CLEVELAND – They’re limping. They’re aching. They’re bandaged. And somehow, the Indiana Pacers are 1-0.

Ron Artest scored 31 points and Jamaal Tinsley added 15 points and 14 assists as the banged-up Pacers opened the season with a 109-104 double-overtime win against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night.

Artest didn’t decide to play on sore right knee until shortly before tipoff, and then gave the Pacers everything he had, adding nine rebounds in 50 minutes.

The Pacers needed every second since they were without starters Jermaine O’Neal, Reggie Miller and Jeff Foster as well as guard Anthony Johnson.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas had 35 points and 18 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who were unable to take advantage of Indiana’s injuries.

LeBron James added 28 points, eight assists and five rebounds for Cleveland.

Austin Croshere added 20 points for Indiana and sank a crucial 3-pointer with 54.6 seconds left in the second overtime to put the Pacers ahead 105-102.

The Cavaliers made two turnovers before pulling within a points on Robert Traylor’s two free throws with 13.9 seconds remaining. Fred Jones then hit two free throws to put Indiana up 107-104 with 12.1 seconds to go.

James, who forced overtime with a 3-pointer late in regulation, was short on another 3 and Tinsley put it away by making two free throws with 4.8 seconds remaining.

Scot Pollard added 10 points and 10 rebounds and Jonathan Bender, another of the ailing Pacers, added 11 points.

Cleveland got only four points and six rebounds from Drew Gooden, whom they are hoping can fill the void left by Carlos Boozer’s departure as a free agent.

James sent the game to overtime by draining a 3-pointer with 1.7 seconds remaining to tie it 85-all. Coming off a screen, James made a small jab step to his left, came right and nailed his 3 over Artest, who tried his best but couldn’t rattle Cleveland’s forward.

Artest had a chance to win it, but missed a 3-pointer at the final horn.

James could have put Cleveland up late in OT, but missed the first of two free throws with 2.9 seconds to play. Again, Artest had the ball with the game on the line but missed an eight-footer from the left side.

The Cavaliers used a 10-0 run to take a one-point lead in the second quarter, but the Pacers countered by scoring nine in a row to take a 46-40 lead at halftime.

Ilgauskas (12) and James (9) combined for all of Cleveland’s points in the first quarter. The Cavaliers didn’t get their first points from another player until Sasha Pavlovic drained a 15-foot jumper with 10:33 left in the second.

Notes: Opening night was much different for James than a year ago when 370 media credentials were issued in Sacramento and TV cameras followed his every move. “I’m more relaxed,” James said, dressing before the game. “I’m still going to have jitters, but now I know what to expect.” … Cavs G Eric Snow had his streak of 225 consecutive starts – all with the Philadelphia 76ers – snapped. … It was a big night for at least one John Edwards. The Pacers rookie center went to high school in nearby Hudson, Ohio, and played at Kent State.

AP-ES-11-03-04 2302EST