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Thursday, Nov. 28
The Indiana Daily Student

sports

Pacers near perfect with Tinsley back

INDIANAPOLIS -- Spending some time on the bench did wonders for Jamaal Tinsley.\nSince his return to the starting lineup, the Indiana Pacers have won 11 of 12 games, increased their scoring almost five points a game and solidified their position atop the NBA's Eastern Conference.\n"From the get-go, I was ready to come back and start, but it didn't happen like I thought it would happen," Tinsley said after practice Thursday.\nTinsley lost his job at point guard to newly acquired Kenny Anderson at the beginning of the season. He went on the injured list with a sore back in November and had his return delayed last month by a case of the flu.\nAt the time he was activated in late December, he had played in only four games all season. He had 11 points and nine assists in his first start in a victory at Cleveland and has averaged 9.3 points and six assists a game since then.\n"The toughness was there, but not starting was the coach's decision," he said. "Over the summer, I knew I put all that work in, and I wasn't going to let something like that dictate how I was going to act or how I was going to go out there and play.\n"Once I knew my opportunity was going to come, I knew I had to take advantage of it."\nTinsley, a first-round draft pick in 2001, led the Pacers in assists the past two years. He also led the team in turnovers.\n"Me being a point guard, I like to get up and down," he said. "I'm always trying to push the ball in transition, trying to get the other guys easy shots and also create for myself and others"

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