Pacers rip Pistons 83-68 to even series
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-05-29 13:32

The Indiana Pacers evened the Eastern Conference finals with their best all-around effort of the series Friday night. Austin Croshere made his first start in more than two years and scored 14 points, providing the Pacers with a much-needed extra offensive option in an 83-68 victory over the Detroit Pistons.

Indiana Pacers forward Jermaine O'Neal (7) shoots over Detroit Pistons center Ben Wallace (3) during the second quarter of their NBA Eastern Conference finals in Auburn Hills, Mich., Friday, May 28, 2004. [AP]

Getting off to a rare good start and managing to sustain a respectable shooting percentage, the Pacers evened the series at two games apiece, avoided their first three-game losing streak of the season and regained the homecourt advantage for what's now a best-of-three series.

Coach Rick Carlisle pulled a surprise by turning to Croshere in place of Jeff Foster — a move even more stunning because it was made by a coach whose resistance to change has been cited as one of his negative personality quirks.

Croshere, who averaged five points this season — his sixth in the league — and hadn't contributed much of anything to the Pacers since the 2000 NBA Finals, ended the first half with a 3-pointer and began the second half with another to put the Pacers ahead 52-39.

Moments later, he was left wide open at the 3-point line. As Pistons fans let out a collective groan, Croshere nailed the shot for a 17-point lead that eventually grew as large as 23.

Detroit fans even booed a bit over the remainder of the third quarter.

The series resumes Sunday in Indianapolis, with Game 6 back in Auburn Hills on Tuesday night.

After struggling to score throughout most of Games 2 and 3, it was a different story for Indiana in Game 4.

Foster had scored just four points in 67 minutes over the first three games in the series. The addition of another outside shooting threat prevented the Pistons from sending extra defenders into the paint, and everyone on the Pacers benefited.

Ron Artest scored 20 points for Indiana, Reggie Miller added 15 and Jermaine O'Neal had 12. Artest also had 10 rebounds and four assists.

After shooting no better than 34 percent in the first three games, Indiana finished at 46 percent.

Artest made four of his first five shots and ended the first quarter with 12 points as Indiana opened a 29-17 lead.

The Pacers got a scare late in the period when O'Neal landed awkwardly while going for a rebound and mildly sprained his left knee. Detroit had a 7-0 run early in the second quarter while O'Neal went to the locker room for a checkup.

He returned less than two minutes into the period and spurred the Pacers to a 6-0 run as the Pistons began getting sloppy with the ball and turning it over.

Croshere's two 3-pointers early in the third quarter helped Indiana get off to a 7-for-9 start while Detroit was going 2-for-15, and the score was 70-50 at the start of the fourth quarter.

Chauncey Billups scored nine straight points to cut Detroit's deficit to 72-61, but Artest answered with consecutive 12-footers from the lane and the Pistons never threatened again.

Richard Hamilton led Detroit with 22 points and Billups had 21.

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