Stuck inside? Need something to watch? Reminisce on one of the Indiana Pacers greatest games ever, Jermaine O’Neal’s 55-point game against the Bucks.
A great way to kill time right now might be watching an all-time great Indiana Pacers game…
These days, being stuck indoors is suddenly safe, healthy, and possibly saving lives. With novel coronavirus now a global issue, the greatest way most of us can help is simply by committing to a homebound lifestyle for the time being.
While that seems fun at first, it can get very boring very quickly. Not leaving for days at a time means losing track of what day it is, when the last time you showered was, and how many meals you’ve eaten in any given day. No judgment here.
One of the challenges is figuring out what the heck to fill your time with when spending so much time at home. We have a very Pacers-focused answer for you: A classic career game from Jermaine O’Neal.
Just after New Year’s Day in 2005, O’Neal put on a spectacular 55-point performance at the Fieldhouse for Pacers fans in a win over the Milwaukee Bucks. He was having his way with the Bucks defense, getting any look he wanted.
O’Neal would go 18-of-28 from the field and tack on 19 free-throws. He blocked two shots and corralled 11 rebounds as well, leading Indiana to a 17-point win.
The best news of all? The game in its entirety is available on YouTube. Here it is:
Clocking in at under two hours, this is a must-watch for any diehard Pacers fan.
O’Neal had whatever he wanted in this game, as his stat-line indicates. He made the Bucks defense look absolutely silly. Even loose balls somehow seemed to find their way to O’Neal for perfect looks at the basket throughout this faceoff.
O’Neal had every right to stay on the court as long as he wanted, but after reaching 55 points, O’Neal was selfless and asked out in the fourth quarter with Indiana firmly in the lead and 1:43 left. Knowing he had given all he could for his team that night and wasn’t playing up to his standard, it’s a move not many players will take upon themselves when they’re having such a great game.
As a member of the “Tri-State” team in BIG3, O’Neal also voluntarily deactivated himself when he was injured so the team could add another player. These kinds of selfless actions are the embodiment of true leadership.
O’Neal is one of the greatest Pacers of all-time. Let’s celebrate his game!