Indianapolis ? The Indiana Pacers don’t have time to enjoy their most recent win, not after Jermaine O’Neal went down with an injury.

Reggie Miller scored 17 points, and Ron Artest and Al Harrington each added 15 to help the Eastern Conference-leading Pacers beat Chicago, 101-77, Monday night.

O’Neal, an All-Star forward, left in the second quarter with what Pacers coach Rick Carlisle called “a combination bruise and a sprain” to his left knee that is not being viewed as serious.

“Tonight’s a night we can feel good about,” Carlisle said. “But there’s a lot to be done, especially if we lose a potential MVP for a period of time. We’ll say a prayer tonight and hope Jermaine’s situation isn’t a serious one.”

O’Neal injured the knee trying to set a pick, colliding with Bulls guard Ronald Dupree just inside the baseline. He had to be helped off the court and into the locker room with 8:21 left in the first half and the Pacers leading 33-20.

“You lose your best low-post threat, your shot blocker and your MVP threat,” Miller said. “Other guys are going to have to step up. When Ron has gotten hurt or been suspended, we have responded. It’s the same with Jermaine.”

O’Neal, who leads the Pacers with 20.6 points per game and 10.2 rebounds, will have an MRI on Tuesday. X-rays of the knee were negative. His availability for the Pacers game against Dallas on Wednesday is uncertain, “but it certainly looks doubtful,” Carlisle said.

Jamaal Tinsley finished with 11 points, eight assists and three steals as Indiana (51-19) snapped a two-game skid.

Knicks 96, Hawks 84

Indiana forward Austin Croshere, bottom, takes the charge against Chicago guard Ronald Dupree. The Pacers defeated the Bulls, 101-77, Monday in Indianapolis.

New York — Nazr Mohammed had 18 points and 13 rebounds in his first game against his former team, and New York pulled away early in the fourth quarter.

Mohammed, dealt to the Knicks last month in a three-team trade also involving Tim Thomas and Keith Van Horn, played as though he had something to prove against the team he spent nearly three years with. He shot 7-for-11 in just 24 minutes.

Penny Hardaway added 14 points and Stephon Marbury had 11 points and 11 assists for the Knicks, who swept the season series from the Hawks for the first time since 1974-75.

Sixers 107,

Mavericks 98

Philadelphia — John Salmons had career highs with 21 points and five three-pointers to lead Philadelphia. Kenny Thomas tied a season-high with 27 points and added 13 rebounds. Rookie Willie Green had 19 points for the Sixers. Dirk Nowitzki had 30 points on 11-for-20 shooting to lead Dallas, which had won two straight.

Nuggets 102,

Clippers 80

Denver — Carmelo Anthony had 22 points to lead six Denver players in double figures, helping the Nuggets end a three-game losing streak. Denver opened a 16-point lead in the first quarter and shot 50 percent to turn back several Los Angeles runs for its fifth win in 17 games. Los Angeles couldn’t get much of anything going for its fourth consecutive loss and 12th in 14 games.

Rockets 93,

Trail Blazers 85, OT

Portland, Ore. — Yao Ming had 28 points and 13 rebounds to lead Houston to an overtime win over Portland. Steve Francis added 22 for the Rockets. The win snapped Houston’s three-game losing streak and dropped Portland a game back of Denver and Utah for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Zach Randolph led the Trail Blazers with 20 points and Damon Stoudamire scored 17 of his 19 points during a second-half rally. Yao started the overtime with a slam over Theo Ratliff, the NBA’s leader for blocked shots, and the Rockets went on a 10-2 run to close the game.