Coach likes Pacers facing tough opponents in preseason schedule

INDIANAPOLIS -- Minnesota is next up on the Indiana Pacers' preseason schedule that is filled with Western Conference powers, and that's just the way coach Rick Carlisle likes it.\nThe Pacers play Memphis, Denver and Minnesota twice in the exhibition season. All three figure to be in the playoff hunt in the West. That type of competition is good for the team, Carlisle says, because it gives them a chance to hone their offensive and defensive execution against some of the very best.\n"This is a good opportunity for us," Carlisle said. "You have to take advantage of those types of games to get a gauge on where we are as a team."\nIndiana plays the Timberwolves Tuesday in the first game at Conseco Fieldhouse this year.\nLike the Pacers, the Wolves had a breakout season last year. MVP Kevin Garnett and company snapped a string of seven straight first-round playoff exits with a win over Denver in the first round, and lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference finals.\nThe Pacers snapped a streak of their own, advancing out of the first round after three straight losses before falling to Detroit in the Eastern Conference finals.\nStephen Jackson, one of the newest Pacers, loves to play against the big-name opponents, in preseason or anytime.\n"The competition is always great," Jackson said. "I'd rather play the best teams all year and skip the teams under 50 percent (winning percentage)."\nJackson should be plenty happy with this schedule. The Pacers opened the preseason with a win over Washington at Ball State University. They host Chicago Oct. 27 in the only other game against a team that had a losing record last season.\nCarlisle has tweaked the offense a little to create more spacing and open shots, and the players seem to be catching on fast. They are 2-0 in the preseason after a win at Memphis Saturday.\n"I like the way we're playing for the most part, but it's really meaningless in the grand scheme of things," Carlisle said.\nJermaine O'Neal, who scored 22 points in his preseason debut against Memphis, said he likes what he sees from the new offense.\n"We have been spacing a lot better and there's a lot of movement right now," O'Neal said. "Hopefully (on Tuesday) we'll get the same good looks we've been getting."\nAfter coming over in a trade from Atlanta, Jackson seems to be fitting right in with the Pacers. He scored 19 points against Washington and 17 against Memphis, providing the consistent outside shooting Indiana sorely lacked last season.\nBut Jackson says he can play a lot better, especially on defense.\n"It might not look right with the 17 points, but I'm making some crucial mistakes on defense," Jackson said.\nThat kind of intensity has been refreshing for Carlisle. Aside from too many turnovers and hobbled rookie David Harrison, the second-year coach hasn't seen many problems to this point.\nHarrison, the Pacers' first-round draft pick, sprained his right shoulder while dunking in practice last week. He was scheduled to take an MRI Monday, and Carlisle said he would miss both games this week.\n"He's sore. It's going to be awhile before he gets back," Carlisle said, without getting more specific. "We'll have to get by with who we have"