Pacers' reward: Las Vegas

Foster makes a defensive stand

Pacers center Jeff Foster is best known as a rebounder, but his quick
footwork and aggressive nature has
allowed him to make some important defensive contributions as well. He shut
out Clippers forward Elton Brand
in the final six minutes of Wednesday's overtime win in Los Angeles, taking
away the Clippers' most reliable
offensive option. Foster also played the lead role in holding San Antonio's
Tim Duncan to 16 points on 4-of-18
shooting in a win over the Spurs on Jan. 16. "He's a guy people don't talk
enough about when they talk about
good defensive players in this league," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said.

Jazz are hot, rested

Utah has been off since Monday, when it beat Detroit in Salt Lake City. It
also has won four in a row since
losing to the Pacers in Indianapolis on Feb. 22. The Jazz defeated Seattle at
home, then picked up impressive
road wins over Seattle and Sacramento before beating the Pistons. The Pacers
are 9-20 at Utah.
Lottery? You've got to be kidding

Some NBA teams don't hide the fact they want to get into the lottery and let
Ping-Pong balls determine their
fate. Utah, however, wants no part of it. Although the Jazz appear to have no
chance to challenge for an NBA
title, they do have a shot at a playoff berth. Utah is ninth in the Western
Conference and wants to move up at
least one spot to get into the playoff picture. "We are going to play every
game down to every minute, every
single night," team vice president Kevin O'Connor said. "That's our goal.
Nothing else."
-- Mark Montieth


By Mark Montieth

March 5, 2004


LOS ANGELES -- Ordinarily, the Indiana Pacers would have flown directly from
Los Angeles to Utah after
Wednesday night's victory over the Clippers.

This hasn't been an ordinary season, however, so the Pacers (45-16) were
rewarded with a side trip to Las
Vegas for what they figure will be their last bit of organized fun heading
into the season's stretch run of 21
regular-season games.

The Pacers checked into the Bellagio, one of the most luxurious hotels and
casinos on the Las Vegas Strip,
after a short flight from Los Angeles. They were to fly to Salt Lake City on
Thursday evening and have a
shootaround this morning in preparation for tonight's game against the Jazz.

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said the players approached him about the trip a
couple of weeks ago. He referred
the matter to CEO Donnie Walsh and team president Larry Bird and received
their OK.

"They felt the way the team has played over the course of the year, these
guys deserve it," Carlisle said. "I
think it's a great statement about the franchise, that it takes care of its
players and rewards them for great
effort and winning."

Most of the players were hesitant to talk about the excursion, fearing it
might appear as if they're not
taking the final two games of their Western trip seriously.

Jermaine O'Neal, however, believes it will prove beneficial.

"It's important," he said. "Sometimes you get burned out.

"Days like (Thursday) will be great for us, to get away and do some things as
a team."

Carlisle, speaking shortly after the win over the Clippers, wasn't ready to
consider if the bright lights
would blind his players to the task of playing the Jazz.

"Right now I'm going to enjoy this win," he said. "The Utah game is two days
away.

"I'm pretty confident we'll show up and play well."

Call Star reporter Mark Montieth at (317) 444-6406.