Jamaal Tinsley scored 28 points, including six
during a key 10-0 run in the fourth quarter, and Jermaine O'Neal added 27
as the Indiana Pacers beat the Houston Rockets 87-74 Tuesday night.
The 10-0 run came after a 63-63 tie with 9:31 to play, and the Pacers
never led by fewer than six the rest of the way.
Tracy McGrady scored 28 points and Yao Ming 21 added for the Rockets,
who have lost two in a row after a four-game winning streak. Houston shot
just 1-of-13 on 3-point shots, a season low, while Indiana was 8-of-12.
Houston had six turnovers the first six minutes of the game and fell
behind 12-5. O'Neal scored nine straight points in one stretch as the
Pacers widened the lead to 19-9. They settled for a 21-13 advantage after
one quarter as O'Neal had 13 points.
Tinsley took over the offense in the second quarter, scoring the
Pacers' first 10 points. He and O'Neal each had 15 at the half as Indiana
led 42-38.
Late in the third quarter, Houston went on a 9-0 run, the first seven points all on free throws, to tie
it at 57 with 1:43 left in the period. O'Neal hit
a 20-footer at the buzzer to give Indiana a 61-59 lead
after three.
(Agencies)