RELATED LINKS Pacers used to underdog status New-look team could pose matchup problems for Nets NBA.com’s series coverage Pacers’ final Plus-Minus breakdown

FAST FACTS With 52 victories, the Nets doubled their total from last year. With 104, Reggie Miller has more than twice as many games of playoff experience as the entire Nets starting lineup combined (51). The Nets haven’t won a playoff series since beating Philadelphia in the first round in 1984. The Pacers have reached the playoffs five consecutive years, and 12 of the last 13. Indiana has the fifth-youngest team ever to reach the playoffs, and the youngest in 24 years.

SCHEDULE Game 1: April 20 at New Jersey, 11:30 a.m. Game 2: April 22 at New Jersey, 6 p.m. Game 3: April 26 at Indiana, 7:30 p.m. Game 4*: April 30 at Indiana, TBA Game 5*: May 2 at New Jersey, TBA *if necessary (all times Central)

BY THE NUMBERS
42-40	Record	52-30
Won 5	Streak	Won 1
6-4	Last 10	6-4
96.8	PF	96.2
96.5	PA	92.0
.446	FG Pct.	.446
.339	3FG Pct.	.338
.772	FT Pct.	.735
42.7	Rebounds	43.3
15.2	Turnovers	14.5
23.0	Assists	24.3

So who’s the underdog? The Pacers, with a 42-40 record and the eighth seed, would seem the naturals for the role. But the Nets have a bit of a chip on their shoulders, as well. Though they won 52 games and finished atop the East, they still have much to prove because this is a franchise that hasn’t won a playoff series in 18 years. New Jersey won the regular-season series 3-1, but that means even less than usual because all of the games were played before the Pacers revamped their roster with the seven-player trade with Chicago on Feb. 19. That deal made them better suited to match up with the Nets, primarily because of the additions of center Brad Miller and swingman Ron Artest. Though they are an extremely young team, they do have playoff seasoning, something the Nets lack. Only twice in 36 best-of-five first-round series has the No. 8 series pulled the upset, so the Pacers are facing some very long odds, indeed.

THE MATCHUPS Tinsley POINT GUARD On this position alone, the series could turn. Jason Kidd (14.7 points, 9.9 assists, 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 turnovers, 2.13 steals, .391 from the field) is an MVP candidate because he can dominate a game without scoring, which is what he did consistently against the Pacers during the regular season. Jamaal Tinsley (9.4 points, 8.1 assists, 3.4 turnovers, 1.73 steals, .380 from the field) is a rookie making his first postseason appearance against the toughest matchup imaginable. His primary task will be keeping Kidd out of the open floor as much as possible, no mean feat. Kidd R. Miller SHOOTING GUARD A year ago, Reggie Miller (16.5 points, .406 from the arc) hoisted the young Pacers on his shoulders and averaged 31.3 points in the four-game first-round loss to the Sixers. This year, he’ll have more help, if he wants. He is playing near New York in the playoffs, and funny things have happened in the past under those circumstances. Kerry Kittles (13.4 points, .405 from the arc) played 82 games, the most important statistic of his injury plagued career, and has the athleticism to give Miller problems, if he can conjure up the aggression. Kittles Artest SMALL FORWARD A volcanic matchup, assuming Ron Artest and Kenyon Martin do indeed square off. Artest (10.9 points, 5.0 rebounds) has been an all-or-nothing player since joining the Pacers. They’ll need him to not only find a level of consistency, but to reign in emotions that have led to three flagrant fouls and six technicals in 28 games. Martin, who missed seven games due to flagrant-foul suspensions, is the difference-maker for the Nets, a player whose energy and aggression transcends his respectable statistics (14.9 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.66 blocks). Martin O'Neal POWER FORWARD Jermaine O’Neal (19.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.31 blocks) will be a difficult matchup for the Nets because Keith Van Horn lacks the strength and Martin, if called upon, lacks size. Van Horn (14.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, .345 from the arc), on the other hand, causes problems because his perimeter skills pull O’Neal out of the lane, where he is most comfortable, defensively. He averaged 18.5 points and 9.3 rebounds and was 10-of-20 from the arc against the Pacers during the regular season. Van Horn B. Miller CENTER Brad Miller has been a revelation for the Pacers, averaging 15.1 points and shooting .562 from the field since coming over from Chicago. His ability to step out and hit the mid-range jumper keeps defenses from collapsing on O’Neal in the post. Todd MacCulloch (9.7 points, 6.1 rebounds, .531 from the field) has good size and soft hands but is not particularly athletic. MacCulloch Bender BENCH Though they lack a true sixth man, the Pacers have a variety of weapons, starting with Jonathan Bender (7.4 points). Kevin Ollie (4.8 points, 3.4 assists) is a steadying veteran at the point, and Jeff Foster (5.7 points, 6.8 rebounds) is a bruising backup on the front line. The wild cards are Austin Croshere (6.8 points) and Ron Mercer (4.8 points), proven veteran scorers who finished the season without regular spots in the rotation. The Nets have an electrifying rookie in Richard Jefferson (9.4 points), athletic but inconsistent big man Aaron Williams (7.2 points, 4.1 rebounds), veteran Lucious Harris (9.1 points, .373 from the arc) and promising young center in Jason Collins (4.5 points, 3.9 rebounds). Jefferson Thomas COACHING Isiah Thomas and Byron Scott were playoff rivals as players for the Pistons and Lakers respectively, a duel that now continues from opposing benches. Both are supremely confident young coaches on the rise. This will be Scott’s first playoff series as a head coach, which can be daunting. Thomas has last year’s experience to call upon. Scott INTANGIBLES The Pacers finished the season under playoff-like pressure, needing wins in their final five games just to qualify. The Nets, on the other hand, had only a mild challenge from Boston for the Atlantic Division title and were able to rest their key players down the stretch. While the stretch-run experience was good mental preparation for the Pacers, it was also physically draining and it may be challenging to summon up similar energy. The Nets are in a rare position – being the top seed but motivated by a lack of respect. Though the Pacers have raised hopes with their torrid finish, fans should remember last year’s team finished 14-5, then lost three straight after winning the opener in Philadelphia. They have the talent up front to beat the Nets, but New Jersey has Kidd, who will probably dictate the tempo of this series. The Nets also have better defense and rebounding, elements that become even more decisive in the postseason.