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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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 GAME FLOW
PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- The taunts kept coming and the ending got
ugly. Through it all, Reggie Miller thrived.
|  | | Rik Smits, right, and Dale Davis block a shot by Matt Geiger, who had only three points in 16 minutes. |
Miller scored 29 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter, to
silence a sellout crowd that badgered him with derisive chants --
and worse -- all night.
With help down the stretch from Travis Best and Sam Perkins, the
Indiana Pacers moved within one victory of sweeping the
Philadelphia 76ers out of the playoffs for the second straight
season. Wednesday night's 97-89 win gave the Pacers a 3-0 lead in
the Eastern Conference semifinals.
"I love that," Miller said of the antagonistic atmosphere.
"The more, the better."
After Miller iced the victory on a breakaway dunk with 22
seconds left, fans tossed debris on the court, including a full can
of beer that missed Sixers forward George Lynch by inches.
Miller closed the game by dribbling out the final seconds,
brazenly bouncing the ball between his legs while staring down a
group of fans sitting across from the Philadelphia bench who had
been yapping at him all night.
In the end, he and the Pacers had made everyone shut up.
"I was really, really surprised when we ran out (before the
game) and it was so quiet and dead. They started chanting after
introductions, but last year in Game 3 it was so crazy and so alive
that they started as soon as we ran out," Miller said. "I was
somewhat disappointed they didn't do it this time when we ran out.
I kind of like that. That's what the playoffs are all about."
Indiana scored 32 of the game's final 48 points, with Best and
Perkins contributing several key shots. Best repeatedly used his
speed to get to the basket and score while guarded by Iverson, and
Perkins hit a running hook shot and two 3-pointers in the final 12
minutes.
Put together, it allowed the Pacers to overcome a sub-par effort
from Jalen Rose, who finished with 12 points after scoring 40 and 30 in the first two games.
Best had 19 points, while Perkins and Dale Davis added 10
apiece.
Iverson had 29 points to lead the 76ers, who will try to avoid
the sweep Saturday in Game 4. No NBA team has ever come back from a
3-0 deficit.
"By no means is this over," Miller said, "though everybody
thinks it is."
Miller gave Indiana the lead for good on a 3-pointer with 8:59
left, but the 76ers stayed within reach until the final minute.
Two foul shots by Iverson with 3:20 left made it 87-85 before
Perkins hit his running hook shot with 2:46 left. A 24-second
violation on the Sixers was followed by a foul shot by Best, and a
driving layup by Iverson made it 90-87 with 1:58 left.
Perkins got the lead back to six by answering with a 3-pointer,
and Best gave Indiana another six-point lead on a driving layup
past Iverson with 1:11 left.
A turnover by Iverson on Philadelphia's next possession ended
the Sixers' chances. Beer cups -- and that full, unopened, 12-ounce
can -- began flying out of the stands shortly thereafter.
"I thought I was in Europe," Miller said.
Philadelphia coach Larry Brown admonished the crowd over the
public address system, and play was delayed as ball boys cleaned
the court.
"The way it broke and popped open," said Perkins, a 16-year
veteran. "That's the first time I've seen something like that, and
the refs didn't call anything."
The Sixers took their first lead of the entire series 2½ minutes
into the first quarter as Iverson scored on a driving layup to make
it 6-5. With Aaron McKie hitting four of five shots and Tyrone Hill
grabbing seven rebounds, Philadelphia led for most of the quarter
and was up 23-22 heading into the second.
Brown unveiled a slight change as Toni Kukoc and Lynch were on
the floor together early in the second quarter, but it didn't do
much to increase Kukoc's production as he managed only four
first-half points in 15 minutes. Kukoc did not score in the second
half as his teammates repeatedly failed to get him the ball as he
stood wide open in the corner.
"There was no organization out there," Brown said. "I kept
drawing up plays, and it was like talking to a wall. We'd make one
pass and just stand around."
Iverson had 19 points and McKie had 13 at the half, while Best
scored 10 points in the second quarter to keep things close as the
Pacers trailed only 47-46 at the break.
Pacers center Rik Smits went to the bench with his fifth foul
midway through the third, and the 76ers' big men then started to
score down low. Hill, Theo Ratliff and Matt Geiger combined for 18
points in the quarter as Philadelphia extended its lead to 70-65
entering the fourth.
Kevin Ollie, subbing for McKie, scored the first basket of the final quarter to give Philadelphia its largest lead of the night,
73-65, but the Pacers scored the next 11 points -- six on 3-pointers
by Miller -- to go ahead for good.
Game notes
Starting in place of Eric Snow, who is out for the series with a chip fracture in his ankle, McKie had 20 points and three assists. ... Pacers forward Austin Croshere tested his sore right
foot and lasted less than two minutes, allowing Chris Mullin to get
his first playing time of the series. Mullin scored on an
uncontested layup 10 seconds after checking in.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Indiana Clubhouse
Philadelphia Clubhouse
Kukoc not adding much to Sixers' offense
RECAPS
Indiana 97
Philadelphia 89
LA Lakers 97
Phoenix 96
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Larry Brown wasn't getting through to his players on Wednesday.
wav: 144 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Allen Iverson says the Sixers didn't play well at either end of the floor.
wav: 267 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Travis Best was able to be more aggressive in Game 3.
wav: 344 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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