<prompt> Bhala okuqhubekayo kwalesi sigaba - I-Pacers ibheke ukwakha emkhankasweni wayo wangaphambilini ngesizini ka-2004-05, kodwa zonke izinhlelo zabo zawa ngoNovemba. Emdlalweni owawuphikisana nePistons eThe Palace of Auburn Hills, kwaqubuka ingxabano  <response>: kwaqhuma kwachitheka emagcekeni. U-ONeal wayengomunye wabadlali be-Pacers abaxabana nabalandeli ababili abafika enkundleni; wagijima ukuyovikela umlingani wakhe uRon Artest, wagxuma ngoketshezi, washaya omunye wabalandeli ekhanda kanzima kangangokuthi umlingani wakhe u-Scot Pollard kanye nomethuli wezemidlalo uJim Gray babesaba ukuthi u-ONeal uzobulala umlandeli. Njengoba yena nabangane bakhe beqembu i-Pacer bephuma enkundleni, abalandeli abaningi abathukuthele baphonsa ukudla okulula, iziphuzo, ngisho nesihlalo esigoqekayo ku-ONeal. Ephendula ngezenzo zika-ONeal ngesikhathi sokulwa, uKhomishani we-NBA uDavid Stern wamvimba emidlalweni engama-25; abadlali beqembu lakhe u-Artest noStephen Jackson bamiswa kulo lonke isizini nemidlalo engama-30 ngokulandelana. Ngemva kokudlulisa icala ngaphambi nje kukaKhisimusi, u-ONeal wanqoba ukuncishiswa kwesigwebo sakhe ngemidlalo eyishumi, kodwa lokhu akuzange kunciphise umonakalo i-Indiana eyayisihluphekile kakade. Ihluthwe ngabadlali bayo abathathu, leli qembu lagcina lifinyelele irekhodi lama-44 kuma-38 futhi laba ngowesithupha. U-ONeal wabonakala emidlalweni engu-44 kuphela, inani lakhe eliphansi kunawo wonke elake laba nalo ne-Indiana. Nakuba isilinganiso sakhe sokushaya amaphuzu sathuthuka saba amaphuzu angu-24.3 emdlalweni ngamunye, ukubuyisa kwakhe amaphuzu kwehla futhi wayengaselona usongo olufanayo ekuvikeleni. Izinto zaba zimbi kakhulu lapho ephuka ehlombe lakhe langakwesokudla ngoMashi futhi wadlala kancane ngesikhathi esisele sesizini ejwayelekile, ngenkathi enethemba lokuthi uzolulama ngesikhathi sokudlala. I-Pacers idonse i-Celtics emzuliswaneni wokuqala, futhi yakwazi ukusindisa isizini yabo ngokuwina uchungechunge 43. Kodwa-ke, u-ONeal wayengadlali kahle ngangokunokwenzeka: umkhiqizo wakhe wokuhlasela wehla, futhi wadutshulwa kabi enkundleni. Lapho i-Pacers ihlangana ne-Pistons kuma-semifinals, yaqedwa emidlalweni eyisithupha, kwaphela esinye isizini esicindezelayo sika-ONeal. 