INDIANA 97, PHILADELPHIA 86
Another Super Sub Sinks Sixers
By Conrad Brunner | Nov. 7, 2006
They just keep coming, these Pacers reserves. This time it was Rawle Marshall's turn. Playing because Sarunas Jasikevicius came down with a sore back, Marshall stepped in and scored a career-high 16 points, eight in the second quarter when the Pacers took control of the game on their way to a 97-86 victory over Philadelphia Tuesday at Conseco Fieldhouse.
The Pacers (3-1) won their second in a row and removed the 76ers (3-1) from their perch as the only unbeaten team in the Eastern Conference by playing staunch defense in the second and third periods and getting a wide variety of offensive contributions. The Pacers outscored the Sixers 60-32 and limited them to .325 shooting in the second and third periods while rolling up an 80-55 lead entering the fourth quarter.
PLUSES
Until the fourth quarter, the Pacers played their highest level of defense of the season, pulling off the rare double of containing Allen Iverson while also preventing any of the complementary scorers from becoming a factor. The offensive balance was superb and of particular note was the performance of Danny Granger, who had struggled in the first three games but broke out with 14 points and six rebounds in 30 minutes.
Jermaine O'Neal was quietly dominant in 28 minutes with 16 points, 11 rebounds, four blocks and three assists. Al Harrington scored 14 with eight rebounds and two steals. Jamaal Tinsley had 11 points, five rebounds and five assists. Stephen Jackson scored 10 but was credited by Carlisle with spearheading the perimeter defensive effort. Marshall added five rebounds and two assists while making all five of his shots, and Jeff Foster pulled 10 rebounds.
The Pacers dominated the boards 52-32, shot the 3-pointer well (7-of-18) and had 25 assists.
MINUSES
The team was a little fast and loose in the first quarter, committing seven turnovers, and the second unit did not close the game well. The Pacers were outscored 31-17 in the final period, committing eight turnovers and shooting 4-of-15 from the field.
Iverson scored a quiet 20 on 8-of-22 shooting and had just three assists. Willie Green and Kyle Korver scored 14 apiece off the bench. The only other starter in double figures was Andre Iguodala with 10 to go with seven rebounds.
MOMENTS
Marshall was a major factor in the game's biggest run, scoring eight points in an 18-4 burst that gave the Pacers a 38-29 lead midway through the second quarter. He also contributed to a defensive effort that limited the Sixers to 6-of-24 shooting in the period as the Pacers took a 51-36 lead into the break.
A couple of 3-pointers by Harrington and another from Tinsley helped push the lead to 64-41 early in the third. After the Sixers scored six in a row, the Pacers finished the period with a 14-6 run to take a 25-point lead entering the fourth quarter.
Both coaches then cleared their benches and the 76ers got some hot shooting from Green to carve into the deficit but never posed a real threat.
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