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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- This time, the Indiana Pacers kept their
cool and Miami self-destructed in the fourth quarter.
|  | | Heat guard Eddie Jones collects a foul after landing on Pacers guard Reggie Miller. |
"I personally don't like to see anybody get technical fouls,
but I was glad it wasn't me," Indiana coach Isiah Thomas said
after the Pacers' 87-71 victory over the Heat on Saturday night.
Jalen Rose scored 21 points and the Pacers pulled away in the
foul-filled fourth quarter in which the Heat were called for three
technicals, two flagrant fouls and coach Pat Riley was ejected.
On Thursday night, in a loss at Phoenix, the Pacers received
four technicals and Thomas and Jermaine O'Neal were thrown out.
"We've had those called against us, which took us out of the
ball game. So it was a nice little role reversal for once," Reggie
Miller said.
Rose agreed.
"It was a little bit of (Miami's) frustration, but a lot of us
continuing to play and stay on them," Rose said. "I really don't
know what was said or what happened, but as long as we won, that's
the great thing."
The game was close until the final six minutes when Bruce Bowen
was called for a flagrant foul against Miller and Riley received
his first technical foul. Miller hit three free throws and, less
than a minute later, Rose scored to push the lead to 75-65. Miami
never got closer than eight points the rest of the way.
Riley received his second technical when he protested another
flagrant foul against Anthony Mason with 1:36 to go. Miller hit
another free throw, O'Neal made one of two foul shots and Rose
scored again for an 83-71 lead.
Tim Hardaway, who kept Miami close by scoring 13 of his 20
points in the third quarter, received a technical with just over a
minute to go, and O'Neal and Travis Best finished the scoring for
the Pacers.
"I'm not going to whine about the officiating," Riley said.
"All they got was two free throws. It wasn't that important.
"The whole game we missed layups. My daughter can hit layups,"
Riley said. "The Pacers' defense was good, but we had wide-open
shots and just couldn't hit them."
O'Neal added 18 points and Miller finished with 12 for the
Pacers. Mason matched his season high with 24 points for the Heat.
"I don't like to make excuses and blame somebody else," Mason
said. "They didn't do anything. We just missed point-blank layups
we should have made."
Bowen said he didn't think his foul against Miller was flagrant.
"He was in the act of shooting and I'm up in the air and I've
got to come down somewhere. ... I just thought it was a regular
foul."
Mason, who scored just seven points in a loss at Boston on
Wednesday, had 12 in the first quarter, including three straight
baskets that gave the Heat their biggest lead, 15-7.
A rebound basket by Derrick McKey, a basket and free throw by
O'Neal and a 3-pointer by Sam Perkins tied the game. The teams
traded baskets over the next four minutes before Miller and Rose
scored to give Indiana a 27-25 lead at the end of the quarter.
Miami missed its first nine field-goal attempts in the second
period, getting only three free throws by Mason, as Indiana widened
its lead to 40-31. The Pacers failed to hold their advantage.
Four points by Eddie Jones and five points by Mason forged a
40-40 tie at halftime.
A 3-pointer by McKey early in the third quarter put Indiana
ahead to stay.
Game notes
Hardaway's four 3-pointers set a Heat career record of 709,
one more than the previous record, which was set by Glen Rice.
...With two blocked shots against the Heat, O'Neal has 16 blocks in
the last four games. ... A.C. Green came off the Miami bench and
scored two points in 15 minutes, extending his NBA record to 1,148
consecutive games played. ... The Heat have hit at least one
3-pointer in an NBA-record 545 consecutive games. ... Indiana is
9-7 at home. The Pacers lost five games at home last season.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Miami Clubhouse
Indiana Clubhouse
RECAPS
Phoenix 103
Dallas 86
New York 91
Portland 78
Atlanta 108
LA Clippers 88
Indiana 87
Miami 71
Orlando 111
Golden State 94
Philadelphia 100
San Antonio 83
Sacramento 84
Houston 81
Milwaukee 115
New Jersey 81
Utah 111
LA Lakers 103
Vancouver 119
Cleveland 107
FROM
ATHLETESDIRECT
Reggie Miller Official Site
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