pooh
05-20-2005, 04:27 PM
Boom! It's over
Pacers bow out of playoffs in Game 6 loss to Pistons
By Mike Wells
[email protected]
It's only fitting that the Indiana Pacers' season ended exactly six months to the day that many thought it was taken away at the Palace of Auburn Hills.
As the final horn sounded in their 88-79 Game 6 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Thursday night at Conseco Fieldhouse, the Pacers walked off the court with their heads down in disappointment.
The end of their season also meant the end of Reggie Miller's 18-year career.
The Pacers, who overcame the brawl, suspensions and injuries to reach this point, pulled within 82-79 on Miller's final field goal -- a 3-pointer just above the key with 1:31 left. That's as close as they got.
"It's tough to lose; you hate to lose a playoff series," said Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, who was wearing the same suit and tie he had on the night of the brawl at the Palace. "They've been a part of one of the unlikeliest success stories in pro sports with everything that has happened to us. Needless to say, we're really proud of the effort our players gave the entire year."
In the end, though, the emotion of trying to extend Miller's career could only go so far. The Pacers ran into a better team, a team trying to win a second consecutive world championship. The Pistons, who won the series 4-2, advance to play the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals.
"First and foremost, I want to congratulate the Pistons. They are the champions and they proved to be a better team in this series," said Pacers forward Jermaine O'Neal, who broke out of his shooting slump and scored 22 points. "More than anything, I want to congratulate the city for supporting our team when times were tough and we only had six players dressing for games. The organization, the players and the coaches have endured tough times night in and night out."
Playing the last game of his career, Miller finished with a team-high 27 points. He checked out of the game to a standing ovation from the fans and both teams with 15.7 seconds left and the Pacers trailing 87-79.
"Truthfully, this has been the most trying season and the most challenging," said Miller, who is retiring after 18 seasons. "For me, the most rewarding part was simply making the playoffs, beating Boston and going six games against the world champions. This season was about finding ways to win. That was the most rewarding."
The Pacers went from dressing six players the night after the brawl, losing Ron Artest for the rest of the season, losing starting point guard Jamaal Tinsley and O'Neal for most of the second half of the season with injuries to beating Boston in seven games and playing a drama-free series against the Pistons.
"I'm really just proud that our guys never flinched," Carlisle said. "Everybody just decided there wasn't going to be any giving in to lower expectations because of an unprecedented situation that we went through."
It often wasn't stylish, but the Pacers went from a walk-it-up-and-call-out-a-play-every-time offense with O'Neal in the lineup to relying on perimeter players Miller, Stephen Jackson and Anthony Johnson.
"A lot of people thought we would fall to the wayside when we were hit with the rash of injuries," Johnson said. "A lot of guys in the locker room have a lot of pride and took it upon themselves to step up and play big. You can go throughout the locker room and at one point in time this season, every guy has carried this team. It was a great team effort. That was one of the positives that came out."
The Pacers played the first half Thursday like they were determined to force a Game 7. They shot nearly 57 percent from the field and led by as many as 10 points.
The Pistons never buckled.
Detroit took its first lead with about two minutes left in the third quarter. The Pacers responded with a 7-0 run before the Pistons took the lead for good with a 9-0 run. The Pacers only got as close as three the rest of the way.
Guard Richard Hamilton, who is often compared to Miller, led the Pistons' second-half charge by scoring 21 of his game-high 28 points after intermission.
O'Neal, who struggled throughout the series, had his best game of the series, adding 11 rebounds.
"It hurts more than anything right now," said Jackson, who finished with just six points. "We played our hearts out and it was really emotional. It's the hardest thing to see Reggie walk away from the game without a ring."
Link (http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050520/SPORTS04/505200508/1004/SPORTS)
Pacers bow out of playoffs in Game 6 loss to Pistons
By Mike Wells
[email protected]
It's only fitting that the Indiana Pacers' season ended exactly six months to the day that many thought it was taken away at the Palace of Auburn Hills.
As the final horn sounded in their 88-79 Game 6 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Thursday night at Conseco Fieldhouse, the Pacers walked off the court with their heads down in disappointment.
The end of their season also meant the end of Reggie Miller's 18-year career.
The Pacers, who overcame the brawl, suspensions and injuries to reach this point, pulled within 82-79 on Miller's final field goal -- a 3-pointer just above the key with 1:31 left. That's as close as they got.
"It's tough to lose; you hate to lose a playoff series," said Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, who was wearing the same suit and tie he had on the night of the brawl at the Palace. "They've been a part of one of the unlikeliest success stories in pro sports with everything that has happened to us. Needless to say, we're really proud of the effort our players gave the entire year."
In the end, though, the emotion of trying to extend Miller's career could only go so far. The Pacers ran into a better team, a team trying to win a second consecutive world championship. The Pistons, who won the series 4-2, advance to play the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals.
"First and foremost, I want to congratulate the Pistons. They are the champions and they proved to be a better team in this series," said Pacers forward Jermaine O'Neal, who broke out of his shooting slump and scored 22 points. "More than anything, I want to congratulate the city for supporting our team when times were tough and we only had six players dressing for games. The organization, the players and the coaches have endured tough times night in and night out."
Playing the last game of his career, Miller finished with a team-high 27 points. He checked out of the game to a standing ovation from the fans and both teams with 15.7 seconds left and the Pacers trailing 87-79.
"Truthfully, this has been the most trying season and the most challenging," said Miller, who is retiring after 18 seasons. "For me, the most rewarding part was simply making the playoffs, beating Boston and going six games against the world champions. This season was about finding ways to win. That was the most rewarding."
The Pacers went from dressing six players the night after the brawl, losing Ron Artest for the rest of the season, losing starting point guard Jamaal Tinsley and O'Neal for most of the second half of the season with injuries to beating Boston in seven games and playing a drama-free series against the Pistons.
"I'm really just proud that our guys never flinched," Carlisle said. "Everybody just decided there wasn't going to be any giving in to lower expectations because of an unprecedented situation that we went through."
It often wasn't stylish, but the Pacers went from a walk-it-up-and-call-out-a-play-every-time offense with O'Neal in the lineup to relying on perimeter players Miller, Stephen Jackson and Anthony Johnson.
"A lot of people thought we would fall to the wayside when we were hit with the rash of injuries," Johnson said. "A lot of guys in the locker room have a lot of pride and took it upon themselves to step up and play big. You can go throughout the locker room and at one point in time this season, every guy has carried this team. It was a great team effort. That was one of the positives that came out."
The Pacers played the first half Thursday like they were determined to force a Game 7. They shot nearly 57 percent from the field and led by as many as 10 points.
The Pistons never buckled.
Detroit took its first lead with about two minutes left in the third quarter. The Pacers responded with a 7-0 run before the Pistons took the lead for good with a 9-0 run. The Pacers only got as close as three the rest of the way.
Guard Richard Hamilton, who is often compared to Miller, led the Pistons' second-half charge by scoring 21 of his game-high 28 points after intermission.
O'Neal, who struggled throughout the series, had his best game of the series, adding 11 rebounds.
"It hurts more than anything right now," said Jackson, who finished with just six points. "We played our hearts out and it was really emotional. It's the hardest thing to see Reggie walk away from the game without a ring."
Link (http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050520/SPORTS04/505200508/1004/SPORTS)