It’s Kittles Time as Nets Hold On

INDIANAPOLIS — New Jersey’s Kerry Kittles wanted one more chance to make up for all of his missed shots.

Kittles made a game-winning three-point shot with 22.5 seconds left, and the New Jersey Nets survived a last-second miss by Reggie Miller to beat the Indiana Pacers, 85-84, Friday night at Indianapolis to take a 2-1 lead in the first-round playoff series.

Indiana trailed by one with 0.6 seconds remaining, but it got one final shot. On the inbound play, with Jason Kidd hung up in a screen, Miller broke toward the top of the key and was wide open on a shot just inside the three-point arc. But he missed badly, hitting only the backboard.

“Knowing that I was that wide open, I probably would have took my time,” said Miller, who scored 30 points. “I thought Jason was going to get through the pick and I was going to have to get it up over him. When I turned around, I didn’t see him.”

Game 4 is Tuesday night, with Game 5, if needed, in New Jersey on Thursday night.

It appeared that once again Miller had added another memorable shot to his postseason portfolio when he made a three-point basket with 34 seconds remaining, giving the Pacers an 83-82 lead and sending a sold-out Conseco Fieldhouse into a frenzy.

Then New Jersey’s Keith Van Horn rebounded Kidd’s missed jumper and swung the ball back to Kidd, who dished to Kittles on the left wing.

Kittles, shooting 40% in the series, finished with five points.

“When you struggle like that, you’ve just got to figure if you have an opportunity, you have to make it happen,” Kittles said. “I was thinking confidently the whole time.”

But the Pacers still had two more opportunities for the victory.

Jermaine O’Neal took the ball in the low post, but his shot was blocked by Aaron Williams. O’Neal grabbed the rebound, missed again, but got the rebound and was fouled by Keith Van Horn.

With 3.6 seconds left, O’Neal made the first free throw but missed the second. Williams got the rebound and was fouled.

Williams missed two free throws, giving Miller one final look.

Miller, as he has done in so many playoff series before, carried Indiana, this time compensating for a frontcourt that never got on track.

“I live for these times in the playoffs,” said Miller, who made 11 of 19 from the field. “We’ve had a lot of good times and a lot of heartbreaking losses and this was one of them.”

Kidd led New Jersey with 24 points and 11 assists, Kenyon Martin scored 21 and Van Horn added 14. Kittles’ three-pointer was only his second basket in 11 shots from the field.