Pooh
05-17-2004, 07:02 PM
Reserve guard didn't play in Game 5 because of an injury to his left shoulder.
By Mark Montieth
[email protected]
May 17, 2004
Indiana Pacers guard Fred Jones didn't even know he had a capsule in his shoulder until he injured it.
Jones sat out Saturday's playoff game against Miami because of lingering pain from an injury suffered late in Game 3.
Jones strained his left shoulder while breaking a fall with his left hand. The way he understands it, the muscle above his capsule -- the structure that surrounds the joint and holds it in place -- has been damaged.
"There's some kind of muscle on top of the capsule that's injured, or something like that," Jones said Sunday upon leaving the Conseco Fieldhouse training room. "I don't know all the doctor's terms. But there's something in there that's not right."
Jones said he expects to be ready to play in Game 6 in Miami on Tuesday. He had a light weightlifting session on Sunday, and reported improvement.
"It's real painful," he said. "But it's gotten a lot better in the last few days.
"I feel like I'll be able to play."
Jones averaged 8.3 points on 56 percent shooting in the Pacers' first-round sweep of Boston, and averaged 7.5 points on 66 percent shooting in the first two games against the Heat.
He played in the next two games in Miami after suffering the injury, but missed all three field goal attempts and scored just one point.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said Jones' injury probably affects him most on defense because of the strain placed on the shoulder while fighting through screens and rebounding.
"The more time we can buy him, the better he'll feel," Carlisle said. "But he's available to play."
Tinsley barges in
Upon reflection the day after the best game of his NBA career, Pacers forward Jeff Foster had a succinct explanation.
"Lamar (Odom) helped off me a lot," said Foster, who scored a career-high 20 points on 9-for-10 shooting Saturday. "And I was able to finish."
Heat forward Odom was helping defensively off Foster because he had no choice. Pacers point guard Jamaal Tinsley kept dribbling into the lane, where help was needed.
Tinsley's penetration troubled the Heat all evening, as did that of backup point guard Anthony Johnson. Tinsley had eight assists. He, Johnson and Reggie Miller had 16 assists and three turnovers.
With them in the lane, big men Foster, Jermaine O'Neal and Ron Artest were open. The Pacers shot a playoff-high .514 from the field.
"My job was to try to do something different," said Tinsley. "We understand that they're a blitzing team, that they're going to jump out on all screen-and-rolls, so I wanted to do a whole lot of (penetrating) and put pressure on them."
Foster's popularity soars
Foster's telephone numbers got a workout following Saturday's game, as about 20 people called to congratulate him for achieving career highs in scoring (20) and rebounding (16).
"The weird thing was I didn't get a call from my parents and I didn't get a call from my sister," Foster said Sunday. "I heard from old coaches, old teammates; I haven't heard from these people in months, but it's flattering."
By Mark Montieth
[email protected]
May 17, 2004
Indiana Pacers guard Fred Jones didn't even know he had a capsule in his shoulder until he injured it.
Jones sat out Saturday's playoff game against Miami because of lingering pain from an injury suffered late in Game 3.
Jones strained his left shoulder while breaking a fall with his left hand. The way he understands it, the muscle above his capsule -- the structure that surrounds the joint and holds it in place -- has been damaged.
"There's some kind of muscle on top of the capsule that's injured, or something like that," Jones said Sunday upon leaving the Conseco Fieldhouse training room. "I don't know all the doctor's terms. But there's something in there that's not right."
Jones said he expects to be ready to play in Game 6 in Miami on Tuesday. He had a light weightlifting session on Sunday, and reported improvement.
"It's real painful," he said. "But it's gotten a lot better in the last few days.
"I feel like I'll be able to play."
Jones averaged 8.3 points on 56 percent shooting in the Pacers' first-round sweep of Boston, and averaged 7.5 points on 66 percent shooting in the first two games against the Heat.
He played in the next two games in Miami after suffering the injury, but missed all three field goal attempts and scored just one point.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said Jones' injury probably affects him most on defense because of the strain placed on the shoulder while fighting through screens and rebounding.
"The more time we can buy him, the better he'll feel," Carlisle said. "But he's available to play."
Tinsley barges in
Upon reflection the day after the best game of his NBA career, Pacers forward Jeff Foster had a succinct explanation.
"Lamar (Odom) helped off me a lot," said Foster, who scored a career-high 20 points on 9-for-10 shooting Saturday. "And I was able to finish."
Heat forward Odom was helping defensively off Foster because he had no choice. Pacers point guard Jamaal Tinsley kept dribbling into the lane, where help was needed.
Tinsley's penetration troubled the Heat all evening, as did that of backup point guard Anthony Johnson. Tinsley had eight assists. He, Johnson and Reggie Miller had 16 assists and three turnovers.
With them in the lane, big men Foster, Jermaine O'Neal and Ron Artest were open. The Pacers shot a playoff-high .514 from the field.
"My job was to try to do something different," said Tinsley. "We understand that they're a blitzing team, that they're going to jump out on all screen-and-rolls, so I wanted to do a whole lot of (penetrating) and put pressure on them."
Foster's popularity soars
Foster's telephone numbers got a workout following Saturday's game, as about 20 people called to congratulate him for achieving career highs in scoring (20) and rebounding (16).
"The weird thing was I didn't get a call from my parents and I didn't get a call from my sister," Foster said Sunday. "I heard from old coaches, old teammates; I haven't heard from these people in months, but it's flattering."