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Dunleavy, Tinsley help Pacers overcome Arenas' best shot

Nov 1, 2007 - 3:47 AM INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) -- Gilbert Arenas was up to his old tricks, but Mike Dunleavy and the Indiana Pacers had the last laugh.

Dunleavy had 25 points and 12 rebounds, and hit a crucial 3-pointer in overtime as the Pacers held on for a 119-110 victory over Arenas and the Washington Wizards in the season opener for both teams on Wednesday.

Arenas, who has a penchant for hitting big shots, had 34 points and knotted the game at 103-103 with a 3-pointer from the top of the key as time expired to send the game to overtime.

"I'm always feeling like I'm going to make the shot," Arenas said. "I never doubt myself. I did it again, but it wasn't enough to bring us the victory."

"I think a lot of teams could allow that (Arenas' 3-pointer) to be demoralizing, but we hung in there," Dunleavy said. "That's going to be the way we are this year. We have a tough mindset. We may not be the most talented bunch or the sexiest bunch, but we're going to hang in there and play tough."

The Pacers responded to Arenas' game-tying shot by going on a 5-0 spurt midway through the extra session and pulled away on a shot from the arc by Dunleavy that made it 111-106 with 2:42 to play.

"We battled," Dunleavy said. "We played hard. That was a good win for us. We hung in there, and we'll take it for an opener."

In a game that featured 18 ties and 25 lead changes, the Pacers outscored the Wizards 16-7 in overtime.

"This was a terrific win for our franchise," new Pacers coach Jim O'Brien said. "I'm very, very proud of our guys. Our work ethic in the preseason paid off."

Jamaal Tinsley scored 16 of his 20 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, adding eight assists and nine rebounds for Indiana, which was playing without All-Star forward Jermaine O'Neal and forward Troy Murphy.

"I was just playing basketball," Tinsley said. "I was just trying to get creative and make shots and be aggressive by putting pressure on them on the offensive end."

The Wizards trailed, 103-100, in regulation after a pair of free throws by Tinsley. However, Arenas did what he does best, drilling a step-back 3-pointer from the top of the key over Tinsley at the buzzer to send the game to overtime.

After Antawn Jamison cut the Wizards' deficit to 94-93 with a 3-pointer with 3:43 left in regulation, Tinsley scored his team's next four points to help Indiana to a 98-96 lead with 2:13 remaining.

"(Tinsley) is one of the best in the league getting in the paint and making things happen," Dunleavy said. "He did that tonight when we needed it. We got a little stagnant out there out in the fourth, and when the going got tough, he made some big plays."

Indiana's lead remained at that margin until Tinsley drove the lane and found Marquis Daniels in the left corner for what appeared to be a back-breaking 3-pointer that put them up 101-96 with 1:09 left in regulation.

But Jamison answered with a 3-pointer of his own to pull the Wizards within 101-99 with 55 seconds to play.

Butler made one of two free throws to cut the lead to 101-100, but Tinsley nailed a pair from the free-throw line to make it 103-100 - setting the stage for Arenas' heroics.

"He's always got confidence," Washington coach Eddie Jordan said. "He's a big shot-maker. He made it."

Jamison had an outstanding night for Washington, scoring 27 points and grabbing 16 rebounds. However, the Wizards failed to hit crucial free throws down the stretch and shot just 71 percent (32-of-45) from the free-throw line.

"The difference between this game was the free throws," Arenas said. "When you're getting fouled, you have to put the ball in the basket."