Indiana Pacers Team Report - April 15

(Basketball News) - Al Harrington scored a team-high 22 points, leading the playoff-bound Indiana Pacers to a 101-96 win over the lowly Chicago Bulls on Wednesday at Conseco Fieldhouse in the season-finale for both clubs.

Jermaine O’Neal chipped in with 19 points and 13 rebounds for the Pacers (61-21), who have already secured the top-seed in the Eastern Conference and will face the Boston Celtics in the opening round of the playoffs in a rematch of last year’s first round.

Boston stunned the Pacers last season by eliminating them in six games, their third consecutive first-round exit.

Fred Jones added 12 points and Jonathan Bender contributed with 11 off the bench for Indiana, which now owns a franchise-best record since joining the NBA prior to the 1976-77 campaign. The club posted a 58-24 mark under first- year coach and current team president Larry Bird in 1997-98.

The Pacers and Celtics will play the first game of the best-of-seven series on Saturday at Conseco Fieldhouse.