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| PACERS | vs. | 76ERS |
 Keith McLeod |
Point Guard |
 Andre Miller |
 Mike Dunleavy |
Shooting Guard |
 Willie Green |
 Danny Granger |
Small Forward |
 Andre Iguodala |
 Jeff Foster |
Power Forward |
 Steven Hunter |
 Jermaine O'Neal |
Center |  Samuel Dalembert |
 Darrell Armstrong |
Sixth Man |
 Joe Smith |
 Rick Carlisle |
Coach |  Maurice Cheeks |
New Players Crave Playoff Experience
By Conrad Brunner | Updated April 10, 2007
For the franchise, the playoffs have become a way of life easily taken for granted.
For most of the players, however, the postseason would be a new experience and thus is thoroughly craved.
| Tonight's Game |
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7 p.m., Road TV: FSN-Indiana Radio: WIBC 1070-AM |
Fully eight of the 15 players in the Pacers' roster have never been to the playoffs, which could explain why the team has shaken out of a long funk to win three of four and rebuild its postseason hopes. With the next three games on the road, beginning tonight in Philadelphia, the Pacers face a challenge if they are to close the one-game gap on eighth-place Orlando.
"I'm really, really trying to get in there, doing whatever I can to help the team," said Mike Dunleavy. "I would love to be in the playoffs, haven't been there yet so obviously it means a lot to me."
None of the four players acquired in January from Golden State reached the playoffs with the Warriors. None likewise want to be part of the Pacers' first non-playoff team in 10 years. Along with Dunleavy, Troy Murphy, Keith McLeod and Ike Diogu, Maceo Baston, Orien Greene, Rawle Marshall and Shawne Williams are in pursuit of their first postseason berths.
"When I was in Utah (in 2004-05, we had a losing season and they were talking about getting lottery picks and stuff like that," said McLeod. "With (Coach) Jerry (Sloan), that was never an issue. We always tried to win games to the last game. We didn't care what the standings were, we always tried to play hard and finish strong. It'd be huge to come here and get in the playoffs. Some of these guys haven't been in the playoffs. I haven't been in the playoffs. I'd love to have that experience."
Rick Carlisle has never missed the playoffs in his previous five seasons as a head coach. He sees the team's chase this year as something more than extending the franchise's streak: the opportunity for several players vital to the future to get that important initiation.
"We want our guys that haven't had playoff experience to get a taste of it and find out what it's about, the intensity of it, the competitiveness of it, because really it's where you have to take your game to another level," Carlisle said. "One of the things about players getting better is they need to experience that level of competition and that time of year. It's really what it's about."
Which is why the talk-radio and message-board buzz suggesting the Pacers would be better off tanking their remaining games to increase their chances at a lottery pick is foreign to Carlisle.
"I hate hearing conversations about team dumping games and things like that because it shouldn't be what this is about," he said. "For us, we're trying to win. We want to get in the playoffs. And we want to give ourselves a chance to advance in the playoffs. …
"If anything, we've got players that probably could or should be sitting that are playing trying to help us get in. Guys like Jermaine (O'Neal), and (Jamaal) Tinsley's played hurt a lot … (Jeff) Foster's played dinged-up the last three-and-a-half years. These guys want to get there. We've got work to do to do it. We're probably going to need a little help along the way. But we're staying in this thing fighting."
Foster is expected to return to the lineup after missing the last three games with a sore lower back, but Tinsley's status remains in doubt, which could mean a third consecutive start for McLeod.
The Sixers will miss sixth man Kyle Korver, who was found to have a small tendon tear in his right wrist and will miss the next two games.
76ers - G Andre Iguodala (lower back) and C Samuel Dalembert (left knee) are probable; F Rodney Carney (L knee) is day-to-day; G Kyle Korver (sprained right wrist) and F Shavlik Randolph (fractured left ankle) are out.
