RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The old shooter finally started hitting.
|  | | Isiah Thomas got his first coaching victory in his third try with the Pacers. |
Reggie Miller scored 14 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter, including three straight 3-pointers in the final two minutes, as
Indiana beat Chicago 94-81 Saturday night for Isiah Thomas' first
victory as the Pacers coach.
"You've just got to hang in there," said Miller, who hit his
final four shots after going just 2-for-9. "Being a pro and being
around the block a few times, I understand if you hang in there and
wait a little bit, things will fall your way."
The Pacers lost three starters from last year's Eastern
Conference championship team and were without a fourth starter,
Jalen Rose, who broke a wrist during the preseason. Travis Best,
starting in place of Rose at point guard, led the Pacers with 25
points.
"I don't think my play has changed that much. I'm just out there a little more," Best said. "We're a little undermanned, so I'm more aggressive. We want to be up-tempo and attack the basket. That's my game."
The Pacers lost their first two games, both on the road, but
took control in the second quarter, built a 9-point lead after the
third period and pulled away in the closing minutes as Miller
started hitting from the outside.
"We had a better understanding how to move the ball up the
floor and didn't throw the ball away constantly," Thomas said.
"Patience is the right word, but we still expect to perform well and play well," he said. "I guess time will tell. I don't mind being the underdog. ... At the end of the year we'll see how good of a basketball team we are, but I think we'll be pretty good."
The Bulls, winless in three games, got 19 points and 11 rebounds
from Elton Brand, whose free throw cut Indiana's lead to 81-73 with just over three minutes to go. Miller then hit a 2-pointer. After a basket by Chicago's Brad Miller, Reggie hit two 3-pointers in less
than 30 seconds to give Indiana a 91-77 lead.
Ron Mercer, who finished with 15 points, scored for Chicago before Miller hit his third 3-pointer to seal the victory.
"Getting off to this slow start is a concern for a young bunch
like us," Brand said. "We just have to work harder. Indiana's
depth was the difference tonight."
Chicago's 21 turnovers also hurt.
"We had eight turnovers in the fourth quarter, and it's difficult to catch up when you don't have the ball," Bulls coach Tim Floyd said. "We did a good job defensively on Reggie -- until the final three minutes."
Poor starts hurt the Pacers in their first two games, and for
the first five minutes it seemed the trend would continue. Indiana
missed its first six shots and fell behind 7-2 before a basket by
Best.
Three early baskets by Brad Miller helped the Bulls to an 11-6
lead, but Indiana stayed close and finally tied the game on a pair
of free throws by Zan Tabak midway through the first quarter. A
layup by Best gave the Pacers their first lead at 24-23 before Bryce Drew scored in the closing seconds to put the Bulls back on top.
There were two more ties early in the second quarter, but a
basket by Jermaine O'Neal and two free throws by Tyus Edney put the
Pacers up 35-31, and Indiana never trailed the rest of the game.
The Pacers finished the half with an 11-2 run, including a
3-pointer and two free throws by Austin Croshere, who finished with 14 points. Tabak hit one of two free throws with under a minute remaining to push Indiana's lead to 50-39 at the break.
Game notes
Best, who had a career-high 30 points in a loss Thursday at
Dallas, came in averaging an NBA-best 45 minutes a game and played
41. ... Indiana hit just 67 percent of its free throws in the first
two games but was 27-for-32 against the Bulls. ... Before the
pregame introductions, Reggie Miller took the p.a. microphone and thanked the crowd for helping the Pacers win the Eastern Conference championship last season. "All we ask is you be patient and we promise we'll bring some more banners into this building," Miller said. ... Chicago used its third different starting lineup in as many games.
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NBA Scoreboard
Chicago Clubhouse
Indiana Clubhouse
RECAPS
LA Lakers 98
Vancouver 89
Indiana 94
Chicago 81
Toronto 103
Washington 96
Orlando 107
Atlanta 104
Cleveland 91
Boston 89
Philadelphia 84
Miami 82
Utah 112
Dallas 106
Minnesota 99
Sacramento 91
Charlotte 98
New Jersey 87
Milwaukee 97
Detroit 88
Phoenix 102
Denver 99
Portland 97
Seattle 90
San Antonio 117
Golden State 105
LA Clippers 77
Houston 74
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