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03-24-2005, 05:30 AM
Pacers Regain Balance, Beat Spurs
March 23, 2005 at Conseco Fieldhouse
If the Spurs are wondering how they're going to win games while Tim Duncan is out with a sprained ankle, the Pacers offered up a blueprint that has enabled them to survive a never-ending stream of adversity this season. With an active defense and balanced offense bolstered by strong performances from Austin Croshere and Anthony Johnson and led by Reggie Miller, who scored a game-high 21 to pass 25,000 for his career, the Pacers routed the slumping Spurs Wednesday night in Conseco Fieldhouse.
WHAT IT MEANS
The Pacers snapped a two-game losing streak and improved to 34-33 overall, 20-14 at home and 6-4 since Jermaine O'Neal was lost for the rest of the regular season with a shoulder injury. They also remained 1 1/2 games behind sixth-place Chicago in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
The Spurs lost their third in a row for the first time since Jan. 13-16, 2004, and fell to 50-18 overall, 19-15 on the road and 1-5 without Duncan.
TURNING POINT
While San Antonio went nearly 9 minutes without a field goal, missing 10 in a row, the Pacers put together a 20-6 run bridging the first and second periods to take a 37-25 lead. The Pacers then went cold, missing six in a row, as the Spurs quickly closed the gap and it remained tight into the half, with the Pacers leading 49-44 at the break.
Johnson and Croshere teamed up to break the game open in the third quarter, combining for 15 of the points in a 22-9 run that pushed the lead to 73-55. The Spurs scored seven in a row late in the period to cut it to 77-67, but James Jones responded with what might've been the biggest single basket of the game, a corner 3-pointer at the buzzer that sent the Pacers into the fourth quarter with a 13-point lead. It quickly grew to 20 as Stephen Jackson sparked a 9-2 run that made it 89-69 with 8:20 left and there would be no further challenges, though a late run by the San Antonio reserves trimmed the margin.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Four of the five starters scored at least 18, with Miller's 21 leading the way. He was 6-of-13 from the field but 1-of-5 from the arc. Johnson scored 18 on 6-of-9 shooting with eight assists and two steals. Croshere scored 18 with four rebounds, making 6-of-10 shots. Jackson scored 18 with six rebounds, five assists and two steals but was 6-of-17 from the field. Jeff Foster had 15 rebounds off the bench, while Dale Davis had four blocked shots to go with his eight points and six rebounds. The Pacers shot 49.3 percent and outrebounded the Spurs 44-32.
San Antonio shot just 38.4 percent from the field but committed just six turnovers. Brent Barry had 17 points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals off the bench. Robert Horry scored 15, making all six of his shots. Tony Parker scored 12 with seven assists and five rebounds but was 4-of-13 from the field. Manu Ginobili scored 11 on 2-of-9 shooting, and Bruce Bowen scored 10 with seven rebounds.
Great quote from the Pacers Jeff Foster:
(On Tim Duncan being out) "Yes, he was out; but keep in mind we had three players out also. You play the game to win and play with what you have. We will play with a lot of intensity the rest of the season.”
Link (http://www.nba.com/pacers/news/game_050323.html)
March 23, 2005 at Conseco Fieldhouse
If the Spurs are wondering how they're going to win games while Tim Duncan is out with a sprained ankle, the Pacers offered up a blueprint that has enabled them to survive a never-ending stream of adversity this season. With an active defense and balanced offense bolstered by strong performances from Austin Croshere and Anthony Johnson and led by Reggie Miller, who scored a game-high 21 to pass 25,000 for his career, the Pacers routed the slumping Spurs Wednesday night in Conseco Fieldhouse.
WHAT IT MEANS
The Pacers snapped a two-game losing streak and improved to 34-33 overall, 20-14 at home and 6-4 since Jermaine O'Neal was lost for the rest of the regular season with a shoulder injury. They also remained 1 1/2 games behind sixth-place Chicago in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
The Spurs lost their third in a row for the first time since Jan. 13-16, 2004, and fell to 50-18 overall, 19-15 on the road and 1-5 without Duncan.
TURNING POINT
While San Antonio went nearly 9 minutes without a field goal, missing 10 in a row, the Pacers put together a 20-6 run bridging the first and second periods to take a 37-25 lead. The Pacers then went cold, missing six in a row, as the Spurs quickly closed the gap and it remained tight into the half, with the Pacers leading 49-44 at the break.
Johnson and Croshere teamed up to break the game open in the third quarter, combining for 15 of the points in a 22-9 run that pushed the lead to 73-55. The Spurs scored seven in a row late in the period to cut it to 77-67, but James Jones responded with what might've been the biggest single basket of the game, a corner 3-pointer at the buzzer that sent the Pacers into the fourth quarter with a 13-point lead. It quickly grew to 20 as Stephen Jackson sparked a 9-2 run that made it 89-69 with 8:20 left and there would be no further challenges, though a late run by the San Antonio reserves trimmed the margin.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Four of the five starters scored at least 18, with Miller's 21 leading the way. He was 6-of-13 from the field but 1-of-5 from the arc. Johnson scored 18 on 6-of-9 shooting with eight assists and two steals. Croshere scored 18 with four rebounds, making 6-of-10 shots. Jackson scored 18 with six rebounds, five assists and two steals but was 6-of-17 from the field. Jeff Foster had 15 rebounds off the bench, while Dale Davis had four blocked shots to go with his eight points and six rebounds. The Pacers shot 49.3 percent and outrebounded the Spurs 44-32.
San Antonio shot just 38.4 percent from the field but committed just six turnovers. Brent Barry had 17 points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals off the bench. Robert Horry scored 15, making all six of his shots. Tony Parker scored 12 with seven assists and five rebounds but was 4-of-13 from the field. Manu Ginobili scored 11 on 2-of-9 shooting, and Bruce Bowen scored 10 with seven rebounds.
Great quote from the Pacers Jeff Foster:
(On Tim Duncan being out) "Yes, he was out; but keep in mind we had three players out also. You play the game to win and play with what you have. We will play with a lot of intensity the rest of the season.”
Link (http://www.nba.com/pacers/news/game_050323.html)