O’Neal Leads Pacers Over Lackluster Nets
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INDIANAPOLIS – Jermaine O’Neal finally stayed out of foul trouble, and that was bad news for the Nets.
O’Neal tied a career playoff high with 37 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, and the Indiana Pacers beat the Nets 107-95 last night to take a 2-1 lead in their Eastern Conference firstround series.
Anthony Johnson scored 13 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter for the Pacers, who will host Game 4 on Saturday.
Richard Jefferson and Vince Carter each scored 25 points for the Nets, but Carter was held without a field goal in the second half. The Pacers held the Nets to 9-for-38 shooting (24%) in the second half.
Foul trouble had limited O’Neal to no more than 32 minutes in each of the first two games. He averaged 13.5 points and five rebounds in those contests, well below his regular-season averages of 20.1 points and 9.3 rebounds. On Thursday, he shot 12-for-15 from the field and 13-for-14 from the line.
O’Neal was fined $15,000 yesterday for publicly criticizing officials after the Game 2 loss at New Jersey. He has complained throughout the series that New Jersey players have been flopping and getting calls.Yesterday,O’Neal’s primary defenders were in foul trouble for much of the game.Nenad Krstic fouled out and Clifford Robinson and Jason Collins both finished with five fouls.
Indiana led 78-70 heading into the fourth quarter, but New Jersey cut the lead to 79-76 on two buckets by Jefferson. Indiana got a basket from O’Neal and a 3-pointer from Stephen Jackson to take an 84-76 lead with 8:23 left. Johnson followed by scoring 10 points in 2:21 to put the Pacers in control for good.
The Pacers held Krstic to nine points. He averaged 21 points and shot 57% through the first two games. He was called for a technical foul with 1:45 left in the third quarter for shoving Indiana’s Scot Pollard and fouled out with 4:32 left in the game.
The Pacers took a 47-45 lead with 1:52 left in the first half, but Carter converted a three-point play, and made a 3-pointer and a dunk in the final two minutes of the second quarter to give the Nets a 55-51 halftime lead. Carter scored 21 points in the first half and O’Neal scored 19.
Indiana opened the second half on a 15-7 run to take a 66-62 lead. The Pacers held New Jersey to 3-for-18 shooting in the third quarter.
