Resilient Pacers Show They’re Not Going Away

The NBA’s most resilient team bounced back again.

Jermaine O’Neal scored 22 points, Reggie Miller had 19 and Jeff Foster grabbed a career-high 20 rebounds Wednesday night to lead the Indiana Pacers past the Detroit Pistons, 92-83, in Game 2, tying their Eastern Conference semifinal series, 1-1.

“I don’t think any pro team -- in any sport -- can handle what we’ve handled,” O’Neal said before getting on the team bus. “Our goals haven’t changed. Our goals are to get to the NBA Finals, and win a championship. We still believe.”

Many wrote the Pacers off when their Nov. 19 brawl with the Pistons and their fans led to unprecedented suspensions, but the Pacers didn’t let the loss of Ron Artest and others -- or a slew of injuries later in the season -- devastate them.

“These guys have been tough. They’ve been through a lot,” Indiana Coach Rick Carlisle said. “When they get knocked down, they tend to get back up fighting.”

After losing Game 1 by 15 points, the Pacers trailed by 15 after the first quarter and didn’t take the lead until there was 4:10 left in the third when Miller’s three-point basket capped an 11-4 run.

There were five lead changes in the fourth before the score was tied at 77-77 midway through the quarter. Miller’s three-pointer put Indiana ahead, 82-77, with just under five minutes left.

The Pacers outrebounded the Pistons, 52-43, and had nine more steals.

“They did all the effort things that we did in Game 1,” Piston Coach Larry Brown said.

The next two games in the best-of-seven series are in Indianapolis on Friday night and Sunday afternoon.

“Nothing is secure for us at home. We lost twice at home against Boston,” Miller said. “That’s probably a bad thing for us, and a good thing for Detroit.”