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Game faces Pacers try to maintain high level of intensity
Posted: Sunday June 18, 2000 02:31 AM
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Now it's a mind game. The Indiana Pacers showed they can shoot the ball. They proved that even with big numbers by Shaquille O'Neal they can keep the rest of the Los Angeles Lakers in check. But to win their first NBA championship, they'll have to do it twice more. Most important, they must keep the same intensity. "We can definitely put not only two games like that back-to-back, but we can put a few games like that together," Travis Best said. "It's just a matter of being focused and everybody being unselfish and being aggressive." A 120-87 victory Friday night pulled the Pacers within 3-2 in the best-of-seven series. But Game 6 Monday night and, if necessary, Game 7 on Wednesday, are in Los Angeles. "It's definitely going to be tougher," Dale Davis said. "We look for them to come out and play a lot stronger. So we have to step it up a notch at the same time, and it's going to be important to try to set the tone early." That's what the Pacers did Friday night. Reggie Miller and Jalen Rose each had 11 points in the first quarter as the Pacers shot 75 percent en route to a 39-28 lead. The 39 points were a playoff record for Indiana, topping the previous high of 38 against New York in 1993. They didn't let up. Indiana led 64-45 at halftime, 86-67 after three quarters and took its biggest lead at 33 points in the closing minutes, long after coach Larry Bird replaced all the starters except Rose, who finished with 32 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals. Miller had 25 points, four rebounds and six assists. "Anytime Reggie and Jalen are having big nights at the same time, it makes it almost impossible to guard them, because you can't double-team either of them," Austin Croshere said. "The other one is going to be open. They did a great job of feeding off each other." O'Neal had 35 points for Los Angeles, but no one else had more than 11 for the Lakers. Kobe Bryant, who had 28 points in the Game 4 victory in overtime Wednesday, was held to eight points on 4-of-20 shooting. "Our chances are a lot better if we can control those other guys from chipping in and hurting us," Davis said. "Now we have to go in with the mindset if you lose, you're out. So our mindset is just coming out, giving the effort and playing as hard as possible." Best said it wouldn't be difficult to keep up the intensity. "We have two games left," he said. "If we can't put the effort forth now, then we don't deserve to win." Miller said the big victory by Indiana Friday night puts all the pressure on the Lakers. "We have nothing to lose and everything to gain," he said. "From the get-go, they were supposed to beat us, they were supposed to sweep us. So we have nothing to hang our heads about. We can come out and play free and loose, which I'm sure a lot of guys are going to like, especially myself." Rose was 12-of-18 from the field, including 4-of-5 3-pointers, and hit all four of his free-throw attempts. Miller was 7-for-12, including 4-of-6 3-pointers and made all seven of his shots from the foul line. "We've got to have scoring out of both of them," Bird said. "Jalen's a playmaker, and when he gets it going, they forget about Reggie sometimes and he'll pop it from the side. Together, when they get it going, they're fun to watch."
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