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REGGIE MILLER
JERMAINE O'NEAL
PAUL PIERCE
RICK CARLISLE
DOC RIVERS| PACERS.COM EXCLUSIVE GAME REPORT | |||
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GAME 3 April 28, 2005 at Conseco Fieldhouse | |||
END RESULT
After scoring 28 points in Game 2, Reggie Miller called his performance a "flash in the pan" and said he didn't know "how many more of those I have in me." Well, he had at least one more.
Leaving the Boston defense dazed, confused and obviously frustrated, Miller scored 15 of his 33 points in the fourth quarter as the Pacers pulled away and blew out the Celtics 99-76 in Game 3 of their first-round NBA Playoff Series Thursday in Conseco Fieldhouse.
WHAT IT MEANS
The Pacers took a 2-1 lead in the series, with two of the next three games at home, including Saturday night in Conseco Fieldhouse. Boston lost its second game in a row after winning the series opener.
TURNING POINT
After a close first quarter, the Pacers took over in the second as Jermaine O'Neal and Miller teamed up for all of the points in a 13-1 run that pushed the lead to 44-28. A team that had struggled for offense in the first two games, the Pacers racked up 55 points on 51.3 percent shooting in the first half and took a 17-point lead into the second half. O'Neal (16) and Miller (15) carried most of the load while Boston drifted through a rudderless half.
The Celtics opened the third quarter with a 15-5 run that cut the lead to 60-53, but Miller converted a three-point play and O'Neal made a pair of free throws to stem the tide and the Pacers finished the quarter with a 71-59 lead. Boston cut it to 71-62 early in the fourth but Dale Davis' three-point play was followed by seven straight Miller points in a 12-0 run that gave the Pacers an 83-62 lead. Boston got no closer than 17 the rest of the way.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
The Pacers had their best overall game of the series by far, shooting 47.1 percent from the field with 23 assists on 32 field goals. They outrebounded Boston 44-39 and outscored the visitors 29-11 from the free-throw line. Miller's 33 points came on 10-of-16 shooting from the field, 11-of-12 from the line. He added seven rebounds and two assists. O'Neal had his best game since returning from the injured list with 21 points, 11 rebounds, three blocks and three assists. Jackson was clearly bothered by his sore left knee but produced 10 points, seven rebounds and six assists. Jeff Foster contributed nine rebounds off the bench.
Paul Pierce led Boston with 19 points and six rebounds, going 7-of-13 from teh field. Gary Payton scored 15 with eight rebounds and six assists, and Antoine Walker scored 14 with nine rebounds and two assists. The Celtics shot 39.7 percent.
NOTEWORTHY
