Alamo Spurs Fan
01-11-2004, 08:29 AM
Not according to your beloved Pacers...
www.indystar.com/articles...5-102.html (http://www.indystar.com/articles/5/110557-7185-102.html)
Pacers stunned in OT
The Spurs force the extra period on Turkoglu's last-second 3-pointer
By Sekou Smith
[email protected]
January 11, 2004
SAN ANTONIO -- The Indiana Pacers came up a little short and just a little late in their bid to unseat the reigning NBA champion San Antonio Spurs on their home court Saturday night.
Time literally ran out on the Pacers as they fell 89-88 in overtime before a raucous SBC Center crowd of 18,797. The loss snapped a seven-game winning streak for the Eastern Conference leaders.
Locked in a thrilling nail-biter that felt like Game 7 of a playoff series, the Pacers did everything but win the game in a toe-to-toe battle that literally came down to the finals seconds.
Ron Artest tried desperately to gather a long rebound of a missed Hedo Turkoglu 3-pointer with 3.9 seconds remaining. He never could gain control of the ball, losing it in the air momentarily and then bouncing it on the floor as he tried to pick it up.
There was confusion at the end, including Pacers coach Rick Carlisle running onto the court in an attempt to call a timeout. The protest, however, was short-lived. Minutes later, Carlisle and Artest agreed the official's call was the right one.
"It was a good call. I didn't get the timeout," said Artest, who struggled early offensively before scoring 18 of his 21 points in the second half. "I juggled the ball just a little bit and then that was it. That was the end of the game."
Carlisle refused to let Artest shoulder the blame, insisting that there were dozens of other instances where the Pacers (28-11) had opportunities to seal this game and didn't.
"That was a tough play to make," Carlisle said. "It was a long rebound, first of all, and that ate up some clock. We just weren't able to get the timeout and that's my fault, not Ron's, because we tried to communicate in the huddle that make or miss we wanted to secure the ball and then call a timeout."
The Pacers (28-11) rallied from deficits of nine, seven and five points to take control of the game. But couldn't put the Spurs away.
Turkoglu, who forced overtime with a 3-pointer before the regulation game-clock expired, provided two clutch overtime baskets for the Spurs, winners of four in a row and 17 of their past 18.
Undaunted by the deficit or their surroundings, the Pacers managed to keep their wits in a game that featured more twists and turns than a West Texas Twister.
"We felt like we let one get away," said Pacers All-Star power forward Jermaine O'Neal, who struggled from the floor (10-of-30) but finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds. "If we had just hit a three, and then again in overtime if we could have just gotten a few more shots to fall."
The Pacers appeared to have the game in hand with seconds to play in regulation, having used a 12-2 to run to take what seemed like a comfortable 81-78 lead.
Al Harrington (17 points, seven rebounds) made a jumper from the free-throw line with 26.4 seconds to play and Reggie Miller hit two free throws with 3.9 seconds left.
But Turkoglu drained a deep 3-pointer from the wing to force overtime with three tenths of a second remaining.
"Somehow he just got loose," Artest said.
"He gathered himself, gave a little head fake, took one dribble and hit the shot. It was a good play."
Pacers point guard Jamaal Tinsley jumped in front of Turkoglu on the fake and even grabbed Turkoglu's jersey, but wasn't able to knock his rhythm off. "I shouldn't have let him get open for that shot," Tinsley said.
Round 2 of this battle between NBA heavyweights will be Friday night at Conseco Fieldhouse.
"It was a great game," San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. "Both teams wanted this game. It was like an Ali-Frazier matchup. It was lot of fun for the fans. It was a real competitive game for us. I'm thankful we got the win."
Call Sekou Smith at 1-317-444-6053.
www.indystar.com/articles...5-102.html (http://www.indystar.com/articles/5/110557-7185-102.html)
Pacers stunned in OT
The Spurs force the extra period on Turkoglu's last-second 3-pointer
By Sekou Smith
[email protected]
January 11, 2004
SAN ANTONIO -- The Indiana Pacers came up a little short and just a little late in their bid to unseat the reigning NBA champion San Antonio Spurs on their home court Saturday night.
Time literally ran out on the Pacers as they fell 89-88 in overtime before a raucous SBC Center crowd of 18,797. The loss snapped a seven-game winning streak for the Eastern Conference leaders.
Locked in a thrilling nail-biter that felt like Game 7 of a playoff series, the Pacers did everything but win the game in a toe-to-toe battle that literally came down to the finals seconds.
Ron Artest tried desperately to gather a long rebound of a missed Hedo Turkoglu 3-pointer with 3.9 seconds remaining. He never could gain control of the ball, losing it in the air momentarily and then bouncing it on the floor as he tried to pick it up.
There was confusion at the end, including Pacers coach Rick Carlisle running onto the court in an attempt to call a timeout. The protest, however, was short-lived. Minutes later, Carlisle and Artest agreed the official's call was the right one.
"It was a good call. I didn't get the timeout," said Artest, who struggled early offensively before scoring 18 of his 21 points in the second half. "I juggled the ball just a little bit and then that was it. That was the end of the game."
Carlisle refused to let Artest shoulder the blame, insisting that there were dozens of other instances where the Pacers (28-11) had opportunities to seal this game and didn't.
"That was a tough play to make," Carlisle said. "It was a long rebound, first of all, and that ate up some clock. We just weren't able to get the timeout and that's my fault, not Ron's, because we tried to communicate in the huddle that make or miss we wanted to secure the ball and then call a timeout."
The Pacers (28-11) rallied from deficits of nine, seven and five points to take control of the game. But couldn't put the Spurs away.
Turkoglu, who forced overtime with a 3-pointer before the regulation game-clock expired, provided two clutch overtime baskets for the Spurs, winners of four in a row and 17 of their past 18.
Undaunted by the deficit or their surroundings, the Pacers managed to keep their wits in a game that featured more twists and turns than a West Texas Twister.
"We felt like we let one get away," said Pacers All-Star power forward Jermaine O'Neal, who struggled from the floor (10-of-30) but finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds. "If we had just hit a three, and then again in overtime if we could have just gotten a few more shots to fall."
The Pacers appeared to have the game in hand with seconds to play in regulation, having used a 12-2 to run to take what seemed like a comfortable 81-78 lead.
Al Harrington (17 points, seven rebounds) made a jumper from the free-throw line with 26.4 seconds to play and Reggie Miller hit two free throws with 3.9 seconds left.
But Turkoglu drained a deep 3-pointer from the wing to force overtime with three tenths of a second remaining.
"Somehow he just got loose," Artest said.
"He gathered himself, gave a little head fake, took one dribble and hit the shot. It was a good play."
Pacers point guard Jamaal Tinsley jumped in front of Turkoglu on the fake and even grabbed Turkoglu's jersey, but wasn't able to knock his rhythm off. "I shouldn't have let him get open for that shot," Tinsley said.
Round 2 of this battle between NBA heavyweights will be Friday night at Conseco Fieldhouse.
"It was a great game," San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich said. "Both teams wanted this game. It was like an Ali-Frazier matchup. It was lot of fun for the fans. It was a real competitive game for us. I'm thankful we got the win."
Call Sekou Smith at 1-317-444-6053.