|
 |   |
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Multimedia Central Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities Work in Sports
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE |  |
INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Missing Reggie Miller, the Indiana Pacers kept missing. With their best player serving a suspension, Indiana fell into an early 15-point hole and never recovered in a 107-86 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, who fought off elimination in the Eastern Conference semifinals for the second straight game. Miller was suspended one game for his Game Four shove of 76ers center Matt Geiger, who was banned two games for a pair of flagrant fouls against the All-Star guard. With Miller not allowed in the building, the Pacers were never in the game. They fell behind 15-0 in the first 4:10 and trailed by at least double digits for the final 38 minutes, including a 25-point deficit late in the second quarter. "I was very disappointed tonight," Pacers coach Larry Bird said. "We got off to slow start. We didn't make shots and we didn't play defense. It really surprised me because I thought we would come out and play. It was all us of tonight. From the beginning, we didn't play basketball." Even with a fourth-quarter flurry, Indiana shot 40.5 percent (34-of-84) from the field, including just 3-of-16 from 3-point range. Jalen Rose, who ended Miller's 10-year reign as team scoring leader during the season, did not make a basket until midway through the third quarter and shot 4-of-15, scoring 13 points. "They tried to make me pass the ball," Rose said. "They did a good job. The number of looks I got may or may not have been more if Reggie was playing." "Reggie is sensational in the playoffs and with Jalen struggling a little, it helped us," Sixers guard Allen Iverson said. Iverson scored 37 points and Theo Ratliff collected a playoff career-high 26, nine rebounds and four blocks for the Sixers, who stopped Indiana's unbeaten run in revenge games (20-0) and made Miller a poor prognosticator in the process. After receiving his suspension, Miller said, "I can't let someone intentionally try to hurt me for the sake of winning one basketball game. And that's all they will win is one basketball game." "Reggie helps, but we can't rely on him," Bird admitted. "We have to meet their force." Miller returns while Geiger again sits for Game Six on Friday in Philadelphia, where the Sixers are 11-2 since March 10, with both losses to Indiana. No NBA team has overcome an 0-3 deficit to win a series and only two have forced a seventh game. Aaron McKie had 13 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists for the Sixers, who shot 50 percent (39-of-78) and held a 45-34 edge in rebounds. Iverson set the tone with a hook, jumper and 3-pointer in the first three minutes. Baskets by each member of Philadelphia's frontcourt made it 15-0 with just 4:10 elapsed as Indiana had four turnovers. "A lot of it starts with Iverson," Sixers forward George Lynch said. "He gets things going for us. He's very unselfish with the ball and he's good at getting everyone involved. But at the same time, when he has the shot, he takes it." "We hoped to get off to a good start but I couldn't imagine the start we had," Sixers coach Larry Brown said. The Pacers finally snapped out of it and got within 19-12 with 3 1/2 minutes left in the first quarter. But Iverson had another 3-pointer to highlight a 10-4 run, giving the Sixers a 29-16 lead. "They got me off early," said Ratliff, who scored 10 points in the first quarter. "I got a couple of dunks, I got in the game early and I just demanded they keep giving me the ball down low." "Theo was possessed tonight," Iverson said. "He did a great job in the low post, attracting some double-teams." Indiana never got within single digits again. A layup by Austin Croshere made it 38-27 with 7:06 remaining in the second quarter before Philadelphia put together a 14-2 spurt in which five different players scored and Indiana's Travis Best and Derrick McKey picked up technical fouls. Toni Kukoc made two free throws around Iverson's technical foul shot, giving the Sixers a 52-29 lead with 3:03 left in the second period. Philadelphia opened its largest margin at 56-31 on a jumper by Tyrone Hill with 1:55 remaining. The Sixers led 60-37 at halftime, shooting 52 percent (22-of-42) while holding the Pacers to 37.5 percent (15-of-40). Iverson scored 19 points and Indiana exited to boos. The fans at Conseco Fieldhouse tried to get the Pacers back in the game but the Sixers refused to buckle, maintaining at least an 18-point lead. McKie handed out five assists before closing the quarter with a layup that made it 83-62. Philadelphia missed its first four shots of the final period and Indiana crept within 85-72 on a 3-pointer by Croshere with 7:04 to play. McKie answered with a 3-pointer and, after Sam Perkins sank a 3-pointer, Ratliff overpowered Croshere for a three-point play and a 91-75 lead with 5:36 left. "Aaron hit a big 3 for us when they got the lead down to 13," Brown said. "He's done everything that we've asked when he has been a starter." A thunderous dunk by Ratliff sealed it at 99-80 with 3:14 to go. Kukoc scored 13 points and Hill added 12 and 10 rebounds for the Sixers, who made 26-of-32 free throws. Iverson was 11-of-12 from the line. Rik Smits scored 15 points and Chris Mullin added 13 for the Pacers, who committed seven of their 14 turnovers in the first quarter. Mullin started for just the third time this season, replacing Miller. "Some of those guys were kind of scared to take shots," Hill said. "Jalen wasn't taking his usual shots and Sam was off. It's just like they didn't have (any) confidence."
|
