Bender

To make room for Bender on the active roster, the Pacers placed center Primoz Brezec on the injured list with a strained right hamstring.

Though ready to make his fourth appearance of the season - and first since scoring seven points in 14 minutes against New Jersey on Jan. 17, Bender did not play against Miami. Bender had been on the injured list since Jan. 23 with post-operative soreness in his left knee.

With Al Harrington out with a sore knee and Ron Artest questionable with a jammed left thumb, Bender was considered to be a necessary option to start at small forward. Pacers Coach Rick Carlisle said Bender's minutes would have been limited to about 10 per half, a point that became moot when Artest suited up. With Artest able to play, Austin Croshere filled Harrington's spot in the rotation and Bender sat out, missing his 49th game of the season.

"When Artest played, then I was going to see how the game went," said Carlisle. "The way the game went, it just wasn't possible (to get Bender in)."

Bender has been working out with the team during his second stint on the injured list this season and Carlisle said he had hoped to use the two games prior to the All-Star break to gauge Bender's progress. The Pacers now have one game left - Tuesday at Chicago - before the break.

"Right now, we've got an opportunity . . . here before the break to sort of see where he is," Carlisle said.