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INDIANAPOLIS - So we have a series again. Good. There's nothing duller than a four-game sweep. The Pacers came up with a win Sunday night, 100-91, to cut the Lakers' lead to 2-1. This guarantees the series will go at least five games and with Games 4 and 5 at Indiana it's probable we're looking at a Game 6, or even 7, at L.A. Larry Bird's grin this morning is topped only by David Stern's.

The injury to Kobe Bryant didn't make the difference. The Lakers won Game 2 without him and actually outshot the Pacers in Game 3 (.500 to .462) from the field. The difference was the boards, the Pacers finally gaining the upper hand (39-33), and free throw shooting. You just knew the Lakers atrocious charity stripe brick contest would hurt them at some point and it was key on Sunday. The Pacers were the best free throw shooting team during the season and they hit 21-of-24 in Game 3. Those Lakers? 8-of-19, with the MVP of the league shooting 3-of-13.

Hack-a-Shaq wasn't even needed as the Pacers led the whole way. But did you notice the fourth quarter as the Lakers made a run to cut it to four points? The Pacers several times fouled Shaq rather than give him a lay-up, and he couldn't come through. In Games 1 & 2 Shaq was fouled with the Lakers leading by 7-12 points, so if he missed a few it wasn't a big deal. But in Game 3 his team needed the freebies and he couldn't deliver.

It's still hard to believe a guy making 17-million a season who really does work hard at his craft can't hit a ten-foot free throw. Shaq has had many coaches and trainers work with him over the years with little improvement. The thing that is amazing is that his shots have no arc; the ball heads almost straight to the rim from his fingers, as if being shot out of a cannon. Remember how Robert Parish and Purvis Short used to have a rainbow arc to their shots? Those guys were great shooters and someone explained to them at a young age that mathematically the more arc you put on a shot the greater the chances of the ball dropping through the hoop. The straighter your shot, the less the chance of it going in. It's that simple. This doesn't involve touch, feel or rhythm - it's the simple laws of physics.

With that said, watch Shaq shoot his free throws Wednesday night - you will see virtually no arc. Commentators will point out whether his balance is proper or his release point is correct, but the real problem is he shoots the balls straight at the rim. Simple math says a ball will not drop through an iron rim ten feet away very often, and Shaq's results support that. The thing is: Shaq can shoot with a high arc on the ball. He did it late in the fourth quarter Sunday when he took a fall-away jumper on the left baseline and it went way up and swished through. Beautful arc, great higher-percentage shot - just not when he goes to the line.

But rest assured, Shaq will get plenty of practice to work on his free throws. The Pacers will insist on it.