Reggie Miller Breaks Left Hand

Indiana guard Reggie Miller broke a bone in his left hand in the Pacers’ exhibition finale against Denver on Friday night in Indianapolis and is expected to be sidelined four to six weeks.

The 39-year-old Miller was injured during the first quarter of Indiana’s 98-79 loss to the Nuggets and left holding his non-shooting hand. He will be reexamined today.

“It’s a good thing we have an extra [shooting] guard over there,” Pacer Coach Rick Carlisle said, referring to Stephen Jackson and Fred Jones. “We’re going to need it.”

Indiana is already without Jermaine O’Neal (strained ligament in his left foot), Jeff Foster (hip), Anthony Johnson (broken hand), David Harrison (shoulder) and Jonathan Bender (knee).

Jackson, who came over in an off-season trade with Atlanta for Al Harrington, will move into Miller’s starting spot.

O’Neal, the Pacers’ star forward, is expected to be put on the injured list before the beginning of the regular season. He suffered the injury during a pickup game less than a month before training camp began and has been sidelined since Oct. 20.

The Pacers signed starting point guard Jamaal Tinsley to a six-year contract extension. The 6-foot-3 Tinsley averaged 8.3 points, 2.6 rebounds and 5.8 assists last season, helping the Pacers to a franchise-record 61 wins.

*

Forward Qyntel Woods, already suspended by the Portland Trail Blazers after allegations of dog fighting, has been suspended without pay for five games by the NBA for violating the league’s drug policy.

The suspension starts with Wednesday night’s season opener at Golden State. Woods, 23, will be eligible to return for Portland’s sixth game against the Toronto Raptors on Nov. 13.

The Trail Blazers suspended Woods without pay during the preseason after a television news report linked him to dog fighting.

Dog fighting is a felony in Oregon. Promoting or conducting dog fighting is punishable by up to $100,000 in fines and up to five years in jail. No criminal charges have been brought in the case.

*

Utah Jazz guard Carlos Arroyo had an MRI examination on his left ankle, a day after he was injured during an exhibition game against the New York Knicks. Results from the test were not immediately available.... Forward Andrei Kirilenko signed a six-year, $86-million contract extension with the Jazz.... The Nuggets picked up the $3.04-million option for next season for forward Nene, who averaged 11.8 points and 6.5 rebounds last season. He is expected to team with Marcus Camby and Kenyon Martin to give Denver one of the Western Conference’s strongest frontcourts.... Guard Dajuan Wagner will become a free agent after this season because the Cleveland Cavaliers declined their $3.4-million contract option for 2005-06.