Indiana Pacers By Rob Peterson, NBA.com HEAD COACH Isiah Thomas, (Third year) 2001-02 RESULTS 42-40 (Eigth in East) SEASON OUTLOOK: Entering this season, there may be no team as stealthy as the Indiana Pacers. No one is thinking about the Pacers as a contender for the Eastern Conference title even though the team took the 2001-02 Eastern Conference champion Nets to double OT in Game 5 of their first round playoff series. That, and it has some of the best young talent in the NBA. Maybe it's the Pacers' overall health that is throwing preseason bloodhounds off the scent. Jermaine O'Neal broke his nose, sprained his ankle and hurt his back at the World Basketball Championship. Al Harrington is coming off a season-ending knee injury. Austin Croshere, who has been in and out of the rotation, will miss training camp after having surgery to repair a stress fracture in his right foot. The player most Pacers fans will have their eyes on during training camp will be Harrington, who was having the best season of his young career until he severely injured his right knee in a game against the Celtics. The Indianapolis Star's Mark Montieth reports: "The team has been conservative with him, holding him back a bit to play it safe before training camp begins, but Harrington feels like he's ready to go all out. By October, he should be able to do that." The Pacers hope so. Harrington was Indiana's main man off the bench before his injury and would greatly increase the Pacers' depth, which is considerable. What Indiana lacks is depth of experience. This dearth has the Pacers thinking about signing 15-year NBA veteran Derrick McKey. And then there is Reggie Miller, who despite averaging 16.5 points per game last season, his lowest total since his second season, dragged those youngsters kicking and screaming into those two overtimes in Game 5. Miller averaged 23.6 points in those five games to show that if the youngsters can help Miller get to the postseason, they always have a chance with Miller on their side. VIDEO FLASHBACK: GREAT CALL OF 2001-02 Reggie Miller buzzer-beater: "Ollie gets it to Reggie ... Here's the three! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! He hit if from 40 feet as time expired. It is good! Boom, baby! Boom! Boom! Boom!" 1900k avi | QuickTime WHO'S IN: GM Donnie Walsh tabbed Oregon guard Fred Jones with the 14th pick and brought in Erick Strickland to back up Tinsley. WHO'S OUT: Kevin Ollie signed a free agent contract with the Bucks and Bruno Sundov signed with the Celtics. BENCH: As deep as a philosophical discussion at Oxford. The Pacers could have an 11-man rotation if they wanted. With Tinsley, Reggie Miller and O'Neal set at their positions, Harrington or Jonathan Bander could spell Ron Artest at the small forward as could Austin Croshere, who with Harrington could also play power forward. Jeff Foster started 48 games for the Pacers last season, but will back up Brad Miller. THE PACERS MAKE THE PLAYOFFS IF ... : This is a team that could challenge for the Central Division crown, if the boys become men. THE PACERS MISS THE PLAYOFFS IF ... : Another rash of injuries hits the club.		The Pacers want to slowly bring back Al Harrington from last year's season-ending knee injury. Ron Hoskins/NBAE/Getty Images P R O J E C T E D   S T A R T E R S POS PLAYER SCHOOL YRS PG Jamaal Tinsley Iowa State 1 SG Reggie Miller UCLA 15 SF Ron Artest St. John's 3 PF Jermaine O'Neal Eau Claire H.S. 6 C Brad Miller Purdue 4 S C O U T ' S   T A K E “ This team is young and athletic. When you put guys like Jermaine O'Neal, Al Harrington and Jonathan Bender on the floor, they're supremely long, young and talented. ... With Jamaal Tinsley at the point, he should be as improved as any point guard in the East. He went through the fire and there's a maturity about his game. He's a skilled and confident passer. Isiah Thomas embraced the kid, there's a mutual respect between the two, point guard to point guard. ... This team is ready to step up and make a run. ... Reggie Miller is as strong-minded professional as you will find, on and off the court. He's nothing but a positive for that team. Every time you think he's done, he finds some hidden reserve. ... Their defensive length will bother everyone. It'll be interesting to see what kind of wrinkles they add to it with zones and using some of the rules to their advantage.” -- Eastern Conference assistant coach 2 0 0 1 - 0 2   L E A D E R S PPG Jermaine O'Neal 19.0 RPG Jermaine O'Neal 10.5 APG Jamaal Tinsley 8.1 SPG Ron Artest 2.36 BPG Jermaine O'Neal 2.31 G A M E S   T O   W A T C H 11/28 Dallas 7:30 ET, TNT 12/18 at Houston 9 ET, ESPN 1/3 at New York 8 ET, ESPN 2/20 at New Jersey 7:30 ET, TNT F A N T A S Y   S L E E P E R Brad Miller - Center You know Jermaine O'Neal will get you a double-double and Reggie can explode for 30-plus on a given night, but Brad Miller might be a nice player to have in reserve. Miller averaged 13.6 points and 8.2 rebounds last year, a career-best. Miller has increased those numbers each year he has been in the league. T H E   S T A T 7.1 The difference between Reggie Miller's playoff scoring average (23.6) and his regular season average (16.5) for the 2001-02 season.
E-mail this story