O’Neal’s 22 and 12 power Heat by Pacers
October 31, 2009
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)—Jermaine O’Neal(notes) claims he’s not angry with the IndianaPacers for trading him before last season.
He might have fooled his old fans. He had 22 points and 12 rebounds againsthis former team, and the Miami Heat beat the Pacers 96-83 on Friday night.
O’Neal was the Pacers’ best player before the franchise fell apart followingthe brawl between Pacers players and Detroit Pistons fans in 2004. The Pacerstraded O’Neal to Toronto before the 2008-09 season as they focused on rebuildingwith younger players.
O’Neal says he has moved on.
Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade(n… AP – Oct 30, 11:16 pm EDT Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibb… AP – Oct 30, 11:16 pm EDT
Indiana Pacers forward Troy Mu… AP – Oct 30, 11:15 pm EDT
Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade(n… AP – Oct 30, 11:13 pm EDT
Miami Heat center Jermaine O&#… AP – Oct 30, 11:03 pm EDT
Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade(n… AP – Oct 30, 9:41 pm EDT
Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade(n… AP – Oct 30, 9:39 pm EDT
Indiana Pacers guard T.J. Ford… AP – Oct 30, 9:25 pm EDT
Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibb… AP – Oct 30, 9:25 pm EDT
Miami Heat forward Michael Bea… AP – Oct 30, 9:18 pm EDT
Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade(n… AP – Oct 30, 9:18 pm EDT
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“I don’t have any animosity with this organization anymore,” O’Neal said.“I told myself that I would let that go, I would close that door, close thatchapter.”
Still, he was animated throughout the game, drawing a technical foul forhanging on the rim after a dunk in the second quarter. He said that was moreabout finally having healthy knees than showing up the Pacers.
“It was a good call,” O’Neal said. “It was a little bit overboard, butit’s been a while since I’ve been able to just catch and take off. I’m justshowing you guys some of the work I’ve put together this summer.”
O’Neal later smiled when Pacers fans booed him. Dwyane Wade(notes), who led Miamiwith 32 points, thought the Pacers fans were wrong to treat O’Neal that way.
“Unfortunately, when some players leave a city they get booed, but when youthink Indiana Pacers, you think Reggie Miller and Jermaine O’Neal,” Wade said.“He’s one of the guys who helped build this organization, this franchise. Hecame back today and was very professional about his approach.”
The Heat have won their first two games by a combined 35 points. It wasWade’s first win ever at Indiana, and only the sixth win at Indiana for the Heatin their 22-year history. The Pacers had won 14 straight at home dating to 2001.
“It’s kind of a monkey off our back to finally get a win here,” Wade said.“This Indiana Pacers team is tough with the offense they run, with the movementthey have. I’m glad we were able to jump out the way we did and withstand theirrun. I really saw a lot from my young team today.”
Danny Granger(notes) led the Pacers with 22 points, but shot 6 of 20 from thefield. Troy Murphy(notes), Solomon Jones(notes) and Luther Head(notes) each scored 12 points.
Indiana shot 37 percent and made just 4 of 23 3-pointers.
“That’s a rough shooting night,” Granger said. “You have some of thosenights, and usually you have to rely on your defense, but we just couldn’t putthe game together.”
Granger’s emergence was one reason O’Neal was OK with the Pacers tradinghim. O’Neal always had said Granger had All-Star potential, and Granger lived upto it by playing in the All-Star game last season.
“Some people here think I quit on them, but I didn’t quit on them,” O’Nealsaid. “You got a young budding star in Danny Granger, you’ve got to be matureenough to say, ‘OK, my time is over here.’ Reggie Miller did the same thing forme, so why wouldn’t I do the same thing for Danny.”
O’Neal looked like the player who finished third in the league MVP ballotingin 2004, and nothing like the one who hobbled through his final years with thePacers. Friday’s effort followed a 22-point, 12-rebound performance in theseason-opening rout of New York. He posted his first consecutive 20-point,10-rebound efforts since he was a Pacer in December 2007.
Miami led 49-47 at halftime, then O’Neal scored eight points and MichaelBeasley(notes) added six in a 16-4 run to start the second half that put the Heat up65-51. Miami led 79-63 at the end of the third quarter.
Head made back-to-back buckets that cut Miami’s lead to 79-69 with 10minutes to play. The Pacers had numerous chances to cut further into the leadbecause Miami went cold in the fourth quarter, but the Pacers got no closer thaneight points.
The Pacers have opened the season with two double-digit losses while tryingto work in some new players.
“We’re still trying to figure each other out,” Granger said. “Honestly,our defense wasn’t that bad. It’s just, offense, I really don’t think weunderstand each other yet, how everybody plays, what everybody likes to do.”
O’Neal spent extra time chatting with fans after the game. He believes hisplace in Pacers history is secure.
“I still love the city and I still have my memories here. You can’t takethat away,” O’Neal said. “If they want to say who was one of the best playersto ever play in this organization, then they have to do it by the numbers.Numbers don’t lie.”
The numbers didn’t lie on Friday, either. Indiana’s Roy Hibbert(notes) and SolomonJones combined for 11 fouls.
“I think our young guys got a lesson,” Indiana coach Jim O’Brien said.“Roy and Solomon really got schooled by Jermaine O’Neal. But they’ll get betterby playing guys like that.”
Notes: Hibbert committed two fouls against O’Neal in the first 2:11 of thegame. He finished with five fouls in 16 minutes. … The Pacers shot 24 percentin first quarter. … Indiana C Jeff Foster(notes) sprained his right ankle in thefirst quarter and did not return. … Indiana G Mike Dunleavy (knee) and F TylerHansbrough(notes) (right shin) sat out.
