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Pacers win as clock runs out
Associated Press
October 11, 2004
MUNCIE, Ind. -- Randy Holcomb tipped in a rebound as the clock expired to lift the Indiana Pacers to an 85-84 win over the Washington Wizards in the preseason opener for both teams tonight.
After Washington's Jared Jeffries tipped in a miss by Michael Ruffin with 9.7 seconds to play, Indiana's Eddie Gill drove the lane and missed a high-arching layup. Holcomb came from the backside to tip it in.
Stephen Jackson was sharp in his Pacers debut with 19 points and seven rebounds at Worthen Arena on the campus of Ball State University.
Jackson, acquired from Atlanta in an off-season trade that sent Al Harrington to the Hawks, scored 10 points in 10 minutes in the first quarter.
He started for Ron Artest, who watched the game after missing two practices while attending his grandmother's funeral.
Jermaine O'Neal also missed the game for Indiana with a sprained left foot.
A slimmed-down Brendan Haywood had 17 points, seven rebounds and four blocks for Washington. Haywood's numbers would have been even more impressive if he hadn't gone 3-for-11 from the free-throw line.
Washington made just 14 of 32 (49 percent) foul shots on the night.
Pacers rookie center David Harrison looked good in his NBA debut, scoring 14 points in 24 minutes. He scored 12 in the fourth quarter, including a nifty three-point play that gave the Pacers a 78-72 lead.
Washington used tough defense from Gerald Fitch to fuel an 8-0 run that put the Wizards ahead 80-78.
Fitch hit a jumper, then got a steal and a layup in the spurt.
Larry Hughes had 13 points and seven rebounds for the Wizards.
