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Heat look to snap long skid at Indiana

Mar 24, 2009 - 6:10 PM By Anthony Giornalista Stats Senior Writer

Miami (38-32) at Indiana (29-42), 7 p.m. EDT

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Some typically strong scoring efforts from Dwyane Wade haven't been enough to get the Miami Heat a win at Conseco Fieldhouse. Jermaine O'Neal isn't having any success as an opponent there, either, despite his familiarity.

After breaking his own single-season team scoring record, Wade will likely get some help from a banged-up O'Neal as the Heat try to end a 16-game road losing streak to the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night.

Wade hit yet another milestone, reaching 2,064 points for the season in a 94-82 win over Memphis on Monday night. That's 24 more than his previous best, set in the Heat's 2005-06 championship season.

Miami (38-32) was able to remain 3 1/2 games behind Atlanta for the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference despite missing O'Neal, who sat out with a bruised right hip. The Heat, also trying to hold off sixth-place Philadelphia, expect to have their starting center back in the lineup Wednesday.

"Coming down the stretch, the Eastern Conference race is so close that every game has so much more significance," Miami center Jamaal Magloire said.

With 12 games left in the regular season, the Heat will be trying to avoid their 17th straight loss at Conseco Fieldhouse, including three matchups in the 2004 playoffs. Miami is averaging just 85.8 points during the skid, even with Wade averaging 24.6 points, 5.9 assists and 5.8 rebounds while shooting 50.0 percent in 10 of the contests.

O'Neal flourished in eight seasons with the Pacers before being traded to Toronto in July and to Miami in February, but he is averaging 2.7 points while going 0-3 as an opponent at Indiana.

The veteran has stepped in nicely at center with the Heat, averaging 14.2 points and 5.4 rebounds in 17 games. He sat out versus the Grizzlies only for precautionary reasons after aggravating the injury in a 101-96 win at Detroit on Sunday.

O'Neal will be matched up with rookie Roy Hibbert, who was the only Indiana starter held scoreless in a 108-83 win in Charlotte on Saturday night as the Pacers (29-42) snapped a five-game losing streak.

Jarrett Jack had little trouble scoring, shooting 13-for-14 and finishing with 31 points a night after getting into an on-court argument with T.J. Ford. Jack started at point guard for Ford, who had nine points and six assists, and Brandon Rush was in the lineup at Ford's old spot at shooting guard.

"We needed a little bit of a change," coach Jim O'Brien said. "(Jack) gave us a tremendous spark starting at the point guard spot. He maintained the aggressiveness of our team the entire time, both offensively and defensively, with positive talk and good court leadership.

"Not only did he score well, he led well."

Jack was sent to the locker room after getting into an argument with Ford in a 94-92 loss to Dallas on Friday night. Jack and Ford had to be separated by their teammates.

"We put that behind us," Jack said.

For the sake of their dwindling playoff hopes, the Pacers better hope so. Indiana is one of six teams chasing the East's last postseason spot.

Indiana has lost three straight at home after winning 13 of its previous 15. The Pacers beat the Heat 114-103 at Conseco Fieldhouse on Jan. 30 after losing the first matchup 109-100 on Nov. 22.