http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dl...TS04/505170440
Quote:
Posters soon could start to appear around the city. His face might show up on milk cartons.
Anybody seen the real Jermaine O'Neal lately?
The four-time All-Star who requires double teams in the post? The multidimensional offensive force who can muscle his way to the basket or step out, face up and hit the 18-foot jumper?
O'Neal's shooting touch has disappeared in the playoffs. He is shooting 34.3 percent and hasn't hit at least 50 percent in any of the Pacers' 11 playoff games. He has hit half his shots in a game once since coming off the injured list April 17. Of the players in the rotation, only Fred Jones' 29.8 percent playoff shooting is lower.
"Any time you have a bad game and you lose you're going to feel upset," teammate Stephen Jackson said of O'Neal, who is averaging 15.5 points against Detroit. "J.O. is a competitor and he wants to help this team and he wants to move on in the series, too. In order for us to move on he has to play better. I don't think he lost his confidence; he's human. It does happen, but he'll be all right."
O'Neal didn't address the media after practice Monday -- saying only, "I will play better" in Game 5 tonight at the Palace of Auburn Hills, Mich. -- but he did spend a long while working with associate head coach Mike Brown and special assistant Chuck Person on shooting drills and post moves.
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Click the link for the rest of the article. Let's hope that JO comes out possesed tonight, we certianly need a huge game for him to help give us a win on the road.