Derek Fisher is one of the players in Friday's gallery.
Stephen Dunn/Getty Images/NBAE
Supporting Cast Takes Star Turn
Harrington
Jermaine O'Neal, Ron Artest and Reggie Miller were effective enough, but Al Harrington and Jonathan Bender put their names on the marquee with 19-point nights as Indiana raced to a 3-0 lead Friday with its 108-85 rout of Boston. Harrington shot 9-of-14 from the field, while Bender scored eight points in a 19-2 second-quarter surge.
You could dominate in steals and turnovers and still lose by double digits. Just ask the Lakers, who held a 9-1 edge in thefts and turned the ball over just five times to the Rockets' 11 in Game 3, yet saw Houston pull out a 102-91 win, its first of the series. Of course, the Rockets hitting 9-of-16 from the arc was a big factor. Jim Jackson was 3-of-6 from downtown and grabbed 10 rebounds to boot.
Steve Francis, Hou. VGM value: 16.8 Friday: The Rockets guard finished with a plus-28 efficiency rating after compiling 27 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in a Game 3 win over L.A.
Jeff Foster, Ind. VGM value: 10.6 Friday: The Pacers center collected seven points on 3-of-4 field-goal shooting, seven boards, three assists and a steal.
TIME TO TUNE IN
Saturday on TNT Heat at Hornets, 1 p.m. ET Pistons at Bucks, 3:30 p.m. ET
Saturday on ESPN Kings at Mavericks, 7 p.m. ET Spurs at Grizzlies, 9:30 p.m. ET
SPEAK IT, MAN
"I'm proven like two plus two. We have to stick with what got us the lead."
-- Shaquille O'Neal, who scored 11 first-quarter points but just four over the next two periods.
The Run: Bender in lead role -
Steve Francis, Hou.
Jeff Foster, Ind.