Indiana Pacers C Roy Hibbert
The venue changed for the Indiana Pacers on Friday night and the trouble areas did, too.
Unfortunately for the Pacers, the result stayed the same.
Danny Granger, the Pacers' All-Star forward, led the team in scoring for a second game to start the season, but as was the case in the opener, it wasn't nearly enough as former Pacers forward Jermaine O'Neal had a night to remember and led the Miami Heat to a 96-83 victory in front of 18,165 at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
The Pacers (0-2), who lost at Atlanta 120-109 in Wednesday's season opener, hadn't lost to the Heat (2-0) in Indianapolis since 2001.
“We just played poorly,” said Granger, who finished with a team-high 22 points. “We didn't shoot the ball well.”
The Pacers, who entered the game talking about solid defense and fewer turnovers, improved in both area Friday, committing 14 turnovers and holding the Heat to 30 of 69 shooting (43.9 percent).
Indiana committed 25 turnovers against Atlanta, which shot 52.9 percent from the field.
But on Friday, the Pacers – who emphasize an up-tempo, productive offense – struggled to make shots throughout.
Granger, the Pacers' lone All-Star and franchise player, shot 6 of 20 from the field, including three of 12 3-point field goals. The Pacers finished 29 of 79 from the floor (36.7 percent) and four of 23 from 3-point range (17.4 percent).
“Four of 23 from the 3-point line won't beat anybody,” Granger said. “We've got to go back to the drawing board and get ready for the next game.
“I think we're all disappointed in the game tonight.”
F Solomon Jones (four of six shooting) and G Luther Head (five of nine) were the lone Indiana players above 50 percent from the field.
“It came down to making and not making shots,” said Pacers F Troy Murphy, one three Pacers players – Jones and Head were the others – to finish with 12 points. “Unfortunately, we didn't make them.”
With the Pacers struggling, a familiar face continued a strong early season. O'Neal, who struggled with knee problems the last three seasons, had a second double-double to start the season.
O'Neal, who made six All-Star teams with Indiana during an eight-year stint (2000-2008), finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds and Heat All-Star G Dwyane Wade had a game-high 32 points.
O'Neal, after leaving the Pacers following the 2007-2008, season was traded to Miami from Toronto midway through last season.
“It means a lot,” O'Neal said.“It means a lot to be with this team now and have the type of game that I had to stop the streak. It's a special-special moment, as someone called it. It's special being back in the city and special around all the familiar face. But it's special to get this win.”
Said Pacers Head Coach Jim O'Brien, “I think our young guys inside got a lesson. Roy (Hibbert) and Solomon (Jones really got schooled by Jermaine O'Neal. But they'll get better by playing against guys like that.”
The Pacers committed 31 fouls and Miami went 35 of 46 from the free-throw line.
“We fouled too many times,” O'Brien said. “It never lets you get into a rhythm or tempo and they defended the hell out of us.”
Said Murphy, “We fouled them too much and put them on the line too much, which gave them an edge up.”
The Pacers, 0-2 for the first time since 2000-2001, trailed 49-47 at halftime before the Heat dominated the third quarter to take a 79-63 lead entering the final period.
“We're certainly not a solid basketball team right now, but we will work to become one,” O'Brien said. “It's important for all our players to be productive, to be aggressive at both ends of the floor and tied into what we're doing.”
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