Newsgroup: it.sport.basket
Titolo: Jackson All About Action for Pacers





INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — When Portland left Mark 
Jackson all alone in overtime, he made the Trail Blazers pay. 
The Indiana 
guard hit a trio of 3-pointers in the extra session Thursday night to spark the 
Pacers to a 127-119 victory.


 


"The guys caused my man to rotate. I got some good 
looks. I got into a rhythm. I was stepping into them and knocking them down," 
said Jackson, who scored 10 of his season-high 23 points in the extra period as 
the Pacers stretched their franchise-record home winning streak to 25 
games.


 


Indiana had a chance to win the game in regulation, 
getting the ball inside to Rik Smits. But he was triple-teamed and tied up with 
fourth-tenths of a second to play.


 


Smits, who had sat out all but the final 12.2 
seconds of the fourth quarter, made up for the miss in overtime, scoring six 
quick points to give Indiana a 115-108 lead with 2:29 left in the extra session. 
He finished with 22 points, one of six Pacers to finish in double figures as 
they overcame a career-high 29-point effort by Portland reserve Bonzi 
Wells.


 


"I was a little tight (going into overtime)," Smits 
said. "I short-armed a free throw and I remembered I'd been sitting for a long 
time. I like being in there at the end. I'm a guy who does things in bunches. In 
that kind of situation, it doesn't take long to get loose."


 


Wells played a career-high 34 minutes, topping his 
previous high by eight minutes. He also had a career-high 11 field goals on just 
18 shots.


 


"Tonight was just my night and the guys kept on 
feeding me," said Wells, a former high school and collegiate star in nearby 
Muncie. "Coach gave me a big opportunity tonight. He knew I was coming home and 
he gave me some extended minutes. I just wanted to take advantage of 
it."


 


Portland coach Mike Dunleavy was 
impressed.


 


"It was a super game for Bonzi. He does a good job 
of putting the ball on the floor and making plays," Dunleavy said.


 


Reggie Miller and Chris Mullin, who made his first 
start of the season with Jalen Rose out with the stomach flu, each scored 17 for 
Indiana. Dale Davis contributed 12 points and 13 rebounds to the 
victory.


 


"We know we're missing a key pop (without Rose). 
Chris stepped up," Jackson said. "That's how you win the whole thing, when guys 
like that step up and do the job. It's a great, great lesson for the young guys: 
no matter what happens, keep yourself ready. When he was called on, he was 
ready."


 


Rasheed Wallace scored 24 for Portland, which has 
lost three in a row for the first time this season and four of its last five 
games. The Pacers raised their home record against Western Conference teams to 
18-0. Arvidas Sabonis had 21 points for the Trail Blazers.


 


Jackson's third 3-pointer in the overtime put 
Indiana ahead 118-110 and Portland never seriously challenged after 
that.


 


The fourth quarter was tight all the way and 
Portland led only once. A 3-pointer by Wells left Portland trailing 103-100 with 
1:51 to go. Sabonis completed a three-point play to tie the score with 1:27 
remaining.


 


Davis made one of two free throws with 1:13 left 
and Portland took its final lead on a short hook shot by Wells with 53 seconds 
to go. After Travis Best put Indiana back in front, Wells tied the game at 106 
by hitting the first of two free throws. But he missed the second to set up the 
play by Smits.


 


Indiana built an 18-point lead, 55-37, when Best 
made two free throws with 5:18 left in the first half, but then went cold as 
Portland went on an 11-1 run.


 


The Trail Blazers tied the game twice early in the 
third quarter, then fell behind by 10 twice in the period, which ended with the 
Pacers leading 89-86. Scottie Pippen, who was scoreless in the first half, had 
10 points in the quarter 


 


Notes: Wallace picked up his league-leading 25th 
technical foul when he protested being called for his third personal. ... 
Indiana was just the ninth Portland opponent to reach 100 points. ... Mullin, 
who has seen limited action this season, left the game late in the third quarter 
when he pulled his right calf muscle and did not return. "I was just getting 
ready to jump. I flexed my foot, and it jump popped," Mullin said. ... Indiana 
swept the season series with Portland. ... Wells' previous high was 23 points on 
Jan. 8 against Phoenix. ... Jackson, who had nine assists, had his previous 
season high of 18 on Dec. 30 against Charlotte. 


 


STEVE...@TISCALINET.IT





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