Thursday, May 12, 2005
Indiana beat Detroit to even the series 1-1.
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) -- The NBA's most resilient team bounced back again.
Jermaine O'Neal scored 22 points, Reggie Miller had 19 and Jeff Foster grabbed a career-high 20 rebounds Wednesday night to lead the Indiana Pacers past the Detroit Pistons 92-83 in Game 2, tying their Eastern Conference semifinal series 1-1.
"I don't think any pro team -- in any sport -- can handle what we've handled," O'Neal said before getting on the team bus.
"Our goals haven't changed. Our goals are to get to the NBA Finals, and win a championship. We still believe."
Many wrote the Pacers off when their Nov. 19 brawl with the Pistons and their fans led to unprecedented suspensions, but the Pacers didn't let the loss of Ron Artest and others -- or a slew of injuries later in the season -- devastate them.
Indiana even pulled off a rare road win in a Game 7 of the first round at Boston to advance to play the defending NBA champions, who ended the Pacers' season in the conference finals last year.
"These guys have been tough. They've been through a lot," Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said. "When they get knocked down, they tend to get back up fighting."
Comeback
After losing Game 1 by 15, the Pacers trailed by 15 after the first quarter and didn't take the lead until there was 4:10 left in the third when Miller's 3-pointer capped an 11-4 run.
There were five lead changes in the fourth before the score was tied at 77 midway through the quarter. Miller's 3-pointer put Indiana ahead 82-77 with just under 5 minutes left.
The Pacers outrebounded Detroit 52-43 and had nine more steals.
"They did all the effort things that we did in Game 1," Pistons coach Larry Brown said. "That was the key.
"When the game really meant something, they made every single effort play."
The next two games in the best-of-seven series are in Indianapolis on Friday night and Sunday afternoon.
"Nothing is secure for us at home. We lost twice at home against Boston," Miller said. "That's probably a bad thing for us, and a good thing for Detroit."
The Pistons had won eight straight home playoff games dating to last year's conference finals.
Contributions
Foster gave the Pacers a huge lift off the bench with 14 points, two blocks, two steals and the best rebounding game of his six-year career.
"Jeff Foster did have a Ben Wallace-type performance," O'Neal said.
Wallace dominated Monday with 21 points, 15 rebounds and four steals, but was limited to three points -- on 0-for-4 shooting -- Wednesday.
Detroit's Tayshaun Prince scored 24, Rasheed Wallace and Richard Hamilton each had 14 and Chauncey Billups scored 13. Hamilton played the second half with his right calf wrapped after hurting it in the first half.
"I think we played like a bunch of strangers and they had a lot to do with that," Brown said. "We shot 50 percent in the first half. In the second half, we didn't pass the ball."
Indiana's Jamaal Tinsley had 12 points -- mostly on driving layups -- and 12 assists while Stephen Jackson added 13 points. O'Neal prevented the Pacers from falling behind more than they did early with eight points in the first quarter, then led their third-quarter surge with 10 points. He finished with 10 rebounds and five blocks.
Miller, who plans to retire after the season, scored just two points in each of the first two quarters before scoring 15 in the second half. He scored six points in the series opener.
"Reggie was phenomenal when the game was on the line," Brown said.
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