Basketball - Miss Pre Season Opener Because Of Court 

Jermaine O'Neal will very likely not play the Pacers' pre-season opener against New Jersey this week because of a lawsuit dating back to the brawl with Detroit Pistons fans two years ago. Jury selection is scheduled to start Tuesday morning in U.S. District Court in Detroit. Indiana forward O'Neal will have to testify on Tuesday or Wednesday. Therefore it is very uncertain that he will be able to play on Wednesday evening.

O'Neal punched Charles Haddad, the plaintiff, on the court during the Nov. 19th, 2004, incident in Auburn Hills in Michigan. Haddad wants the Pacers' claims that Haddad trespassed, was intoxicated and violated the waiver on the back of his ticket to be stricken as defenses.

Larry Charfoos, Haddad’s lawyer, explained that O'Neal would very likely not testify before Wednesday at the earliest. If it is the case, O'Neal would not be able to play on Wednesday. Then he will make his debut Saturday at home against Utah. As for O'Neal he is disappointed not to play on Wednesday but at the same time he is enjoying to be nearing the end of the legal mess left by the brawl.

Forward Indiana O'Neal would be one of two starters unable to play Wednesday for non-basketball related reasons. Another player forward Stephen Jackson is also declared to be out for the game. The player went at the practice today but coach Rick Carlisle declared him out for Wednesday's game after he has been hit by a car outside a strip club early last week on Thursday. According to the police, Jackson, who is barely two weeks off probation from the brawl with Pistons fans, fired a gun in the air in what seems to be self-defense after he was slugged in the mouth and struck by a car that sent him tumbling onto the hood. As Jackson did not practiced since the event, Carlisle decided to declare him out for the next game preferring being careful in bringing Jackson back.