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COPYRIGHT 2004 Sporting News Publishing Co.
The thought is almost unfathomable for NBA observers, or anyone living within a 300-mile radius of Indianapolis. Imagine the Pacers, winners of a league-high 61 games last season, taking the court at Conseco Fieldhouse to start this season with No. 31 still in his warmups. Imagine what a Pacers starting lineup would be with venerable shooting guard Reggie Miller--who is to Pacers basketball what beef is to Burger King--planted firmly on the bench. Back in Brooklyn, Spike Lee would shed a tear.
But if the Pacers are going to nudge past the Pistons this season, their best bet is to do the unthinkable, something that hasn't been done in 16 years. They'll have to bring Reggie off the bench.
This summer was one of bridesmaidhood for the Pacers. If there was a big-time NBA player wrung through the league's rumor mill, that rumor passed through Indianapolis. At various times (and to varying degrees), Indiana pursued Shaquille O'Neal, Peja Stojakovic, Erick Dampier and Tracy McGrady. When you collect a gaggle of young players with reasonable contracts and decent potential as the Pacers have, you're going to be a continuous subject of such rumors.
Alas, none of those players will be a Pacer. Neither will lesser targets such as Mark Blount, Brian Cardinal and Derek Fisher. Nor will draft targets Ben Gordon and Luke Jackson. It's not a terrible fate to have missed out on those guys. This stir is an excellent young team, and heading into coach Rick Carlisle's second season, the Pacers are in good shape.
The one player Indiana did land is shooting guard Stephen Jackson, acquired from the Hawks for small forward Al Harrington. Jackson is an improvement over Harrington....
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