"That's my man," C.J. Miles was saying. "I love Scolito."

He was talking about Luis Scola, his former teammate with the Pacers who returned to Bankers Life Fieldhouse Monday with the Toronto Raptors, a reborn player with a new team. Miles, though, showed Scola no love during the game, and in fact took Scola out of the game.

Quite literally and quite rudely.

Miles' 3-point shooting was perfect during the Pacers' bizarre 106-90 victory over the Raptors – five attempts, five makes. Three of them came with Scola futilely trying to get out to him with a hand in the air. His only two-point field goal, a step-back 12-footer in the foul lane, came after shaking free from the bigger and slower Scola.

That's exactly the point of Miles playing the "four" position, which had been the topic of so much preseason conjecture. Guys like Scola can't defend him, and unless they can make up for that disadvantage at the other end, they're going to have to sit and watch the game.

Scola played five fewer minutes and scored six fewer points than his norm, which has been revitalized in Toronto. He was able to exploit Miles just one time, with a post-up jump hook in the first quarter while the Raptors were off and running toward their 26-5 lead. Other than that, his return to The Fieldhouse was disappointing for him and revealing for the Pacers.

There were numerous factors in the Pacers' victory, in which they overcame a 21-point deficit in the first quarter alone, and then built a 15-point lead in the second quarter after a 22-0 run. Jordan Hill came off the bench to contribute the best statistical game of his career, with 20 points and 13 rebounds. Monta Ellis, who says his surgically repaired knee is feeling better as the season goes along, had 18 points and three steals. Lavoy Allen had 10 rebounds off the bench. The Pacers attacked the basket as coach Frank Vogel had been wanting to outscore Toronto in the paint, 48-20.

Although the Pacers' "big" lineup was the more successful one on Friday, the individual performance with the greatest long-term implications belonged to Miles, who finished with 17 points in just 22 ½ minutes. Miles has become this team's chemist, doing more than anyone to keep the lab from blowing up by accepting whatever role he's assigned. He's come off the bench in three of his 20 games without complaint, and plays small forward or power forward with equal abandon.

Friday night the task was to match up with Scola. And by forcing the Raptors to take Scola out of the game to get a small and quicker defender on Miles, the Pacers were able to ruin the Raptors' successful formula.

"It makes other teams change their game plan," Miles said. "They're not prepared to have (small forward) Terrence Ross play the four. Forget about defending, it affects the flow of their offense. He's a guy who never practices playing the four. It's hard for him. That's what I've been doing. Every day. And then if I have to move to the three, that's my natural position anyway."

The original plan this season was for Miles and Paul George to share time at the power forward position in the Pacers' new spread offense. George voiced hesitation about it, but kept an open mind. The issue was resolved once and for all, though, away from public view, in practice one day.

"The way it happened, one day me and Paul were going back and forth (between three and four) and finally I said, 'I got it. Just let me do it,'" Miles said. "We needed to take the indecisiveness away and create the base. It's hard when you (go back and forth). This way everybody knows where they're supposed to be. As practice kept going I think Coach noticed I kept guarding the fours, kept playing the position. And then we had the conversation. I thought it would make things flow better. Now (George) knows where he's supposed to be, I know where I'm supposed to be.

"It wasn't so much Paul saying he wouldn't do it. I just thought he had enough going on, trying to get back (from a broken leg), let alone change positions. I felt like for our team, for what we're trying to build, it (was best for me to play it). He's one of the best in the world at his position. So leave the best in the world at his position.

"So I said, 'I got it.'"

Miles' motives weren't entirely selfless. He knew he'd be able to score on traditional power forwards such as Scola, who can't get out to defend him on the 3-point line. And he was willing to try to battle them around the basket and hope for the best.

"Those forwards, they misjudge the quickness of my release," he said, sitting in front of his locker after the game. "I feel if my feet are set, it doesn't matter if it's from here to that shoe, that's too much space."

It was just a shame he had to do it to Scola, who provided a couple of moments of levity before he had to sit and watch the game. Miles recalled Scola saying, "Get up, Ian!" before the opening tip, encouraging Ian Mahinmi to win the jump ball. Then he caught himself, remembering he's no longer a Pacers player. Later, Scola stole a rebound from Miles by coming from behind and batting it away, something he did effectively for the Pacers.

"I knew you were coming," Miles told him later.

"I still got it," Scola said.

Scola indeed still has it. He's 35 years old, will be 36 before the season ends, but has been rejuvenated by his role with the Raptors, Friday's game aside. He was hoping the Pacers would offer another contract last summer when he was a free agent, one that would allow his wife and four children to stay in Indianapolis, but Larry Bird and the basketball staff decided to offer Jordan Hill instead.

The Pacers braintrust wasn't happy to have Scola gone, though. Bird sent a highly complimentary e-mail to Scola when he was overseas playing for his native Argentina in FIBA competition. Vogel – who says Scola is one of his all-time favorite players to have coached – called him to wish him well.

"I had a great two years here," Scola said before the game. "I was very happy here. I have good memories. It just didn't work out."

Scola averaged 9.4 points and 6.4 rebounds last season for the Pacers, mostly off the bench. He entered Friday's game having started all 25 games and averaging 10.5 points and 5.8 rebounds in 23.7 minutes. He also found a 3-point shot over the summer. After hitting just 6-of-27 attempts over two seasons with the Pacers, he has hit 16-of-38 (42 percent) for the Raptors.

"I was trying to do it here, too, but the offense was in a different direction here," he said. "I never felt confident enough to do it (like now). I made a few early when I got (to Toronto), so that gave me extra confidence."

Monday's game wasn't typical for him. He hit just 2-of-7 shots, didn't attempt any 3-pointers and watched the final 20 ½ minutes from the bench.

Thanks to Miles.

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