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Rites of spring Pacers, Knicks meet again in playoffs
Posted: Monday May 22, 2000 01:16 AM
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- In what has become almost an annual Spring tradition, the Indiana Pacers will clash with the New York Knicks in the playoffs. It will be the sixth series between the two Eastern Conference teams in eight seasons. Last year, the eighth-seeded Knicks ousted Indiana in six games in the conference finals -- something Indiana is hoping won't become a tradition. "They made it a bitter summer for us last year by the way they ended our season," Jalen Rose said after Sunday's practice. He had just learned New York defeated Miami 83-82 in Game 7 of their semifinal series. Indiana and New York will meet for Game 1 in the best-of-seven conference finals Tuesday night at Conseco Fieldhouse. "It will be nice to put them out of their misery this year, but you've got to go one game at a time," Rose said. The two teams split their four meetings during the regular season with each winning twice on their home court. The Pacers have the home court advantage Tuesday after compiling the best record in the conference. "To the Pacers that's very important, because that's the advantage we have," said Rose, who was Indiana's leading scorer against New York with a 18.2 average for the four games. However, the Pacers had the home court advantage last year and still dropped Games 1 and 5 in Indianapolis. "We want to come out ready and try to establish our home court in the first two games. They're going to be very important to establish the tempo for this series," Rose said. The Pacers are in the conference finals for the fifth time in seven years, but have never advanced to the NBA Finals. "We've been here. We're not excited. We understand what it is to be here, and it's just about getting over the hump," Rose said. The rivalry between the two teams has consistently found Reggie Miller in the middle, either by making big shots or struggling when his team needed him the most. "I think it is going to be a beautiful series," said Miller, whose 25-point average in this year's playoffs fueled the Pacers past Milwaukee and Philadelphia in their first two rounds. "I think in the back of everyone's mind, we all knew that New York would win that ball game (against Miami). We're excited about the opportunity to play seven games, and go on to the finals." Miller admitted that his team wants to meet New York again. "Deep down, we wanted to see a rematch. It was a great heavyweight fight," Miller said. "We know that they're very confident because they've been able to beat us. We feel the same way. We're hungry. The good thing is we get to play right away. Last year, a week off (after sweeping Philadelphia) kind of killed us." Indiana compiled a league-best 36-5 record at home during the regular season. "They are a good road team," Miller said of the Knicks, adding that he and his teammates will need to pick up their game from the opening two rounds. "Milwaukee and Philadelphia were nice, but it is going to take a lot more effort to beat them," said Miller. "I hate them, but I respect them. You've got to respect a team like that," Miller said. "They've got a lot of good players." The Pacers spent much of Sunday afternoon watching the New York-Miami game on television. "It was a great game, two teams going to war. We felt like an NCAA team waiting to see where we were going to play," said Mark Jackson. "It was good to know we were there ... Two great teams that went to the wire, and now we look forward to New York coming to town."
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