Calm O’Neal leads Pacers to Game Three victory over Nets

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Jermaine O’Neal stayed out of foul
trouble and the Indiana Pacers stayed ahead of the New Jersey
Nets in their Eastern Conference quarter-final with a
well-deserved 107-95 win in Indianapolis on Thursday.

Following the victory, the sixth seeded Pacers lead the
best-of-seven series 2-1 with a chance to take complete control
with a Game Four triumph at home on Saturday.

In other games, the Chicago Bulls upset second seeded Miami
109-90 to trim the Heat’s series lead to 2-1, while the Denver
Nuggets stopped the Los Angeles Clippers 94-87 to also get to
2-1.

Avoiding the foul trouble that stifled him through much of
the opening two games of the series, O’Neal broke loose to
equal a playoffs career-high 37 points, while pulling down 15
rebounds and blocking four shots.

In Games One and Two, O’Neal scored 15 and 12 points
respectively and played a total of 32 minutes combined.

Anthony Johnson contributed a playoffs career-high 25
points for the Pacers, while Stephen Jackson added 17.

Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson both bagged 25 to lead
the Nets, while Jason Kidd was the only other New Jersey player
to hit double figures, chipping in with 14 points, six rebounds
and six assists.

Frustrated by the close attention he was receiving, O’Neal
voiced his unhappiness in the officiating earlier on Thursday
and was immediately fined $15,000 by the league for his
comments.

A few hours later, an inspired O’Neal shrugged off the
unwanted dent to his bank balance by making his first six
shots.

Despite 19 points from O’Neal, the Pacers entered the
intermission trailing 55-51 but continued to assert themselves
in the second half and slowly took control, taking a 78-70 lead
into the final quarter.

RAMPAGING BULLS

In Chicago, the Bulls used a smothering defense to hold
Shaquille O’Neal to just eight points while Ben Gordon hit for
24 to prevent the home team from falling into a 3-0 hole in
their Eastern quarter-final.

The Bulls will have a chance to even the series when they
host Game Four on Sunday.

“We did what we had to do,” Bulls coach Scott Skiles said.

“We had to win this game. We played better, but they didn’t
play like they played in Miami.

“We know the odds, 95 percent of the time the team that is
up 2-0 wins the series.

“I imagine we’re going to see the best Miami has on Sunday,
and we’d better be ready for it.”

After averaging over 24 points in the opening two games of
the series, O’Neal endured one of the most dismal playoff
performances of his career, hitting just one basket through the
first three quarters.

With O’Neal in a scoring slump, Dwyane Wade attempted to
pick up the slack by scoring a game-high 26 points, but it was
not enough to hold off the inspired and relentless Bulls.

The Bulls led by 10 points in the second quarter, but Miami
closed to within six at halftime.

Gordon and Kirk Hinrich put the Bulls safely ahead in the
third, combining for 28 of the team’s 39 points.

Hinrich finished with 22.

In Denver, Carmelo Anthony scored a game-high 24 points as
the Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Clippers 94-87 and will have a
chance to level their best-of-seven series when they host Game
Four on Saturday.

The Nuggets played the game without Kenyon Martin, who was
suspended for conduct detrimental to the team, but the return
home provided Denver with enough lift to get the win.

Andre Miller contributed 14 points for Denver, while Greg
Buckner and Earl Boykins chipped in with 13 points apiece and
Marcus Camby added 12 points and 14 rebounds.

Corey Maggette had 23 points for the Clippers in the loss,
with Sam Cassell hitting for 20 and Elton Brand 17.