O’Neal Haunts Pacers With Double-Double, Heat Wins Big 96-83

Posted by Stephen Rhodes under Main

If I didn’t know any better, I would have to say that Conseco Fieldhouse is haunted. By that, I mean that it seems that players that used to play for the Indiana Pacers come back to torch the squad from Indianapolis. Friday’s game against the visiting Miami Heat was something like that.

For those of you out there who remember that Jermaine O’Neal once played for Indiana and is now with Miami, he had an ax to grind – whether he admits it or not. Nonetheless, O’Neal did well against his former team with a double-double as the Heat easily handled the Pacers 96-83.

Miami shot well in the opening period as O’Neal made a pair of free throws with 5:11 left in the quarter which gave the Heat a 16-11 advantage; a jumper by Dwyane Wade at 1:19 gave the Heat a double-digit lead at 28-16, which they would take into the second quarter.

Indiana slowly chipped away at Miami’s lead; the Pacers would get the deficit down to two on an 11-foot jumper by Dahntay Jones which would allow the Heat to escape to their locker room with a 49-47 lead at halftime.

The third quarter would be all Miami as O’Neal drained 13 points, enabling the Heat to take a 16-point lead into the final period. Indiana did try to make things interesting in the final quarter, but Miami salted the win away, courtesy of a pair of free throws by Wade with 6:18 left in the game.

Miami was led by (guess who?) Wade with 32 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals and a block while O’Neal added 22 with 12 rebounds, an assist and a block; Michael Beasley chipped in 12 with 9 rebounds, an assist and a steal.

Danny Granger led Indiana with 22 points (including three 3-pointers), 5 rebounds and 3 assists while three Pacers added 12 points apiece, led by Troy Murphy with 12 along with 13 rebounds, 2 assists and a block. Luther Head also added 12 along with a rebound and 3 assists while rookie Solomon Jones pitched in 12 with 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks.

Miami (2-0) looks to keep their undefeated streak as they return home to host the Chicago Bulls on Sunday while Indiana (0-2) gets a rest of sorts as they remain at home to host the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday.

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