Rose scored 12 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter as the Indiana Pacers defeated the shorthanded Philadelphia 76ers, 86-76, to snap a four-game losing streak.

"We needed that very badly," Rose said. "We've got to find a way to build on this."

The Pacers held a 53-46 lead with 6:15 left in the third quarter when Miller and 76ers forward Derrick Coleman began scuffling near mid-court. Coleman grabbed Miller by the throat and seemed to throw a punch before Indiana forward Jeff Foster wrestled him away.

NBA TV highlights from Sixers-Pacers: 56k | 300k Jermaine O'Neal takes it outside on his way to a double-double. Ron Hoskins NBAE/Getty Images

"Derrick was frustrated," 76ers coach Larry Brown said. "I get the sense we'll be playing without him tomorrow. I don't blame Reggie. If everyone in this league was like Reggie Miller, there would be no problems in this league."

Coleman did not speak to reporters after the game but apparently wanted to resume hostilities with Miller. He was stopped from entering the Pacers' locker room by security personnel.

"The league has to take a look at that," Pacers forward Jermaine O'Neal said. "I'm sure if Derrick would have gotten in here, they would've still been fighting after the game."

Miller and Coleman were ejected and the incident appeared to fire up the Sixers, who were playing without NBA scoring leader Allen Iverson. They closed to 64-62 after three quarters and tied it three times early in the final period.

That's when Rose came alive. Limited to two points in the first half, he made a 3-pointer, two jumpers, a breakaway layup and a pair of foul shots in a four-minute span, helping Indiana build an 83-68 lead with 3:42 to go.

"I am a rhythm player and I wasn't in a rhythm early," Rose said. "My shots were falling in the fourth quarter, though. I know that I had to work to get involved after Reggie was out. That doesn't always mean shooting the ball, but today it did."

O'Neal had 15 points and 13 rebounds and Foster added 13 and 12 for the Pacers, who avoided matching their longest skid of the season. They beat the Sixers at home for the first time since Game Two of the 2000 Eastern Conference semifinals, a span of five straight losses.

Dikembe Mutombo and Eric Snow scored 13 points each for the Sixers (25-26), who have lost two in a row and four of five to drop under .500 for the first time since January 11.

Iverson, who averages 30.3 points, sat out with a sprained right big toe. Philadelphia is 0-8 without him this season.

"We were already shorthanded without Allen when Derrick left the game," Sixers forward Matt Harpring said. "Without him, we had no post game."

Without Coleman, Iverson and Aaron McKie, the Sixers got back in it on the shooting of Vonteego Cummings, who made three straight jumpers at the end of the third quarter.

Harpring's reverse layup made it 68-68 with 8:19 to go before Philadelphia went cold and Rose got hot. Travis Best's jumper gave Indiana the lead for good and Rose hit a 3-pointer before Jonathan Bender sank two free throws for a 75-68 advantage with 7:07 left.

Rose made a transition jumper and another from the corner. His breakaway layup and two free throws pushed Indiana's lead to 15 points.

"He had a big fourth quarter for us," Pacers coach Isiah Thomas said. "He shot the ball well and passed well. He more or less brought it home for us."

During Indiana's run, Philadelphia missed 14 straight shots and went scoreless for 6:17.

Bender scored 13 points for the Pacers, who shot 43 percent (33-of-76) and limited the Sixers to just 33 percent (29-of-87). Indiana blocked 10 shots.

Before his ejection, Miller scored nine points to move past Clyde Drexler into 18th place on the all-time scoring list with 22,200 points.

Coleman scored 10 points in the first half to keep Philadelphia within 40-36.