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Wednesday, Apr. 18 7:30pm ET
Indiana 105, Cleveland 101

RECAP | BOX SCORE | GAME FLOW

CLEVELAND (AP) _ Jermaine O'Neal scored six of his 30 points in overtime and had a career-high 20 rebounds Wednesday night as Indiana warmed up for the playoffs with a 105-101 win over Cleveland.

It might have been Randy Wittman's final game as Cavaliers coach. Despite winning four of their last six, the Cavs may not have done enough to save Wittman's job. The second-year coach, under fire since the All-Star break, is just 62-102 in his two seasons in Cleveland.

Jalen Rose added 22 points and a career-high 20 assists for the Pacers, who finished the regular season 41-41 and will face Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia in the best-of-five first round of the playoffs.

Reggie Miller, who sat out the entire fourth quarter and most of OT, finished with 22 points. Indiana rested many of its starters in the second half in preparation for the playoffs.

Lamond Murray had 22 points, Andre Miller 19 and 11 assists and rookie Chris Mihm had 13 points and 13 rebounds for the Cavs, who ended the year 30-52 _ two games worse than last season.

The Cavs got off to a promising start and were 15-7 on Dec. 16 after beatting Utah. But two games later, center Zydrunas Ilgauskas was lost for the season after breaking his foot, and the Cavs went through a stretch where they lost 43 of 54 games.

Before the game, Wittman said he wanted to find out soon if he was in the Cavs' future.

How soon?

"Yesterday," said Wittman, who has one year left on a three-year contract. "It's going to be a situation where I need to know. I need to look at what I'm going to be doing and start planning for next year."

Cavs general manager Jim Paxson declined comment on Wittman's situation at halftime.

After Rose's 3-pointer gave the Pacers a 100-99 lead early in OT, O'Neal scored on a nice spin move in the lane, then dunked to put Indiana ahead 104-101 with 1:01 left.

Andre Miller missed on the Cavs' next trip and O'Neal grabbed the rebound. Rose then made one of two free throws with 17.1 seconds to go to seal it.

The Pacers had a final chance to win in regulation, but Tyus Edney missed a wild, driving layup in traffic just before the buzzer and the teams went to overtime tied at 95.

Rose had nine points and seven assists in the third quarter, when the Pacers overcame a five-point halftime deficit to open a 78-73 lead after three.

Rose's 15-foot jumper capped a 12-2 run early in the quarter and he later hit a 3-pointer before threading a pass across the lane to Al Harrington for his 18th assist to put Indiana up by five.

Notes: Cleveland's 31 wins are its fewest in a full regular season since 1985-86, when the Cavs won 29. ... Best stayed behind in Indiana to rest his strained lower back. Best got hurt during Tuesday night's loss to Philadelphia. He is expected to be ready for the playoffs. ... Pacers coach Isiah Thomas said he sympathizes with Wittman's situation. "The one thing in this league you can't control as a coach are injuries," he said. "Big guys like Ilgauskas just aren't laying around."

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NBA Scoreboard

Indiana Clubhouse

Cleveland Clubhouse

RECAPS
Charlotte 97
Boston 92

Chicago 92
Philadelphia 86

Toronto 98
Washington 92

Indiana 105
Cleveland 101

New York 94
Detroit 88

Miami 103
Orlando 91

Dallas 120
Minnesota 100

Denver 110
Sacramento 100

Seattle 105
San Antonio 67


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