Pacers in waiting game

INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana Pacers forward Jermaine O'Neal has a rebuttal to those who say having an extended break between playoff series is a good thing.\n"I've just realized this week how bad television really is," O'Neal said Wednesday after practice. "I have to get back to work."\nAfter sweeping the Boston Celtics to move into the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2000, the Pacers are now awaiting their next opponent.\nIt could be a while. The Pacers will play the winner of the New Orleans-Miami series, and after the Hornets tied the series at two Tuesday, which won't be determined until at least Sunday.\nThat means the Pacers have to wait at least a week, and possibly as long as 12 days, before playing again.\n"The thing we have to fight, since we have a layoff and are coming off four in a row, we just can't have any sort of a letdown in terms of our mental edge and competitive edge and not become a complacent team," coach Rick Carlisle said. "We have to strive this week to get better."\nCarlisle held scrimmages Wednesday to stoke the competitive fires, and it seems to have worked. Afterwards, several Pacers lightheartedly jawed at each other, bragging about their success or vowing revenge the next time.\n"Guys are talking trash and playing hard," point guard Anthony Johnson said. "It's fun to talk a little trash and go after it. You don't get to do that too often in the regular season."\nSixth man Al Harrington said the starters beat the bench players 16-15 in a six-minute scrimmage, but complained that the starters shot 11 free throws in the contest.\n"The refs did their job," he said with a smile. "If (the starters) didn't win, they weren't going to be allowed back."\nDespite the enthusiasm, it was clear the Pacers would rather be gearing up for another playoff game.\n"I don't want to lose the edge, I don't want to lose the emotions from this team," O'Neal said. "Right now, we have a swagger about ourselves. Whoever plays in the game, people feel like they're unstoppable. We can also shut guys down on the defensive end. If you take too much time, sometimes a team loses their edge, loses their emotions."\nThe top-seeded Pacers have plenty to lose. They've won nine games in a row, including the four-game steamrolling of the Celtics.\n"Get it over with," Harrington said when asked about the Hornets-Heat series. "I'd rather play on Tuesday than next Friday."\nDefensive player of the year Ron Artest is one player who isn't worried about the extended break.\nWhen asked if there was a part of him that wished their series with the Celtics would have gone to a Game 5, which would have been played Thursday, Artest said, "I'd rather win every game you're in, because you might lose Game 5. The break isn't a problem."\nThe Heat and Hornets will play Game 5 Friday in Miami. Until a winner emerges, the Pacers will in Indianapolis, looking for things to do to pass the time.\n"If anyone's hiring for basketball cameos, I'm available all this week," O'Neal said.