<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Forward Jermaine O'Neal couldn't have picked a better time to return to the Pacers' lineup. For Indiana's sake, that is. His return certainly won't benefit the Pistons, who have to face him and a revived Pacers squad tonight at Conseco Fieldhouse. Out since Jan. 24 with a torn left groin, O'Neal didn't target a specific date for his return, but told Indiana media at the beginning of the week that it would be "really, really soon." "Really, really soon," turned out to be Wednesday night, as O'Neal went 5-for-13 from the field, scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds in about 25 minutes off the bench in a 95-85 home victory over the Chicago Bulls. The game should have helped him brush off the dust and regain his playing legs, so O'Neal could be even more of a threat tonight. "He's a different presence," Pistons coach Flip Saunders said. "There's no question that without him, they didn't go inside as much. He gives them a low-block presence. He's more of a go-to guy as far as inside down the stretch. Defensively, he's a shot blocker. It just gives them more bodies up front." Without O'Neal, the Pacers went 12-12, including a 30-point loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday. That loss was likely part of the motivation for O'Neal's comeback, as the Pacers look to improve their playoff standing over their final 16 games. Prior to Thursday's games, Indiana was tied for fifth with Washington in the Eastern Conference standings with a 34-32 record. They slipped to sixth after Washington defeated Utah, 109-97. Indiana also hopes for the full-strength return of point guard Jamaal Tinsley, who has been day-to-day with a sinus infection. Tinsley played 24 minutes off the bench against Chicago, recording eight points and four assists. Even if Pacers coach Rick Carlisle limits O'Neal's playing time to prevent further injury, Pistons point guard Chauncey Billups said that O'Neal's presence alone could make a difference. "It'll be a good one, man," Billups said about tonight's game. "It's always a good battle when we play them anyway. They always play so hard when we come to town or when they come here." "They've got their whole ballclub back. I know J.O.'s probably not in the best condition, but it should be a good one."</div> Source
