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 Double trouble Davises seek to assert themselves in Game 2
Posted: Tuesday June 01, 1999 08:17 PM
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Antonio and Dale Davis are not related. Still, the two Indiana Pacers both thrive as physical forces inside. The Indiana Pacers hope to utilize the brute strength of the two 230-pounders Tuesday night in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals. The Pacers hope to even the best-of-7 series with the New York Knicks after losing the opening game 93-90 Sunday, Indiana's first loss in 13 home playoff games. "We need to be more of a physical force," Antonio Davis said Monday after the team practiced following its first playoff loss this year. "We let them get too many easy shots because we didn't get offensive rebounds." Antonio Davis had seven rebounds, tying point guard Mark Jackson for the team lead Sunday. Dale Davis, the team's leading rebounder for the season, had only one offensive rebound among the five caroms he grabbed. Defensive rebounds, including 10 by Patrick Ewing, helped New York get 22 points on fast breaks. "We didn't get back quick enough," said Dale Davis. "We let them run on us too much, especially in the first half." New York had 18 of its fast break points in the first half, giving it a 44-40 lead at the break. "We stopped their running game in the second half. Tuesday we need to come out and do it from the start," said Dale Davis, who had 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the floor. Dale Davis had six of his points in the third quarter and Antonio Davis scored seven of his 17 points in the fourth quarter, the only period in the game when Indiana outscored New York. "In the fourth quarter, Antonio played as well as he's ever played for us," Indiana coach Larry Bird said. "Dale had a good third quarter, but we need more from him. Dale has got to be a force for us all the time he's on the court." Dale Davis thought Indiana may have started the game a little rusty, having gone a week since its last game -- when the Pacers completed a four-game sweep of Philadelphia. "That shouldn't be an excuse. We should have been ready. We weren't. New York was. Now they have the advantage in the series and we've got to take it back from them," Dale Davis said. The playoffs are supposed to be physical, especially on the inside where the 6-foot-11, 230-pound Dale Davis spends most of his time. "I love the physical part of the game," he said. "I know I can hold my own with anyone in the game," he said. Both Davis's realize the importance of Tuesday's game with the series shifting to New York for Game 3 on Saturday and Game 4 next Monday. "We can't afford to go to New York down 2-0. Now that they've won the first game, they're going to be more relaxed, feeling they've already done their job by beating us here," Dale Davis said. "We've won on the road before and we are confident we can do it again," Antonio Davis said. "This is a seven-game series. They took the first, we can't change that and we can't think about victories in New York until we take care of business here Tuesday. "We can't afford to put any more pressure on ourselves than that which is there from this being the conference finals," Antonio Davis said. Indiana is trying to advance past the conference finals for the first time after losing Game 7 on the road three times in the past six years. New York, meanwhile, wants to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 1994, when it lost to Houston in seven games after defeating Indiana 4-3 in the Eastern Conference finals. "These teams know each other," Dale Davis said. "There are really no surprises, although this New York team is a little different than past ones. They have a much stronger bench and run a lot more. "Patrick Ewing is still a big part of their team, but they have a lot more weapons in Latrell Sprewell, Marcus Camby and Chris Childs."
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