| ||
| PACERS | vs. | MAVERICKS |
 J. Tinsley |
Point Guard |
 D. Harris |
 M. Dunleavy |
Shooting Guard |
 T. Hassell |
 D. Granger |
Small Forward |
 J. Howard |
 T. Murphy |
Power Forward |
 D. Nowitzki |
 J. Foster |
Center |  D. Diop |
 M. Daniels |
Sixth Man |
 J. Terry |
 J. O'Brien |
Coach |  A. Johnson |
O'Neal's status a swelling problem
By Conrad Brunner | Updated Nov. 23, 2007
Tonight 8 p.m., Home TV: FSN-Indiana Radio: WIBC 1070-AM |
The six-time NBA All-Star sat out Wednesday's 105-93 victory in New Orleans because of swelling in his left knee and lower leg, and he'll miss tonight's game against Dallas in Conseco Fieldhouse. Just how long an absence will be necessary remains to be seen.
"If it takes shutting him down a couple days to get him right, we'll do that," said Coach Jim O'Brien after practice Thursday. "If he's ready to go against Dallas where he can play at a high level, then we'll do that. If he comes (Friday) and it looks like the swelling has cleared out and he feels good about his knee he'll probably be able to play at a high level.
"It doesn't really affect our planning because we run the same offense with or without him and we run the same defense with or without him. We have enough depth at the big spots that if he can't go, we go with the people that are healthy. If he's one of the healthy guys, then we go with him."
O'Neal had arthroscopic surgery to remove loose cartilage in his left knee shortly after the 2006-07 season ended last April but his recovery has been slow. He was hampered during the preseason and missed the first regular-season game. When he returned to action, he clearly wasn't at full capacity, averaging 13.2 points and 7.1 rebounds while shooting just .388 from the field.
"Obviously, I haven't been at where I want to be, the level I'm used to playing at because the knee hasn't gotten to the point where I want it to be at," said O'Neal. "It's not even necessarily the knee, it's the knee and anything below the knee that's been swollen. That's the main concern. When they get the swelling out, we'll go from there. I'm not able to elevate on jump shots, I'm not able to make quick moves, put the ball on the floor. That's what I'm used to doing and I can't quite do it yet."
O'Neal said he was told by other NBA players that had similar procedures it would take "a couple of months once the season starts" to reach full recovery.
"I've just got to keep trying to get through it," he said, "and hopefully the knee doesn't continue to swell at the rate it's been swelling."
His status will be evaluated from game to game barring another setback that could lead to a longer-term absence. Since the beginning of the 2004-05 season, O'Neal has missed 69 games due to various injuries.
"It's game-to-game but if he comes in (Friday) and he had a setback then that's one setback on top of another," O'Brien said. "Then you have to start thinking, 'How can we consistently get him on the court where he's able to do what we know he can do and what he knows he can do and what he wants to do?' It's almost a wait-and-see situation and they're constantly monitoring his situation."
Dallas has won five in a row, the last two by rallying from big deficits. The Mavericks trailed by 24 in a 105-99 victory over Toronto Tuesday and by 17 in a 100-94 victory in Houston Wednesday.
KEY TO THE GAME
With O'Neal and Ike Diogu both injured, the Pacers are without their two best post scorers and therefore rely much more heavily on their perimeter game, particularly the 3-point line. The Pacers have shot 44-of-110 (.400) from the arc in victories but just 53-of-172 (.308) in losses. Defending the arc also is critical. In their last two defeats, Pacers opponents (Toronto and the Lakers) combined to shoot 25-of-48 (.521) from the 3-point line.
TRENDS
Mike Dunleavy has averaged 22.0 points on 42-of-84 shooting (.500) in five victories but 11.4 points on 27-of-71 shooting (.380) in seven losses. … Jeff Foster has averaged 11.4 rebounds in 27.4 minutes in the last five games, which equates to 20.0 rebounds per 48 minutes. …. Danny Granger has averaged 19.3 points on 21-of-38 shooting overall (.553) and 6-of-14 from the 3-point line (.429) in the last three. … David Harrison has totaled 42 minutes, 22 points, eight rebounds, two blocks and 10-of-16 shooting in the last two. … Kareem Rush has shot 9-of-34 overall (.265) and 2-of-13 from the 3-point line (.154) in the last seven. … Jamaal Tinsley has totaled 36 assists and just five turnovers in the last three, an astonishing ratio of 7.2:1. … Indiana has committed just 16 turnovers in the last two games after averaging 17.3 in the first 10.
SERIES
The Pacers have lost the last four meetings, including a 115-113 overtime decision as Dirk Nowitzki scored 43 points and Jason Terry 30 in Conseco Fieldhouse last year. Overall, Dallas leads 31-21 with the series tied 13-apiece in Indianapolis.
INJURIES
Pacers - F-C Jermaine O'Neal (left knee) and F Ike Diogu (left calf strain) are out.
Mavericks - F Devean George (left foot stress reaction) and G Eddie Jones (sore right leg) are out.
