Change of plans: thanks to several unlikely heroes, the Pacers are delaying their summer vacation

Sporting News, The, May 27, 2005 by Stan McNeal

Maybe the realization came during Rip Hamilton's 1-for-9 first half in Game 3. Perhaps it didn't come until the two errant passes by Tayshaun Prince in the final minute. But definitely by the time Larry Brown had finished his postgame whining, it was as clear as a freshly squeegeed backboard: Someone forgot to tell the Pacers that they're supposed to be honing their golf games by now.

Often depleted but never deflated, the Pacers were not supposed to be more than another bump in the Pistons' road to the Eastern Conference finals. This is the time for Pistons-Heat, to see what Team Brown can do to Shaq and Flash. That matchup has been penciled in since late November, right?

Well, hold onto your eraser. Even after a Game 4 loss, the Pacers were tied 2-2 in the series because of their grind-it-out victories in Games 2 and 3. Two more wins and Indiana would be back in the conference finals, an incredible turn of events considering how their season had come crashing down on November 19. The melee between fans and Pacers that night in The Palace scarred the NBA and crippled Indiana's season. David Stern saw to that by suspending--with good reason--the team's three best players for roughly one month, two months and a year. Mix in the planned retirement of franchise icon Reggie Miller and a second half in which the team suffered more than its share of injuries, and few figured the Pacers would reach the playoffs, much less be scrumming with the Pistons again.

But then few figured point guard Jamaal Tinsley would be making a difference this time of year. Tinsley sat out the last two months of the regular season before returning in Game 5 of the Pacers' seven-game, first-round victory over the Celtics. Then in Game 2 against the Pistons, Tinsley was the best player on the floor, making the most of his ability to get into the paint and set up teammates. He shot only 4-for-19 but had 12 assists with no turnovers in 39 minutes. In Game 3, Tinsley put in another strong effort, scoring 16 points to go with six assists and two turnovers. "It's the Allen 0verson) rule," Brown says. "You can miss a lot of shots, but the fact he's penetrating and commanding attention opens things up for everyone else. I thought Jamaal dominated Game 2 that way."

Tinsley was off to the best start of his three-year career when his left foot started bothering him before the All-Star break. He was in and out of the lineup for a couple of weeks before his regular season ended February 23. More than one doctor tried to pinpoint the problem without much success. There were accusations by Tinsley of misdiagnosis--in the end, bruised left heel was as good as the Pacers could do--and hints that Tinsley wasn't giving his all in rehab. Throughout March and into April, he was day to day, and the Pacers weren't sure he would return at all.

The Pacers also have gotten a boost on the inside from backup center Jeff Foster. He was the best big man in the series through the first three games, averaging 15.0 rebounds--more than half on the offensive boards--with a relentless nose for the ball. When the Pistons squared the series in Game 4, they did so in part by handling Tinsley (one assist, seven turnovers) and Foster (one rebound).

Game 3, though, came down to Miller time. Again. His 18-year career soon will be over--he insists he's not changing his mind about retirement--but the Pacers still call on him for big shots. "Reg-gie! Reg-gie!" chants were booming through sold-out Conseco Fieldhouse after the Pistons had rallied from 17 down and the Pacers were clinging to a 2-point lead in the final seconds. Miller had made only two of his 10 previous shots--he was 0-for-7 on 3s--but with the Pacers in need, he shook off Lindsey Hunter with what Brown considered an illegal push and swished a 21-footer.

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle has remained a rock through his team's troubled times, ensuring it accepted its responsibility in the donnybrook with Pistons fans and never using excuses as the injuries piled up. But after Brown's postgame complaints, even the always-cool Carlisle was steamed. "I don't want to hear it," he said. "Not with the season we've had. Not with what we've had to fight through. Forget it!"

Meanwhile, in Miami the Heat was looking forward to at least eight days off after a second consecutive playoff sweep. That would allow time for Shaq's bruised right thigh to heal, as well as provide an opportunity to prepare for two opponents--one of which was supposed to have started its summer vacation weeks ago.