Pooh
02-03-2004, 01:56 AM
By Johnnie Clay - Pacers Insider.
February 2, 2004 - 11:00 PM
The tone for tonight's contest was set just two hours before game time. Lakers' Center Shaquille O'Neal, was suspended for using profanity in a televised postgame interview on Sunday. Each team was without their dominant big men, as the Pacers Jermaine O'Neal sat out the game due to a neck strain.
Without their big man in the middle, the Pacers ran roughshot over the Lakers this evening, 85-72 at Conseco Fieldhouse.
At times it seemed as if the Pacers were merely "toying" with the Lakers, building a 41-26 halftime lead. It looked as if the Lakers were simply playing out the string and giving up for the night. However those doubts wrere quickly erased during the third quarter.
The Pacers built a 20-point lead (58-38) in the third quarter, but Gary Payton sparked a 14-4 run that cut the deficit in half. The Pacers then extended the lead to 17 (69-52) on Anthony Johnson's 3-pointer to start the fourth period. But the Lakers came back again, scoring eight in a row to close to 69-60 with 8:53 remaining. The outcome was still uncertain after Rick Fox made a pair of free throws to cut the lead to 80-70 with 3:37 remaining, but the Pacers got a post-up basket from Al Harrington and layup from Austin Croshere to finally put the game away.
Pacers Coach Rick Carlisle talked about the strange events leading up to tonight's contest.
“Strange day today. I thought our team played well and played hard. When a guy like Shaquille O’Neal doesn’t play, you worry about a letdown." Carlisle said. "Anytime a guy like Shaq doesn’t play, it’s a break. But our guys also get geared up to play a guy like that. It’s a quality win, Shaq or no Shaq. It’s a good win, a solid win, even though they didn’t have three of their great players. We had some breakdowns with transition defense in the third quarter. When it came down to it, we took good enough care of the ball, worked the game and got to the free throw line."
The Pacers defense stiffled the Lakers, who were held to season lows of 26 points in the first half and 72 points overall, not to mention 35% shooting for the night.
Ron Artest proved once again why he will be announced tomorrow as a reserve for this years' All-Star game. Artest scored 24 points and 7 rebounds, leading the Pacers in scoring.
Al Harrington filled in tonight for the ailing O'Neal with 16 points and 7 rebounds. Harrington's shooting appeared to be off early on. Afterwards, he explained the problem. “I jammed my thumb on the second or third play of the game. Yes, it affected my shooting somewhat." Harrington said. "We think that they were playing somewhat frustrated by not having Shaquille, Kobe and Karl available. Even as depleted as they appeared to be, they still hung around, found open players and found ways of staying in the game. This is a good win for us. We now have to go to New York and carry on.”
Even though it appeared as if the Pacers completely dominated the Lakers, in reality, it was an average night. The Pacers completed a 47% trifecta this evening, averaging 47% in shooting, 3-pointers and free-throws.
Tonight's victory snapped a three-game Lakers' winning streak over the Pacers. The win allowed Pacers fans and players an opporuntity to avenge the horrible 99-77 defeat handed to them by the Lakers last November at Staples Center.
The Pacers record improves to staggering 36-13, the best in the league. They now take their best record on the road tomorrow, to once again face and old foe, and a very familar face in the New York Knicks, who have a new President and G.M. in former Pacers Coach Isiah Thomas.
It is still unclear whether or not Jermaine O'Neal will be in the starting lineup tomorrow night, but Coach Carlisle offered some hope. "Jermaine is feeling a little better every day. But it will be a game-time decision in New York." Carlisle said.
Hopefully, the Pacers will have three things to celebrate tomorrow night. One, the return of the leader in O'Neal...two, the additon of their emotional leader in Artest to the All-Star game, and three...a Pacers victory.
Game Time Tuesday is at 7:30pm (EST).
February 2, 2004 - 11:00 PM
The tone for tonight's contest was set just two hours before game time. Lakers' Center Shaquille O'Neal, was suspended for using profanity in a televised postgame interview on Sunday. Each team was without their dominant big men, as the Pacers Jermaine O'Neal sat out the game due to a neck strain.
Without their big man in the middle, the Pacers ran roughshot over the Lakers this evening, 85-72 at Conseco Fieldhouse.
At times it seemed as if the Pacers were merely "toying" with the Lakers, building a 41-26 halftime lead. It looked as if the Lakers were simply playing out the string and giving up for the night. However those doubts wrere quickly erased during the third quarter.
The Pacers built a 20-point lead (58-38) in the third quarter, but Gary Payton sparked a 14-4 run that cut the deficit in half. The Pacers then extended the lead to 17 (69-52) on Anthony Johnson's 3-pointer to start the fourth period. But the Lakers came back again, scoring eight in a row to close to 69-60 with 8:53 remaining. The outcome was still uncertain after Rick Fox made a pair of free throws to cut the lead to 80-70 with 3:37 remaining, but the Pacers got a post-up basket from Al Harrington and layup from Austin Croshere to finally put the game away.
Pacers Coach Rick Carlisle talked about the strange events leading up to tonight's contest.
“Strange day today. I thought our team played well and played hard. When a guy like Shaquille O’Neal doesn’t play, you worry about a letdown." Carlisle said. "Anytime a guy like Shaq doesn’t play, it’s a break. But our guys also get geared up to play a guy like that. It’s a quality win, Shaq or no Shaq. It’s a good win, a solid win, even though they didn’t have three of their great players. We had some breakdowns with transition defense in the third quarter. When it came down to it, we took good enough care of the ball, worked the game and got to the free throw line."
The Pacers defense stiffled the Lakers, who were held to season lows of 26 points in the first half and 72 points overall, not to mention 35% shooting for the night.
Ron Artest proved once again why he will be announced tomorrow as a reserve for this years' All-Star game. Artest scored 24 points and 7 rebounds, leading the Pacers in scoring.
Al Harrington filled in tonight for the ailing O'Neal with 16 points and 7 rebounds. Harrington's shooting appeared to be off early on. Afterwards, he explained the problem. “I jammed my thumb on the second or third play of the game. Yes, it affected my shooting somewhat." Harrington said. "We think that they were playing somewhat frustrated by not having Shaquille, Kobe and Karl available. Even as depleted as they appeared to be, they still hung around, found open players and found ways of staying in the game. This is a good win for us. We now have to go to New York and carry on.”
Even though it appeared as if the Pacers completely dominated the Lakers, in reality, it was an average night. The Pacers completed a 47% trifecta this evening, averaging 47% in shooting, 3-pointers and free-throws.
Tonight's victory snapped a three-game Lakers' winning streak over the Pacers. The win allowed Pacers fans and players an opporuntity to avenge the horrible 99-77 defeat handed to them by the Lakers last November at Staples Center.
The Pacers record improves to staggering 36-13, the best in the league. They now take their best record on the road tomorrow, to once again face and old foe, and a very familar face in the New York Knicks, who have a new President and G.M. in former Pacers Coach Isiah Thomas.
It is still unclear whether or not Jermaine O'Neal will be in the starting lineup tomorrow night, but Coach Carlisle offered some hope. "Jermaine is feeling a little better every day. But it will be a game-time decision in New York." Carlisle said.
Hopefully, the Pacers will have three things to celebrate tomorrow night. One, the return of the leader in O'Neal...two, the additon of their emotional leader in Artest to the All-Star game, and three...a Pacers victory.
Game Time Tuesday is at 7:30pm (EST).