular season. This is only the second time it is tied 2-2 in a best-of-7 series, having lost to the Knicks in the second round in seven games in 2000. The Heat has reached `04 playoff scoring highs in the past two games, with 94 points in its Game 3 victory and 100 in its Game 4 win. Its .514 shooting on Wednesday was its third-best all time in the playoffs. With 194 points, rookie guard Dwyane Wade already is eighth on the Heat's all-time playoff scoring list. Caron Butler went without a steal in Game 4 for the first time this postseason.
About the Pacers: Indiana has won 12 in a row at home, counting its two first-round victories over Boston at Conseco Fieldhouse and the first two games of this series. Indiana has led the Heat at halftime in six of the seven meetings this season, the exception being the Heat's Game 3 win. The Pacers have been outrebounded in each game of the series. The Pacers shot 3 of 16 on 3-pointers in Game 4 after shooting 25 of 56 from beyond the arc in the first three games. The 26 first-half points by forward Jermaine O'Neal in Game 4 were the most in a first half in this season's playoffs. Guard Reggie Miller has only one basket in his last 67 minutes of court time.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com
About the Pacers: Indiana has won 12 in a row at home, counting its two first-round victories over Boston at Conseco Fieldhouse and the first two games of this series. Indiana has led the Heat at halftime in six of the seven meetings this season, the exception being the Heat's Game 3 win. The Pacers have been outrebounded in each game of the series. The Pacers shot 3 of 16 on 3-pointers in Game 4 after shooting 25 of 56 from beyond the arc in the first three games. The 26 first-half points by forward Jermaine O'Neal in Game 4 were the most in a first half in this season's playoffs. Guard Reggie Miller has only one basket in his last 67 minutes of court time.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com
INDIANAPOLIS - With Indiana reeling from two straight losses in Miami, Jeff Foster had career highs of 20 points and 16 rebounds Saturday night to lead the Pacers to a 94-83 win over the Heat and a 3-2 lead in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal. "It was fun, I haven't scored 20 points since college," said Foster, a five-year veteran.
"We needed a win, and we got a win, and I was just able to be a part of it offensively, which normally I'm not."
The 6-foot-11 center spearheaded a Pacers frontline that figured to dominate the smaller Heat but had yet to do so in the series.
"He led this team," Indiana All-Star Jermaine O'Neal said. "A lot of energy and a lot of big plays."
O'Neal added 22 points and eight rebounds for the Pacers, who exploded in the third quarter to get rid of the pesky Heat.
Miami came into the game holding a 23-rebound advantage over the bigger, burlier Pacers.
Indiana finally flexed its muscle in Game 5. The Pacers outrebounded Miami 47-30. Foster had seven offensive rebounds, as many as the entire Heat team.
"Jeff Foster stepped in with the most important and best game of his career," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. "He played a great game."
Indiana also outscored the Heat 42-26 in the paint and 20-4 in second-chance points.
Game 6 is Tuesday in Miami, where the Heat have won 18 straight games, including two convincing victories over the Pacers that evened the series.
As has been the case all postseason, the Heat looked like a completely different team on the road.
"It's kind of mind boggling to try to figure out what the difference was in the way we played," Heat forward Caron Butler said.
After shooting 51.4 percent in Game 4 and playing with boundless energy in both games in Miami, the Heat were overwhelmed in their sixth straight road loss in the playoffs.
"We weren't great offensively by any means, but the problem today was defense," Heat coach Stan Van Gundy said. "We were pathetic defensively today and I have to take responsibility for that."
Lamar Odom had 14 points and 10 rebounds for Miami, but was far from the force he was at home. Foster harassed him all night, forcing him to miss seven of his first eight shots and rendering him a non-factor for most of the night.
Dwyane Wade, who tormented the Pacers with dribble penetration for most of the series, finished with 16 points and 10 assists. This time, however, the Pacers clamped down on the slick rookie and made it much more difficult for him to get into the paint.
"That was just what we've been trying to do the whole series - keep them from opening things up," Foster said.
Defensive Player of the Year Ron Artest had a lot to do with that, too.
The Pacers took a five-point lead into halftime, then put the game away with a spectacular third quarter on both ends of the floor.
Carlisle switched Artest on to Wade and it made all the difference.
Visibly frustrated, Wade scored just two points on 1-of-4 shooting in the third.
O'Neal had nine points and five rebounds and Foster chipped in eight points and three boards in the period. The Pacers shot 80 percent and held Miami to 31.6 percent shooting to take a 73-54 lead into the final period.
O'Neal and Foster fueled a 20-6 run to start the period and played with enthusiasm rarely exhibited this season.
When Jamaal Tinsley drove the lane and dished to Artest for a layup and a 15-point lead, O'Neal pumped his fist furiously and Tinsley let out an exuberant scream that brought Conseco Fieldhouse to a deafening roar.
"Our energy level was just 10 times different than it was in Games 3 and 4," said Reggie Miller, who scored 13 points. "Hopefully we can bottle this and take it with us down to South Beach."
Foster, who averaged just 6.1 points during the regular season, got his career high in points with two free throws late in the fourth quarter as the capacity crowd chanted "Foster! Foster!"
Artest overcame a slow start to get 14 points and six assists for Indiana.
Miami had six players score in double figures, but it wasn't nearly enough to compete with Foster, O'Neal and the Pacers, who shot 51.4 percent.
"His energy was just over the top tonight," Miami's Malik Allen said of Foster. "He really, really came with it and energized this whole team and the crowd. We have to find a way to match that."
Notes@ Miller picked up a technical foul for arguing at 5:47 of the first quarter. ... Some of the sellout crowd arrived a bit late after attending Pole Day for the Indy 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. ... Allen was 3-for-3 in the first quarter and finished with 12 points. ... Pacers G Fred Jones did not play with a strained left shoulder.
http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/56-05162004-301040.html
"We needed a win, and we got a win, and I was just able to be a part of it offensively, which normally I'm not."
The 6-foot-11 center spearheaded a Pacers frontline that figured to dominate the smaller Heat but had yet to do so in the series.
"He led this team," Indiana All-Star Jermaine O'Neal said. "A lot of energy and a lot of big plays."
O'Neal added 22 points and eight rebounds for the Pacers, who exploded in the third quarter to get rid of the pesky Heat.
Miami came into the game holding a 23-rebound advantage over the bigger, burlier Pacers.
Indiana finally flexed its muscle in Game 5. The Pacers outrebounded Miami 47-30. Foster had seven offensive rebounds, as many as the entire Heat team.
"Jeff Foster stepped in with the most important and best game of his career," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. "He played a great game."
Indiana also outscored the Heat 42-26 in the paint and 20-4 in second-chance points.
Game 6 is Tuesday in Miami, where the Heat have won 18 straight games, including two convincing victories over the Pacers that evened the series.
As has been the case all postseason, the Heat looked like a completely different team on the road.
"It's kind of mind boggling to try to figure out what the difference was in the way we played," Heat forward Caron Butler said.
After shooting 51.4 percent in Game 4 and playing with boundless energy in both games in Miami, the Heat were overwhelmed in their sixth straight road loss in the playoffs.
"We weren't great offensively by any means, but the problem today was defense," Heat coach Stan Van Gundy said. "We were pathetic defensively today and I have to take responsibility for that."
Lamar Odom had 14 points and 10 rebounds for Miami, but was far from the force he was at home. Foster harassed him all night, forcing him to miss seven of his first eight shots and rendering him a non-factor for most of the night.
Dwyane Wade, who tormented the Pacers with dribble penetration for most of the series, finished with 16 points and 10 assists. This time, however, the Pacers clamped down on the slick rookie and made it much more difficult for him to get into the paint.
"That was just what we've been trying to do the whole series - keep them from opening things up," Foster said.
Defensive Player of the Year Ron Artest had a lot to do with that, too.
The Pacers took a five-point lead into halftime, then put the game away with a spectacular third quarter on both ends of the floor.
Carlisle switched Artest on to Wade and it made all the difference.
Visibly frustrated, Wade scored just two points on 1-of-4 shooting in the third.
O'Neal had nine points and five rebounds and Foster chipped in eight points and three boards in the period. The Pacers shot 80 percent and held Miami to 31.6 percent shooting to take a 73-54 lead into the final period.
O'Neal and Foster fueled a 20-6 run to start the period and played with enthusiasm rarely exhibited this season.
When Jamaal Tinsley drove the lane and dished to Artest for a layup and a 15-point lead, O'Neal pumped his fist furiously and Tinsley let out an exuberant scream that brought Conseco Fieldhouse to a deafening roar.
"Our energy level was just 10 times different than it was in Games 3 and 4," said Reggie Miller, who scored 13 points. "Hopefully we can bottle this and take it with us down to South Beach."
Foster, who averaged just 6.1 points during the regular season, got his career high in points with two free throws late in the fourth quarter as the capacity crowd chanted "Foster! Foster!"
Artest overcame a slow start to get 14 points and six assists for Indiana.
Miami had six players score in double figures, but it wasn't nearly enough to compete with Foster, O'Neal and the Pacers, who shot 51.4 percent.
"His energy was just over the top tonight," Miami's Malik Allen said of Foster. "He really, really came with it and energized this whole team and the crowd. We have to find a way to match that."
Notes@ Miller picked up a technical foul for arguing at 5:47 of the first quarter. ... Some of the sellout crowd arrived a bit late after attending Pole Day for the Indy 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. ... Allen was 3-for-3 in the first quarter and finished with 12 points. ... Pacers G Fred Jones did not play with a strained left shoulder.
http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/56-05162004-301040.html
About the Pacers: Pacers forwards Jermaine O'Neal and Ron Artest each recorded career playoff scoring highs in Indiana's previous visit. O'Neal scored 37 in the Game 4 loss at AmericanAirlines Arena and Artest 28. Center Jeff Foster is coming off a career game, with 20 points and 16 rebounds in Saturday's 94-83 Game 5 victory in Indiana that gave the Pacers a 3-2 lead in the best-of-7 series. While Pacers guard Reggie Miller has averaged 14.7 points on 12-of-20 shooting in his three home games in the series, he has totaled just seven points on 1-of-7 shooting in the two road games. Indiana outrebounded the Heat 47-30 in Game 5, after being outrebounded in each of the first four games. Guard Fred Jones (shoulder) is probable. Forward Primoz Brezec, guard Jamison Brewer and former University of Miami forward James Jones are not on the playoff roster.
About the Heat: The Heat is 6-0 at home in the playoffs and has won 18 consecutive home games dating to the regular season. Guard Dwyane Wade and forward Lamar Odom are coming off Game 5 double-doubles. Wade had 16 points and 10 assists Saturday night, while Odom had 14 points and 10 rebounds. The Heat has won 16 of its last 18 when Wade has scored 20 or more. The Heat has shot .493 in its two home victories in the series, compared to .405 in its three losses at Conseco Fieldhouse. Forward Malik Allen (stomach illness) is probable. Guard Bimbo Coles and forwards John Wallace and Jerome Beasley are not on the playoff roster.
Off the court: Entry requires "Ticket G" designation. Clacker noisemakers to all in attendance. Fans are encouraged to either wear a black Heat playoff T-shirt or dress solely in black.
Future ticket update: The next possible home date for the Heat, provided it wins the final two games of this series, would be Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals against either Detroit or New Jersey on May 26 at 8 p.m.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com
About the Heat: The Heat is 6-0 at home in the playoffs and has won 18 consecutive home games dating to the regular season. Guard Dwyane Wade and forward Lamar Odom are coming off Game 5 double-doubles. Wade had 16 points and 10 assists Saturday night, while Odom had 14 points and 10 rebounds. The Heat has won 16 of its last 18 when Wade has scored 20 or more. The Heat has shot .493 in its two home victories in the series, compared to .405 in its three losses at Conseco Fieldhouse. Forward Malik Allen (stomach illness) is probable. Guard Bimbo Coles and forwards John Wallace and Jerome Beasley are not on the playoff roster.
Off the court: Entry requires "Ticket G" designation. Clacker noisemakers to all in attendance. Fans are encouraged to either wear a black Heat playoff T-shirt or dress solely in black.
Future ticket update: The next possible home date for the Heat, provided it wins the final two games of this series, would be Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals against either Detroit or New Jersey on May 26 at 8 p.m.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com
