by Conrad Brunner
October 31, 2001
END RESULT
Getting breakthrough games from Jermaine O'Neal and Jamaal Tinsley, the Pacers took control of the game in the fourth quarter to blow out Chicago 98-73 in the Bulls' home opener on Wednesday night in the United Center.
WHAT IT MEANS
The Pacers improved to 1-1 and won for the first time in their last six Halloween games, while Chicago dropped to 0-1. This was the Pacers' sixth consecutive victory over the Bulls, and 11th in 12 meetings since Michael Jordan retired.
UP NEXT
The Pacers return for their home opener on Friday night against Orlando in Conseco Fieldhouse. It is the first of six consecutive games against 2001 playoff teams for the Pacers.
TURNING POINT
Riding strong performances from Ron Mercer and Brad Miller, the Bulls wouldn't go away and trailed just 65-64 late in the third period. But O'Neal heated up quickly, scoring 12 points and blocking three shots to spark a 17-2 run that built an 82-66 lead midway through the fourth period and there would be no late rally by the home team, which wound up totaling just nine points on four-of-24 shooting in the fourth quarter.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
The Pacers didn't shoot particularly well (.429) but hit the offensive boards hard to come up with extra shot opportunities, winning the board battle 51-42. They also committed just 10 turnovers, 12 fewer than the night before in a loss at New Jersey. O'Neal led the way with 25 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks. Jalen Rose had all 19 of his points in the first three quarters. Austin Croshere came off the bench to score 14. Tinsley had 12 points, 13 assists, six rebounds and five steals, and Reggie Miller added 11 points and seven rebounds. Jeff Foster finished with nine rebounds. The Bulls shot just .354 overall but were 12 of 44 (.273) in the second half, when they managed just 29 points. Miller scored 10 of his 24 points from the free-throw line and contributed nine rebounds. Mercer had 22 points, five assists and five rebounds. Charles Oakley had a game-high 12 rebounds.
LINEUP/ROTATION
Pacers coach Isiah Thomas stuck with the same basic pattern as in the opener, starting Tinsley, Miller, Rose, O'Neal and Foster and using a four-man second-unit rotation of Al Harrington, Travis Best, Croshere and Jonathan Bender. Bruno Sundov got his first playing time of the season after Harrington fouled out.
NOTEWORTHY
The Pacers reached agreement with Al Harrington on a contract extension reportedly for four years and $24 million just before the Oct. 31 deadline. Had a deal not been struck, the fourth-year forward would have become a restricted free agent after the season. ... Two players will come home to deal with bad news. Bender's house was burglarized and a guest was assaulted, and O'Neal had two vehicles vandalized while the team was on the road. ... Chicago rookies Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler both scored their first career points, but not much more. ... The game got a little physical in the first half, as Thomas drew a technical protesting a hard foul by Brad Miller from behind on O'Neal in the first quarter, while Harrington and Marcus Fizer each drew technicals for a second-quarter exchange that started when the Bulls forward threw an elbow after the whistle. ... Rose scored 15 in the first half, giving him 58 points in the season's first six periods. ... The Bulls missed all seven of their 3-point attempts.