Jermaine O'Neal sees Brian Grant and he has flashbacks.

Not to happy days, necessarily, but to a formative time that started him on a path toward NBA fortune and fame.

Grant, the Miami Heat veteran with the flowing dreadlocks, was one of the Portland players who adopted O'Neal when the Indiana Pacers' pivot man was struggling in his professional infancy.

All these years later, they've changed teams, roles and hairstyles, but have remained close friends. That's why it's awkward for O'Neal to play against Grant in the second-round playoff series that resumes tonight with Game 3 at AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami.

"I've seen him grow from the guy with the low cut to the twisties to the dreads," O'Neal said. "I know all about his hairstyles and his personality. We were so close-knit out there, we always got together. Our girlfriends and wives got together. It really helped me."

Grant has seen growth from O'Neal, too, and not just in his hair. Eight years removed from his rookie season, O'Neal was a starter in the All-Star game, a second-team all-NBA selection and third-place finisher in the voting for the league's Most Valuable Player award for his performance in the regular season, when he averaged 20.1 points on 43 percent shooting, 10 rebounds and 2.55 blocks.

He hasn't played at that level against the Heat, averaging 15 points on 31-percent shooting, eight rebounds and 1.5 blocks. But while he doesn't use his regard for Grant as an excuse for his play in the Pacers' two victories, he admits he's tweaked his mental approach. He talks less, for one thing. And he feels a bit guilty when the play becomes physical.

"I have a ton of respect for him, on and off the court," O'Neal said. "It's tough to play against him right now because I know he's hurt and I'm banging him and he's banging me, but right now it's about the Indiana Pacers advancing."

Grant, who at 32 is seven years older than O'Neal, is a one-man blue-collar workforce for the Heat, but as a 6-9 center is playing out of position. He's taken a beating all season from bigger players, and the wear and tear has shown in this series. He's averaged 4.5 points, six rebounds and five fouls, and no doubt accumulated a few more bruises.

Regardless of how frustrated O'Neal and Grant become, however, it's unlikely their battles will become personal. They're too close for that. They get together occasionally in the offseason in Miami, where O'Neal owns a condominium, and went to dinner Friday in Indianapolis, between Games 1 and 2.

Grant has a big brother's pride in O'Neal's development. O'Neal was entering his second season with the Blazers when Grant signed on as a free agent in 1997. O'Neal was stuck behind older and better players and playing for a coach, Mike Dunleavy, who didn't want to take chances with youth, but proved himself to his teammates in practice.

"He was so humble," Grant said. "He wasn't one of those guys who didn't want to listen to instruction.

"There were a lot of promises made to him that he would play, but they never would play him. We knew what he was going through so we made it a point to keep encouraging him to do what he was doing and his time was going to come, whether it was in Portland or somewhere else."

It turned out to be in Indianapolis. But O'Neal doesn't believe he could have matured into the player he's become if not for the guidance of Grant, Rasheed Wallace -- yes, Rasheed Wallace -- and other Blazers.

O'Neal was just 17 when he entered the NBA out of high school. But his older teammates included him in social activities he could legally enjoy, such as bowling, paintball and touch football.

They also counseled him on the virtue of patience. O'Neal would need it, riding the Blazers bench for four seasons behind Grant and Wallace before his career-saving trade to the Pacers.

Now O'Neal has the upper hand. But he hasn't forgotten who gave him a helping hand when he needed it.

"Brian would tell you, I was an emotional guy," O'Neal said. "I wanted to show the guys I can play in this league. When I didn't get an opportunity to play right away, it was tough for me. Those guys sat me down and told me I just had to keep getting better.

"If not for those guys I probably wouldn't be here talking to you now."