Determined Pacers Sweep 76ers

The Indiana Pacers, playing like a team on a championship mission, shook off a 10-minute field-goal drought in the fourth quarter at Philadelphia and beat the 76ers, 89-86, Sunday to complete a four-game sweep and advance to the Eastern Conference finals.

“I’ve got a veteran team on my hands, with one thing on their minds,” Pacer Coach Larry Bird said. “To win a championship.”

Indiana, rescued by another clutch shot from Reggie Miller, improved to 7-0 in the playoffs and advanced to the conference finals for the second consecutive year and fourth time in six seasons. Last year, Indiana was ousted in seven games by the Chicago Bulls.

The Pacers will next play New York or Atlanta.

Indiana spent the entire off-season and lockout stewing in the loss, vowing to make a championship run with Michael Jordan in retirement.

“Last year in Game 7, we left with a bad taste in our mouths,” said Miller, who had 23 points and buried the 76ers with a running bank shot with 91 seconds left. “We felt we were the better team. But the more experienced team, the Chicago Bulls, beat us.”

That’s what happened in this game, which ended with Allen Iverson receiving hugs from Miller, Mark Jackson and Coach Larry Brown.

“It felt like a six- or seven-game series,” Miller said.

Iverson scored 25 points despite re-injuring his bruised right thigh in a collision with Antonio Davis in the second quarter.

New York 90, Atlanta 78--Attention Phil Jackson: Your possible team of the future--if you’re still interested--is one victory away from the Eastern Conference finals.

On another day of bizarre twists and turns with the Knicks, team President Dave Checketts pulled a flip-flop and admitted contacting Jackson to see whether he was interested in coaching the team. Jackson said he would be.

Meanwhile, Chris Dudley, Latrell Sprewell and Marcus Camby led another superb effort from the second unit that sent the Knicks over the Hawks at New York for a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Another victory tonight would give the Knicks a sweep and their first conference finals appearance since 1994.

Some of Sunday’s best action took place off the court after the New York Times and Daily News reported that Checketts, president of Madison Square Garden and acting president of the Knicks, had secretly met with Jackson in mid-April when the team was in danger of missing the postseason.

After issuing a blanket denial through his spokesman before the game, Checketts suddenly changed his story during the second half and admitted contacting the coach who won six titles with the Chicago Bulls.

Knick Coach Jeff Van Gundy refused to comment on the reports either before or after the game. Patrick Ewing, who has said he will demand a trade if the club hires Jackson as coach, would only smile and shake his head when told of Checketts’ admission.