Knicks Pose No Problem for Pacers

Jermaine O’Neal had 27 points and 11 rebounds and Ron Artest scored 21 points in the NBA-leading Indiana Pacers’ 93-70 victory over the New York Knicks on Thursday night in Indianapolis.

The Pacers (13-2) used an 18-2 run in the third quarter to pull away for their seventh straight victory. O’Neal helped put the Pacers in control with 4:37 left in the quarter, making a hook shot in the lane to give them a 69-50 lead.

The star forward, who apologized after criticizing Pacer fans for booing earlier this season, slapped hands with several fans after making the basket.

Kurt Thomas had 12 points and nine rebounds for New York, which lost for the first time in four games. The Knicks were coming off a 97-92 victory in Minnesota on Wednesday night.

The Pacers scored 27 points off 24 turnovers and held their opponent under 79 points for the eighth time in nine games. They came into the game leading the NBA in fewest points allowed, with opponents averaging 81.4 points.

The Knicks shot 35% from the field in scoring a season-low 70 points.

O’Neal got the Pacers going with 12 points and four rebounds in the first quarter, and Artest took over in the second with 11 points and two steals to help them take a 52-40 halftime lead.

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The Orlando Magic are close to completing a deal to sign Paul Westhead as an assistant coach.

Westhead led the Lakers to the 1980 NBA title and coached high-scoring Loyola Marymount from 1985-90. He coached the Long Beach Jam of the American Basketball Assn. for one game this season, a 144-109 victory over Juarez, Mexico.

“We’re finalizing the details of the contract,” Magic spokesman Joel Glass said Thursday.

The Magic fired coach Doc Rivers and assistant Dave Wohl after a 1-10 start and promoted assistant Johnny Davis to the head coaching position. The Magic is 1-14 going into tonight’s game against Toronto.