Home>News Center>Sports
             
     

    Heat off Pacers as they await next team
    (Agencies)
    Updated: 2004-05-20 09:46

    Jermaine O'Neal didn't have to score a bunch of points to leave his mark on the most important game of Indiana's season.


    Indiana Pacers' Jermaine O'Neal goes up to block a shot by Miami Heat's Lamar Odom, right, during Game 6 of the teams' Eastern Conference semifinal series Tuesday, May 18, 2004, in Miami. The Pacers eliminated the Heat from the playoffs with a 73-70 win. [AP]
    With the Miami Heat bearing down on him in the post all game long, O'Neal scored just seven points and shot 2-for-10 in Game 6 on Tuesday night.

    But he grabbed 13 rebounds and had three blocked shots, including a huge one in the closing minutes to help the Pacers advance to the Eastern Conference finals.

    With the Heat surging and the Pacers clinging to a 71-67 lead, Miami forward Caron Butler elevated along the baseline for a dunk. But O'Neal swooped down the lane and emphatically blocked the would-be slam, and the Pacers held on for the win.

    O'Neal had to leave the game briefly after being poked in the eye by Butler on the play, but returned in time to force Eddie Jones into an airball as the shot clock wound down, setting up two crucial free throws from Anthony Johnson with 14.7 seconds to play.

    "I'll take a game like this all day, scoring seven points, blocking a couple of shots, getting some rebounds and getting the win," O'Neal said after the 73-70 win. "That's what it's about. A championship team does that."

    Game 1 of the conference finals is Saturday in Indianapolis. The Pacers will face the winner of the New Jersey-Detroit series, which concludes with Game 7 on Thursday night in Detroit.

    Becoming the first team to win a game in Miami since Toronto way back on March 2 seems to have galvanized the Pacers, who say they are more united than ever heading into their first conference finals since 2000.

    "Heading into this series, people predicted a sweep, but we knew it was going to be much tougher than that," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. "As the series went, some people bailed out on us. Most people predicted Miami to win (Tuesday) night's game and there was no reason not to. The challenge was to stare the great challengers in the face — and that is this building, their team — and to find a way."

    Said O'Neal: "That's what it's going to take for us to get out of the Eastern Conference and get to the NBA Finals (news - web sites)."

    O'Neal's performance was a microcosm of the Pacers' season. While struggling on offense, he did so many other things to contribute, and got help from his teammates to produce a victory.

    Ron Artest led the way with 27 points and Reggie Miller added 15 after scoring a combined seven points in Games 3 and 4 in Miami.

    "You have to put forth an above-and-beyond-type effort, especially on the road," Miller said. "We are finding ways to win ballgames."

    In doing so, the Pacers have gained two significant advantages over their opponent in the next round.

    First, by winning an NBA-best 61 games during the regular season, the Pacers will have homecourt advantage in the next series and the NBA Finals, should they advance. Indiana has won 13 straight at Conseco Fieldhouse, including all five playoff games.

    The Pacers also will have three days to rest and prepare for Game 1, while the Pistons or Nets will have just one day.

    Indiana did not practice on Wednesday, but O'Neal said before Game 6 against Miami that having an extra day or two to prepare while the Pistons and Nets slug it out would be ideal.

    "Having a couple days to break a team down, seeing what their strengths and weaknesses are, that's perfect for us," O'Neal said. "It's set up perfect for us. We have to take full advantage of it."

     
      Today's Top News     Top Sports News
     

    Authorities to monitor price shifts before rate decision

     

       
     

    Official: China can feed its own people

     

       
     

    Shanxi mine blasts kill 24, trap 23 others

     

       
     

    Experts: Mainland has seen through Chen

     

       
     

    US attacks wedding party, kills 41 Iraqis

     

       
     

    New photos depict Iraqi prisoner abuses

     

       
      Fans upset over Jordan's no-show
       
      Nets relaxed ahead of Game 7 with Pistons
       
      Heat off Pacers as they await next team
       
      Olympic torch relay's Beijing leg rescheduled
       
      Maradona fulfills hardest month
       
      Kournikova goes in search of love nest!
       
     
      Go to Another Section  
     
     
      Story Tools  
       
    Advertisement
             
    色综合久久无码中文字幕| 日韩精品无码一区二区中文字幕| 中文字幕乱妇无码AV在线| 亚洲国产精品无码av| 国内精品久久久人妻中文字幕 | 亚洲成A人片在线观看中文| 亚洲AV蜜桃永久无码精品| 西西午夜无码大胆啪啪国模 | 自拍中文精品无码| 全球中文成人在线| 成人午夜福利免费专区无码| 亚洲AV无码码潮喷在线观看| 最近中文字幕大全中文字幕免费 | 久久久久久亚洲精品无码| 亚洲欧洲无码AV电影在线观看 | 一区二区三区人妻无码| 最近2019年中文字幕6| 狠狠精品久久久无码中文字幕| 久久国产精品无码HDAV| 亚洲AV无码专区国产乱码4SE| 人妻无码中文字幕免费视频蜜桃 | 中文字幕毛片| 日韩中文字幕在线视频| 亚洲乳大丰满中文字幕| 人妻少妇看A偷人无码精品视频| 潮喷失禁大喷水aⅴ无码| 色综合AV综合无码综合网站| 四虎成人精品无码| 亚洲av福利无码无一区二区| 亚洲AV无码乱码国产麻豆| 国模无码人体一区二区| 精品国产aⅴ无码一区二区| 最近高清中文在线字幕在线观看| 欧美日韩中文字幕在线| 色婷婷久久综合中文久久一本| 亚洲电影中文字幕| 无码人妻少妇久久中文字幕| 最近中文字幕免费大全| 久久午夜无码鲁丝片秋霞| 亚洲一区二区三区AV无码| 亚洲AV永久无码精品一百度影院|