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On the Court Indianapolis dresses up for the occasion
Posted: Sunday June 11, 2000 08:51 PM
By Marty Burns, Sports Illustrated INDIANAPOLIS -- Life-sized murals of Reggie and Jalen. Kids dressed in Pacers jerseys. Yellow "Go Pacers" T-shirts hanging in virtually every store window. And that's just at the airport. In downtown Indianapolis, signs of Pacers fever are equally ubiquitous. From the 15-foot-tall inflatable jersey outside Conseco Fieldhouse to the giant Ps formed by lighted windows at three office towers, the folks in Indy are revved up big-time about their team's first-ever NBA Finals appearance. Some 10,000 fans turned out at Conseco Fieldhouse on Friday night just to watch Game 2 of the series on the overhead scoreboard TVs inside the arena. For Game 3 on Sunday, with the Pacers trailing 2-0, it figures to be louder than a 747 on takeoff inside Conseco's brick walls. "If any time we need our fans, it's going to be [Sunday]," guard Reggie Miller said. One thing the Lakers have going for them, though, is the fact that the NBA uses its best and most experienced refs during the Finals. Veteran zebras Joe Crawford, Hugh Evans and Dick Bavetta are not as likely to be intimidated by vociferous home crowds. Maybe that's part of the reason the home team has never won all three middle games since the NBA went to the 2-3-2 format in '85.
Bulletin-board materialPacers forward Jalen Rose didn't want to hear any talk Saturday of how much the Lakers might miss injured guard Kobe Bryant, who's listed as day-to-day with a left ankle sprain. "They're the same team with you four guys standing out there," Rose said, referring to a small group of reporters. "As long as they've got Shaq in the paint."Gee, wonder if that clip will find its way to the bulletin board in the L.A. locker room.
He ain't heavyIt was a picture worth a thousand words. And it might be the lasting image of this NBA Finals.After Saturday's practice session at Conseco Fieldhouse, Lakers center Shaquille O'Neal let Bryant climb on his back and proceeded to give him a piggy-back ride to the team bus as a horde of media and photographers followed along. The sight of Bryant, in sweat pants and floppy blue hat, being toted along by his gentle giant teammate perfectly summed up L.A.'s situation heading into Game 3. As long as they have Shaq to carry them, the Lakers feel they have no reason to worry.
No girls allowedHow important is winning Game 3 to Lakers coach Phil Jackson? Apparently it's vital enough to risk the wrath of angry wives.According to a report in Saturday's L.A. Times, Lakers wives were upset Thursday to learn they would not be allowed to join their husbands in Indianapolis for Game 3. Wives are barred from the road during the regular season, but Jackson had said they could attend Finals games. Apparently he changed his mind for Game 3. Jackson is allowing the wives to come east for Game 4, however. Of course, if all goes as planned for L.A., that could be a clinching game.
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