WASHINGTON (AP) _ An extra dose of Michael Jordan wasn't enough to stop Jermaine O'Neal.
Jordan entered the game earlier, matched his season-high in minutes and led a fourth-quarter comeback Tuesday night, but the Washington Wizards still lost 88-84 to the Indiana Pacers as O'Neal had 26 points and 21 rebounds.
After saying he wanted to play more, regardless of how it might affect his aging knees, Jordan was on the floor for 34 minutes and scored a season-high 28 points as the Wizards dropped their fourth straight.
O'Neal had a season-high in points and a career-high in rebounds, including eight points in a 10-0 run that opened the game. Reggie Miller, playing his first game of the season after sitting out the first 12 with an ankle injury, started and scored 13 points.
Jamaal Tinsley added nine points, 10 assists and seven rebounds for the Pacers, who led from start to finish and have won 10 of 11.
Jordan shot 10-of-21 and had a couple of inspiring spurts, but he wasn't able to overcome the emerging trend that as Jerry Stackhouse goes, so go the Wizards.
Stackhouse shot just 2-of-16 and finished with six points. Stackhouse is 15-for-55 from the field during the losing streak.
The Wizards trailed by 19 in the third quarter and by 12 at the start of the fourth, but Jordan and rookie Juan Dixon _ playing a season-high 24 minutes _ started a defense-led comeback. Dixon had all six of his steals in the fourth quarter.
Jordan scored the last five points in a 17-6 run that cur the Pacers' lead to 71-70 with 4:53 to play, but Miller answered with a 3-pointer.
The Wizards got within one once again, but never had a chance to take the lead. Jordan missed back-to-back shots as the Pacers got the lead back to five, and Jordan also missed two of four free throws in the final minute.
Coach Doug Collins had planned for Jordan to average about 30 minutes this season after the wear and tear on his knees cut Jordan's season short last spring.
Jordan usually enters the game with six minutes left in the first quarter, but he was off the bench at the 9:40 mark with the Pacers leading 6-0. The lead continued to grow, however, as the Wizards missed 12 of their first 14 shots and played porous inside defense. Collins tried many combinations _ including extended minutes for rookies Dixon and Jared Jeffries _ trying to get the Wizards on track.
Jordan had a couple of nice runs, including back-to-back baskets near the end of both the first and second quarters, but the Pacers kept the Wizards at bay, leading by as many as 15 before taking a 45-32 lead into locker room at halftime
Jordan entered the game earlier, matched his season-high in minutes and led a fourth-quarter comeback Tuesday night, but the Washington Wizards still lost 88-84 to the Indiana Pacers as O'Neal had 26 points and 21 rebounds.
After saying he wanted to play more, regardless of how it might affect his aging knees, Jordan was on the floor for 34 minutes and scored a season-high 28 points as the Wizards dropped their fourth straight.
O'Neal had a season-high in points and a career-high in rebounds, including eight points in a 10-0 run that opened the game. Reggie Miller, playing his first game of the season after sitting out the first 12 with an ankle injury, started and scored 13 points.
Jamaal Tinsley added nine points, 10 assists and seven rebounds for the Pacers, who led from start to finish and have won 10 of 11.
Jordan shot 10-of-21 and had a couple of inspiring spurts, but he wasn't able to overcome the emerging trend that as Jerry Stackhouse goes, so go the Wizards.
Stackhouse shot just 2-of-16 and finished with six points. Stackhouse is 15-for-55 from the field during the losing streak.
The Wizards trailed by 19 in the third quarter and by 12 at the start of the fourth, but Jordan and rookie Juan Dixon _ playing a season-high 24 minutes _ started a defense-led comeback. Dixon had all six of his steals in the fourth quarter.
Jordan scored the last five points in a 17-6 run that cur the Pacers' lead to 71-70 with 4:53 to play, but Miller answered with a 3-pointer.
The Wizards got within one once again, but never had a chance to take the lead. Jordan missed back-to-back shots as the Pacers got the lead back to five, and Jordan also missed two of four free throws in the final minute.
Coach Doug Collins had planned for Jordan to average about 30 minutes this season after the wear and tear on his knees cut Jordan's season short last spring.
Jordan usually enters the game with six minutes left in the first quarter, but he was off the bench at the 9:40 mark with the Pacers leading 6-0. The lead continued to grow, however, as the Wizards missed 12 of their first 14 shots and played porous inside defense. Collins tried many combinations _ including extended minutes for rookies Dixon and Jared Jeffries _ trying to get the Wizards on track.
Jordan had a couple of nice runs, including back-to-back baskets near the end of both the first and second quarters, but the Pacers kept the Wizards at bay, leading by as many as 15 before taking a 45-32 lead into locker room at halftime
