Box Score

 

NEW JERSEY (86)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
B Scalabrine        39   2-3   1-2   1-8   1   2    5
J Collins           37   1-5   3-4   0-3   3   6    5
N Krstic            26   1-4   5-6   1-4   0   4    7
V Carter            37  9-20   2-4   1-5   0   4   22
J Kidd              42 10-19  7-10  1-15   6   0   29
C Robinson          28   3-8   0-2   1-3   1   4    7
T Best              28   2-6   7-8   1-3   3   3   11
Z Planinic           3   0-0   0-0   0-1   0   0    0
J Vaughn           DNP  - FRACTURED METATARSAL, RT                       
R Buford           DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
J Smith            DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
B Thomas           DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 28-65 25-36  6-42  14  23   86
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.431, FT-.694. 3-Point Goals:
5-14, .357 (V Carter 2-5, J Kidd 2-4, C 
Robinson 1-4, T Best 0-1). Team Rebounds: 9. 
Blocked Shots:4 (V Carter, J Collins, B 
Scalabrine, N Krstic). Turnovers:14 (J Kidd 
4, V Carter 3, J Collins 2, B Scalabrine 2, C
Robinson, T Best, N Krstic). Steals: 5 (J 
Kidd 2, C Robinson, T Best, V Carter).


INDIANA (90)

                          fg    ft    rb             
                   min   m-a   m-a   o-t   a  pf   tp
S Jackson           36  5-19   5-6   1-4   1   2   17
D Davis             30   0-5   1-2  7-11   0   2    1
S Pollard            5   1-1   0-0   0-1   0   2    2
R Miller            33  7-16   5-5   2-7   2   1   22
A Johnson           36  2-10   2-4   0-6   9   2    7
A Croshere          28  6-15   0-0   2-7   0   6   13
J Jones             25   5-7   2-2   0-3   0   2   14
F Jones             18   0-1   3-4   0-1   5   2    3
J Foster            18   0-2   0-0   2-5   0   2    0
E Gill              11   3-3   2-2   0-1   1   4   11
J Tinsley          DNP  - BRUISED LEFT FOOT                              
J Edwards          DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                               
  
_____________________________________________________
TOTALS             240 29-79 20-25 14-46  18  25   90
_____________________________________________________

Percentages: FG-.367, FT-.800. 3-Point Goals:
12-28, .429 (S Jackson 2-8, R Miller 3-7, A 
Johnson 1-3, A Croshere 1-5, J Jones 2-2, E 
Gill 3-3). Team Rebounds: 6. Blocked Shots:3 
(D Davis, S Jackson, J Jones). Turnovers:12 
(F Jones 4, A Johnson 3, D Davis, S Jackson, 
J Jones, E Gill, S Pollard). Steals: 9 (R 
Miller 3, S Jackson 3, A Croshere, E Gill, A 
Johnson).

-------------------------------------------
NEW JERSEY            30  19  18  19  -   86
INDIANA               18  20  31  21  -   90
------------------------------------------- 

Technical fouls: New Jersey - 1 (B 
Scalabrine, 3:42 3rd). Indiana - 3 (COACH 
Carlisle, 0:36 1st; S Jackson, 3:37 1st; R 
Miller, 1:44 2nd).
Flagrant fouls: Indiana 1 (A Croshere, 8:46 
3rd). A: 17,901. T: 2:20. Officials: David 
Jones, Mike  Henderson, Scott Foster.

Extended Box

 

NEW JERSEY (86) AT INDIANA (90)

NEW JERSEY

                                               REBOUNDS                        
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
B SCALABRINE      F    39    2-3      1-2      1   7   8    1   2   0   2    5
J COLLINS         F    37    1-5      3-4      0   3   3    3   6   0   2    5
N KRSTIC          C    26    1-4      5-6      1   3   4    0   4   0   1    7
V CARTER          G    37    9-20     2-4      1   4   5    0   4   1   3   22
J KIDD            G    42   10-19     7-10     1  14  15    6   0   2   4   29
C ROBINSON             28    3-8      0-2      1   2   3    1   4   1   1    7
T BEST                 28    2-6      7-8      1   2   3    3   3   1   1   11
Z PLANINIC              3    0-0      0-0      0   1   1    0   0   0   0    0
J VAUGHN              DNP  - FRACTURED METATARSAL, RT                                 
R BUFORD              DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
J SMITH               DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
B THOMAS              DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   28-65    25-36     6  36  42   14  23   5  14   86
                            (.431)  (.694)  TEAM REBS:  9 TOTAL TO: 16 (10 PTS)    

INDIANA

                                               REBOUNDS                         
PLAYER           POS  MIN  FGM-FGA  FTM-FTA  OFF-DEF-TOT  AST  PF  ST  TO  PTS
======           ===  ===  =======  =======  ===========  ===  ==  ==  ==  ===
 
S JACKSON         F    36    5-19     5-6      1   3   4    1   2   3   1   17
D DAVIS           F    30    0-5      1-2      7   4  11    0   2   0   1    1
S POLLARD         C     5    1-1      0-0      0   1   1    0   2   0   1    2
R MILLER          G    33    7-16     5-5      2   5   7    2   1   3   0   22
A JOHNSON         G    36    2-10     2-4      0   6   6    9   2   1   3    7
A CROSHERE             28    6-15     0-0      2   5   7    0   6   1   0   13
J JONES                25    5-7      2-2      0   3   3    0   2   0   1   14
F JONES                18    0-1      3-4      0   1   1    5   2   0   4    3
J FOSTER               18    0-2      0-0      2   3   5    0   2   0   0    0
E GILL                 11    3-3      2-2      0   1   1    1   4   1   1   11
J TINSLEY             DNP  - BRUISED LEFT FOOT                                        
J EDWARDS             DNP  - COACH'S DECISION                                         
  
TOTALS                240   29-79    20-25    14  32  46   18  25   9  12   90
                            (.367)  (.800)  TEAM REBS:  6 TOTAL TO: 13 (9 PTS)     
  
   NEW JERSEY         30   19   18   19   -   86
   INDIANA            18   20   31   21   -   90
  
BLOCKED SHOTS: NEW JERSEY - V CARTER, J COLLINS, B SCALABRINE, N KRSTIC.
INDIANA - D DAVIS, S JACKSON, J JONES.
3-PT. FIELD GOALS: NEW JERSEY 5-14 (.357), V CARTER 2-5, J KIDD 2-
4, C ROBINSON 1-4, T BEST 0-1. INDIANA 12-28 (.429), S JACKSON 2-8,
R MILLER 3-7, A JOHNSON 1-3, A CROSHERE 1-5, J JONES 2-2, E GILL 3-
3.
TECHNICAL FOULS: NEW JERSEY - B SCALABRINE. INDIANA - COACH CARLISLE, 
S JACKSON, R MILLER.
FLAGRANT FOULS: INDIANA 1 (A CROSHERE, 8:46 3RD).
OFFICIALS: DAVID JONES, MIKE  HENDERSON, SCOTT FOSTER.
A - 17,901. T - 2:20.

Game Story

INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) -- With something old in Reggie Miller 
and something new in James Jones, the Indiana Pacers are back in
the playoffs.

Miller scored seven points in a 22-second span and Jones sank
aclutch jumper and free throws down the stretch as the Pacers
rallied to edge the New Jersey Nets, 90-86, and clinch their
eighth straight postseason berth.

Miller scored 22 points and Stephen Jackson added 17 for Indiana
(43-35), which has made the playoffs every year since 1998, the
longest current streak in the Eastern Conference.

"I'm so excited.  Truthfully, I feel like I've won the lottery,"
Miller said.  "A lot of people wrote us off after what happened
in Detroit.  It easily could have been a death sentence for
this franchise and this organization.  I knew my legacy would be
judged by what we did after that and, personally, I took it
upon myself to will this team into the playoffs."

Indiana has overcome serious manpower issues due to suspensions
and injuries.  It is still without injured starters Jermaine
O'Neal and Jamaal Tinsley and suspended forward Ron Artest but
is pushing for home-court advantage in the first round.

"It's definitely special," said Pacers forward Dale Davis, who
returned to Indiana this season.  "I've played here for a number
of years and I know it means a lot to the guys who have been
through so much this year. They've hung in there and now we've
put ourselves in a postion to get in the playoffs and compete.
That's all you can ask for."

The Pacers trailed by 14 points late in the first half and
squandered a six-point lead in the fourth quarter.  They found
themselves trailing, 83-77, after Jason Kidd stole a cross-court
pass and streaked in for a layup with 2:36 to go.

On the next possession, the 39-year-old Miller drilled a
3-pointer while being knocked to the floor by Cliff Robinson.
The ensuing free throw completed a rare four-point play at the
2:22 mark.

After a free throw by Kidd, who had 29 points, 15 rebounds and
six assists, Miller made a 3-pointer from the top of the arc to
tie it, 84-84, with two minutes to go.

"What can you say about him?" former Pacer Travis Best said.
"When the guy decides to take the game into his own hands, he's
one of the most dangerous there is.  Anybody who gets the ball
two or three feet behind the 3-point line and you have to go out
there and guard him - that's a dangerous player.  He's never
afraid to pull the trigger and the one he took late, that's as
deep as anyone will shoot it."

Jones, a second-year forward who has seen a boost in minutes
this season due to the injuries and suspensions, sank a
17-footer with 1:12 left to give Indiana the lead for good.

A turnover by Kidd and a missed 3-pointer by Robinson led to a
free throw by Anthony Johnson that made it 87-84 with 17 seconds
remaining.  After a drive by Carter, Jones was fouled and
calmly sank two free throws with 13 seconds left.

"I've had a pretty short career, so that (jump) shot has to rank
as one of my best," Jones said.  "It was a good shot and it
felt great to be an integral part of a late-game victory."

Kidd missed a 3-pointer and Dale Davis sealed it by sinking
1-of-2 foul shots, his only point of the game.

Jones scored 14 points and Austin Croshere added 13 for the
Pacers, who are one game behind fourth-place Chicago (44-34) in
the East.

"I missed a couple of layups, they got a couple of offensive
rebounds, and they got a couple of calls that really turned the
game," Carter said.  "Reggie hasn't looked 39 all year and he's
a great person and competitor. The 3-pointer and one, where he
kicked his leg out, I told him I had to tip my hat to him on
that one."

Carter scored 22 points for the Nets (38-40), who had their
six-game road winning streak snapped and fell two games in the
loss column behind Philadelphia for the final playoff berth in
the East.

"Bottom line is this: It's a five-game playoff and we lost game
one," New Jersey coach Lawrence Frank said.  "Before the game,
we had our destiny in our own hands.  Now, all we can control is
our effort and our ability to execute.  Tonight, it wasn't good
enough."