INDIANAPOLIS, Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Jermaine O'Neal collected 29 points and nine rebounds and Reggie Miller added 16 points Friday night to lead the Indiana Pacers past the New Jersey Nets, 100-94.
Indiana had lost the two previous meetings between the teams this season.
O'Neal scored 12 points in the third quarter, helping Indiana open a 77-62 cushion. The Pacers managed to hold on in the final period after the 23-year-old forward fouled out and the Nets pulled within four points late.
Miller sank a five-foot jumper in the first quarter to move into 19th place on the NBA's all-time scoring list, passing former Pacers coach Larry Bird.
New Jersey's Keith Van Horn produced 19 points, eight rebounds and five assists. But the Nets committed 15 turnovers that led to 21 points as their four-game winning streak came to an end.
