Pacers blow lead, hang on to beat Heat (AP) Updated: 2005-11-04 13:47
MIAMI - Jermaine O'Neal scored 27 points, six of them in the final three
minutes, and the Indiana Pacers beat the Miami Heat 105-102 on Thursday night
despite blowing a 14-point lead in the second half.
Miami Heat guard
Jason Williams (2nd L) drives against Indiana Pacers guard Stephen Jackson
(L) and Austin Croshere (R) during NBA action in Miami, Florida, November
3, 2005. [Reuters] | Ron Artest added 22
for the Pacers, who have won 13 of their last 14 regular-season meetings with
Miami.
Dwyane Wade had 31 points and 10 assists for the Heat, but his potentially
game-tying 3-pointer rattled out as the final buzzer sounded. Shaquille O'Neal
had 18 points and six rebounds before leaving midway through the fourth quarter
with a sprained right ankle.
Stephen Jackson's two free throws with 1:37 left gave Indiana a 103-97 lead,
but the Heat answered with five points in the next 29 seconds. Wade hit a
3-pointer and Udonis Haslem put back Gary Payton's miss with 1:08 left to draw
Miami to 103-102.
Jermaine O'Neal made two free throws with 50.1 seconds left, and Miami
wouldn't score again. Antoine Walker dribbled out of bounds with 29 seconds
left, costing the Heat a key opportunity.
Jamaal Tinsley had 13 points, and Austin Croshere and Jackson each had 11 for
Indiana. Haslem had 14 points while Walker and Alonzo Mourning each scored 12
for Miami.
Artest scored with 6:34 left in the third, giving Indiana a 73-59 lead. And
when Shaquille O'Neal picked up his fourth foul 21 seconds later, things looked
grim for the Heat.
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