INDIANAPOLIS – Ron Artest scored 24 points to lead the Indiana Pacers over the Miami Heat 95-90 Wednesday night.

Artest struggled from the free throw line until it mattered most. He made two with 53 seconds left to give the Pacers a 91-90 lead. After Dwyane Wade missed a jumper, Indiana’s Sarunas Jasikevicius scored on a layup with 14 seconds remaining to increase the Pacers’ lead to 93-90.

Miami had the ball with a chance to tie in the closing seconds. Antoine Walker missed a 3-pointer with seven seconds left. Indiana’s Stephen Jackson rebounded, was fouled, and made two free throws to seal the Pacers’ second win over the Heat in less than a week.

Wade led Miami with 29 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, but he tied a career high with 10 turnovers.

The Pacers beat the Heat 105-102 last Thursday in Miami. The teams meet once more this season.

Miami center Shaquille O’Neal sprained his right ankle in the fourth quarter of the first game against the Pacers and hasn’t played since. His replacement, Alonzo Mourning, fouled out of Wednesday’s game with two minutes remaining and finished with eight points, seven rebounds and seven blocks.

Wade tried to pick up the slack for the Heat. He made a jumper with 1:06 remaining to give Miami a 90-89 lead. He was tightly guarded on the Heat’s final possession and passed to Walker, who missed the 3-pointer from the left corner.

Miami led 54-52 at halftime, and had increased the margin to 69-58 in the third quarter when Udonis Haslem was called for a technical foul. The Pacers outscored the Heat 18-3 the rest of the period to take a 76-72 lead. Haslem finished with 19 points and 11 rebounds.

Indiana made 18 of 28 free throws the first three quarters, but was 9-of-10 in the fourth.

Jermaine O’Neal added 17 points and eight rebounds for the Pacers.

Notes: Indianapolis Colts running back Edgerrin James got a standing ovation when introduced between the first and second quarters. He ran for 103 yards in the Colts’ 40-21 win over New England on Monday night … Jasikevicius played the entire fourth quarter in place of starting point guard Jamaal Tinsley.

AP-ES-11-09-05 2321EST


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