Rasheed Wallace

INDIANAPOLIS - The Indiana Pacers' day began with a bone bruise and ended in a world of hurt, their playoff plans ripped up by a man nicknamed "Rip." Jermaine O'Neal reported to yesterday's morning shoot-around complaining of increased swelling in his left knee. Considering him more gimpy than go-to, Indiana rarely worked the ball inside and O'Neal finished with 11 points on 10 shots while battling pain, foul trouble and a bulky knee brace. Meanwhile, Detroit and Richard "Rip" Hamilton seized control of the Eastern Conference finals with an 83-65 victory in Game 5 at Conseco Fieldhouse.

Eastern Conference finals No. 1 Indiana (61-21) vs. No. 3 Detroit (54-28) Season series: Indiana, 3-1 How they got here: Indiana beat Boston, 4-0, in the opening round, then beat Miami, 4-2, in the conference semifinals. Detroit beat Milwaukee, 4-1, in the opening round, then beat New Jersey, 4-3, in the conference semifinals. Pacers update: Indiana advances to the conference championship for the first time in four years, but for the sixth time in 11 seasons. ... Jermaine O'Neal suffered an eye injury in Game 6 against Miami and might wear protective goggles in this series.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - If ever there was going to be a blowup moment for Rasheed Wallace, Sunday night seemed to be it. His Detroit Pistons had been booted all over Continental Airlines Arena by the New Jersey Nets in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, 82-64, and it wasn't even that close. And Wallace, who spent most of the night in foul trouble, had just 10 points, missing all five three-point attempts, with just two rebounds and three turnovers in 22 minutes. With a phalanx of reporters and cameramen hovering around his locker room space, this seemed like a great time for the seemingly always-volatile Wallace to blow, but the big explosion never came.

When the NBA's version of Christmas Day, namely the league's trading deadline, came and went yesterday, the Detroit Pistons found their stocking stuffed with a rather significant gift, namely All-Star forward Rasheed Wallace, while the New York Knicks got a lump of coal. The two-time defending Central Division champion Pistons, who have spent most of this season looking up at the Indiana Pacers, obtained the troubled but gifted Wallace from the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team deal that was the biggest of deadline day. "It gives us a real shot to compete at the highest level in the NBA right now," said Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars.

Once upon a time, when Jack Ramsay coached in Portland in the 1970s, his Trail Blazers could do virtually anything a team could be asked to do. Lionel Hollins brought the speed, Bobby Gross had the intermediate and long-range jump shot, Maurice Lucas was the enforcer, and Dave Twardzik supplied punch off the bench. But, above all, Ramsay had a bona fide, honest-to-goodness, back-to-the-basket threat in center Bill Walton, who passed and scored out of the low post, leading the Trail Blazers to the 1977 NBA title.

COLLEGE PARK -- Gary Williams tells his seniors that it's their basketball team, and the highest compliment one can pay this Maryland class is that they had the presence of mind to share it.If not for a career-ending injury, Williams would be considering starting five seniors against Clemson tonight at Cole Field House. It's the final home appearance for Laron Profit and Terrell Stokes, who are delighted to be on a power even if its top stars are named Steve Francis and Terence Morris.Williams coaches the nation's No. 5 team, where a stellar group of newcomers that includes Francis and three freshmen meshed nicely with five holdovers from a Sweet 16 team.

NBA games lost yesterday: 7.Total games missed: 271.Earliest estimated date season can start: Jan. 15.Projected player salary losses (through Jan. 15): $430 million.Negotiations: Top negotiators for each side plan to meet in New York this weekend.Today's best canceled game: Washington at Portland. Rasheed Wallace, traded from the Bullets to the Trail Blazers in the pre-Wizards days, missed another shot at his former teammates.Pub Date: 12/12/98

PORTLAND, Ore. -- From a competitive standpoint, one would think that Washington Bullets guard Rod Strickland would be looking forward to playing here tonight against the Portland Trail Blazers, a team that he left bitterly over the summer.But if Strickland had things his way, he wouldn't even be here."If I could catch the next flight to D.C., I would, instead of going [to Portland]," Strickland said. "I'm not looking forward to it at all."Strickland has no idea what kind of reception he'll get tonight at 10 when the Bullets face the Trail Blazers at the Rose Garden.

BOWIE - If there was some way any way that the Washington Bullets could get Rasheed Wallace back in uniform, the team definitely was going to give it a try. But after a bit of experimenting with various splints on Wallace's fractured left thumb, the attempts proved futile."