Pacers Down, Not Out, Beat Cavs
INDIANAPOLIS -Coming back from double-digit deficits is becoming routine for the Indiana Pacers.
Reggie Miller scored 24 points, including two consecutive 3-pointers that put Indiana ahead to stay, and the Pacers overcame a 16-point deficit to defeat Cleveland 89-83 Friday night.
Jalen Rose scored nine of his 11 points in the fourth quarter and Miller had 10 as the Pacers won their fifth straight game and 10th in 11 outings.
Zydrunas Ilgauskas had 25 points and 12 rebounds for Cleveland. Wesley Person and Shawn Kemp scored 17 apiece for the Cavaliers, with Person hitting 4-of-6 from behind the 3-point line.
The Pacers, who overcame 15- and 17-point deficits to defeat Utah and Boston last week, trailed Cleveland 55-39 with 10:26 left in the third period. Indiana reduced the deficit to five three times before the quarter ended with Cleveland leading 68-62.
A 3-pointer by Rose gave Indiana its first lead of the game at 75-74. The score was tied twice after that before Miller hit a 3-pointer with 2:15 to play.
Derek McKey, who grabbed a season-high 10 rebounds and scored 12 points, then stole the ball from Cedric Henderson and Miller made it 87-81 with 1:46 left. Two free throws by Brevin Knight cut Cleveland's deficit to 87-83 with 1:04 remaining and the Cavaliers got a chance to draw closer when Indiana was called for a 24-second violation with 31 seconds left.
But Cleveland was unable to score after taking a 20-second timeout and Miller sealed the victory by making two free throws with 14.1 seconds to go.
The Cavaliers built a 49-34 halftime lead behind 18 points from Ilgauskas. Cleveland closed the half with a 17-5 run, including nine straight in the final 2:05. ^Notes: Cleveland activated Bob Sura from the injured list before the game, bringing their active roster to the league limit of 12. Sura was on the injured list since Nov. 19 with a sprain and tendinitis of the left ankle. He missed 33 consecutive games and a total of 35 since getting hurt in the team's final preseason game. ... Cleveland lost Derek Anderson in the second quarter with a sprained right knee. He will be re-examined Saturday in Cleveland.
Knight, the league leader in steals, had two. He also had 10 assists before fouling out with 14 seconds. ... Indiana's bench outscored Cleveland's 29-13 and outrebounded it 20-7. ... Indiana is 31-12. Last season Indiana didn't win its 31st game until March 18 in its 65th game.
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