INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana spent the off-season investing heavily in its bench.
Rocky Bleier Steelers Jersey . On Wednesday night, the Pacers got the payoff. Luis Scola, Donald Sloan and Lance Stephenson combined for all 12 points in a decisive fourth-quarter run, sending the still unbeaten Pacers past division rival Chicago 97-80 and to its best start since 1971-72. "They brought all of us in to make the bench a little deeper than it was last year, and I think the guys on the bench know their role," Sloan said. "So it just fits." Perfectly. The NBAs last unbeaten team is 5-0 for the first time in Indianas NBA history. Indiana can tie its franchise record, 6-0 set by the 1970-71 ABA powerhouse, when Toronto visits Friday night. Wednesdays victory may have been the most impressive yet. Again, the Pacers played short-handed. Starting point guard George Hill missed his third straight game with a sore left hip, and swingman Danny Granger still has not played because of a strained left calf. Again, they had to rally from a halftime deficit. And again, they found a way to close it out. Paul George, the leagues second-leading scorer, finished with 21 points, six rebounds and three assists. David West had 17 points and 13 rebounds, both season-highs. Roy Hibbert had eight points, 10 rebounds and added five more blocks to his league-leading total. But Scola, Sloan and Stephenson changed the script. After missing his first seven shots and scoring just three points in the first three quarters, Stephenson had 12 points in the final 12 minutes including two big 3-pointers during the decisive stretch. He finished with 15 points. Scola added 12, none more critical than the consecutive baskets he made midway through the fourth. Sloan scored nine points including the 17-footer that tied the score midway through the fourth. "We just play hard. We feel like that we going to bring it every night on the defensive end, offensive end and we going to find a way to get that W," Stephenson said. "And we did that tonight." It sure wasnt easy against their fiercest division rival. Derrick Rose and Luol Deng scored 17 points each to lead the Bulls (1-3), though Rose scored only three points in 12 minutes in the second half and he spent the first half of the fourth quarter on the bench. "A couple players on their team made big plays, great second-chance efforts with the rebounding and Lance, I think, played great for them tonight knocking down shots and just playing hard," Rose said before answering a question about his minutes. "Ill leave that up to Tibs, hes the coach on this team, so Ill let him coach." Perhaps Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau thought it was better to protect Roses surgically repaired left knee in this rugged game that looked more like a boxing title bout. Bodies repeatedly crashed hard to the court all night, and the game got progressively more physical with each quarter. Pacers backup centre Ian Mahinmi left late in the third quarter with a sprained left ankle and did not return. Chicago guard Kirk Hinrich was called for a flagrant foul in the fourth. There was a resounding thud inside Bankers Life Fieldhouse, too, when Chicago Joakim Noah hit the court while trying to protect his own basket late in the fourth. But until the stretch, neither team could get the upper hand. After leading 25-19 at the end of one quarter and trailing 43-37 at halftime, it looked like Indiana might break away after starting the third quarter on a 10-2 run and then coming up with a 9-2 spurt to regain the lead. When Sloan hit a 3-pointer with 1:12 left in the third, Indiana suddenly led 63-55. It didnt last. Hinrich answered with a 3, Deng hit an 11-foot jumper, drawing a foul on George, and Pacers coach Frank Vogel was called for a technical. Chicago hit both free throws to make it 63-62. The Bulls pulled even on Mike Dunleavys 3 early in the fourth and regained the lead, 67-65, on Dengs midrange jumper with 8:38 to play. Sloan tied the score at 67, Stephenson gave Indiana the lead with a 3, Scola followed that with consecutive baskets and Stephenson closed the run with another 3 to make it 77-69 with 5:16 to go. Chicago never seriously challenged again as the Pacers pulled away. "Weve had a good feel since he got here. The guys just a winner," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said of Scola. "He just goes out there and knows how to play this game. Hes one of the best players in the history of international basketball and one of the best power forwards in the game. Weve got him as a backup power forward. Its quite a luxury." NOTES: Rose opened the game with his best offensive half of the season, going 5 of 9 from the field with 12 points and one 3 in the first two quarters. ... The Bulls fell to 6-22 all-time at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. ... Chicagos Carlos Boozer came into the game shooting an NBA-best 65.9 per cent from the field and averaging 22.3 points but went just 3 of 10 with six points. ... The Pacers follow this back-to-back stretch with three games in the next five days.
Franco Harris Womens Jersey .C. -- Only two Syracuse teams have won their first 20 games, and C.
Louis Lipps Youth Jersey . Kansas City became the first team in baseball history to win four extra-inning games in a single postseason on Friday, as Alex Gordon crushed a leadoff homer in the 10th and Mike Moustakas added the deciding two-run blast in the Royals 8-6 win.Got a question on rule clarification, comments on rule enforcements or some memorable NHL stories? Kerry wants to answer your emails at
cmonref@tsn.ca. Hi Mr. Fraser, When I was watching the Heritage Classic in Vancouver there was a play midway through the third where Ottawa crashed the Canucks net and it came off its moorings. A Canuck picked up the puck, went the other way and the play was only whistled down when an Ottawa player touched it. I was wondering if there is anything keeping the Canuck goalie from going to the bench for an extra skater since in some ways its almost like a delayed Ottawa penalty? Thanks,Phil Meehan,Singapore Phil: We welcome you all the way from Singapore! Your suggestion qualifies you as a hockey rules visionary and places you in a unique category that would include the late, great coach and friend, Roger Neilson. Rog always thought outside the box as you have done with your question here in an effort to use the rules to his teams advantage. In the situation you propose, there is virtually no risk for a legal goal being scored against the non-offending team should the goalkeeper skate to his players bench in favor of an extra attacker. This would include any similar situation we saw earlier this season where Patrick Kane put the puck into his own net with the goalkeeper removed for an extra attacker on delayed penalty call. This is verified by the fact that video review can determine if a puck has been put in the net prior to the goal frame being dislodged. If through some misadventure this were to occur the goal would be disallowed. (Situations Subject to Video Review; rule 38.4 - ii). Before blasting off to the bench however, I would caution the goalkeeper to make sure that the net is completely off its moorings as defined by rule 78.4 and in the event that the referee should allow play to continue. From rule 78.4: "The goal frame shall be considered in its proper position when at least a portion of the flexible peg(s) are still inside both the goal post and the hole in the ice. The flexible pegs could be bent, but as long as at least a portion of the flexible peg(s) are still in the hole in the ice and the goal post, the goal frame shall be deemed to be in its proper position. The goal frame could be raised somewhat on one post (or both), but as long as the flexible pegs are still in contact with the holes in the ice and the goal posts, the goal frame shall not be deemed to be displaced." (The NHL rule is contrary to the IIHF definition of net off the moorings. We saw evidence of this in Sochi with Fedor&nbssp;Tyutins potentially game winning goal in the Russia-U.
Rod Woodson Jersey. S.A. game being disallowed when Jonathan Quick bumped the post causing it to move back and off its set location but still in contact with the rubber pegs and the hole in the ice.) Heres a hypothetical to also consider on a play of this nature. If the pegs happened to remain in contact with the post and the hole in the ice (deemed in its proper position as per 78.4), should the goalkeeper deliberately push the net completely off the moorings prior to skating he could be subject to a delay of game penalty. Additionally, the goalkeeper should make certain the referee did not relocate the net in its proper position in an effort to sustain play prior to skating to his bench for an extra attacker. Captain Video, as Roger Neilson was referred to for his cutting edge, innovative use of video for game analysis, would be proud of your coaching suggestion Phil. Several rule changes were implemented as a result of Rogers knowledge of the rules and his ability to think outside the box. Only a goalkeeper is allowed defend a penalty shot after Roger placed a defenceman in the net and had him charge the shooter. A goal is now awarded if the goalkeeper places his stick across the goal line prior to going to the bench for an extra attacker and the stick prevents a puck from entering the unattended net. You can credit Roger for that rule as well. Towel waving by fans goes back to the 1982 Stanley Cup Playoff game in Chicago when Roger tied a white towel to a hockey stick and "surrendered" to referee Bob Myers. Roger and three of his players were rightly ejected from the game by the referee but it turned the series around and ignited the Canuck fans with a tradition of towel waiving that remains to this day! Under Coach Neilson the Canucks advanced to the 1982 Stanley Cup Final. In a very classy move by the Ottawa Senators (and then head coach Jacques Martin), Martin stepped aside for the final two games of the 2001-02 regular season to allow Roger Neilson, an Ottawa assistant, to be the coach of record and gain credit for his 1,000th NHL game. When the final horn sounded it was my honor as the referee in that game to embrace Coach Roger Neilson on the ice and offer my sincere congratulations in honor of his 1,000th NHL game. Roger was humble and gracious as always. On November 4, 2002 Roger Neilson was inducted into the Builders Category of the Hockey Hall of Fame. On June 21, 2003 Roger Neilson passed at the age of 69 and following his battle with cancer. ' ' '