Pacers' O'Neal, Bill Russell make plans

INDIANAPOLIS -- Jermaine O'Neal's summer plans are being revised, thanks to an invitation the Indiana Pacers' star received from Hall of Fame member Bill Russell.\nThe former Boston Celtics star and coach, a sideline spectator at Friday night's game between Boston and the Pacers, took time to chat with O'Neal at halftime.\n"It was definitely an honor," said the 6-foot-11 O'Neal, whose franchise record of 219 blocks in a season is the second-highest total in the league.\n"It was really an honor when he said he wanted to get with me in the summer and to work out. I'm definitely looking forward to that phone call so I can get with him," O'Neal said. "He's one of the greatest ever. He's one of those pioneers who helped build this league."\nRussell, who dominated the inside with his shot blocking and defensive skills as a player, said he made the offer after watching O'Neal play for Portland and Indiana over his five-year career.\n"He's a young player who has plenty of potential," Russell said. "I think I know a few things that can help him reach it."\nO'Neal came to Portland directly out of high school and became the youngest player to participate in an NBA game at the age of 18 on Dec. 5, 1996. He spent most of his four seasons with Portland watching from the bench, averaging about 23 minutes for 211 games, before being traded for All-Star forward Dale Davis last August.\nThe 22-year-old has demonstrated his potential in his first full NBA season as a starter.\nWith three games remaining, the former South Carolina high school player of the year has already topped his career totals for points, rebounds, blocks, assists and steals while recording a team-high 39 double-doubles. That's the most in the Eastern Conference and the third highest single-season mark in franchise history.\nBut those figures mean little to O'Neal compared to Russell's praise.\n"He said he likes the way that I play. That meant an awful lot to me, a guy who means the world to me," said O'Neal, who wasn't born when Russell retired.\nHowever, O'Neal said he's looked at film of Russell.\n"He's one of the best defensive players to ever play the game. If I can learn some moves, and how to keep some blocks in play, it's going to be great for me next year."\nO'Neal's recent play is one of the keys to Indiana's late season surge that has given the Pacers a season-high six-game winning streak to take into Chicago on Sunday. He's had three double-doubles in the streak, along with 23 blocks.\nThe run has sent the defending Eastern Conference champions into the playoffs for the 11th time in 12 years. But, unlike last year when the Pacers had home court throughout the conference playoffs, they'll be opening postseason play at either Philadelphia or Milwaukee and will likely not have home court advantage in any series.\nStill, the streak has boosted the team's confidence.\n"We're playing good basketball," said coach Isiah Thomas. "We're basically right on schedule, right on track to where we wanted to be, where I thought we would be at this time of year, that this would be the time of season that we would play good basketball."\n"I knew early on in the season ... that there were going to be some ups and downs. This is the time of the year when you want to play your best basketball."\nJalen Rose, the team's leading scorer, said the team feels fortunate to be in the playoffs and really doesn't care who it plays.\n"The way we're backing into the playoffs, we've got to take who they give us. We're just fortunate to be playing good ball and as long as we continue to get better and stay healthy, we're going to be a tough outfit"