Pacers coach Jim O'Brien plans to ignore Mike Dunleavy's minute restriction if the team is in a close game.

Dunleavy has been limited to 20 minutes per game as he works his way back from knee surgery. He was forced to sit out the final nine minutes of Indiana's loss to Sacramento this past week because he reached the 20-minute mark.

"I will never let that happen again," said O'Brien. "I'm just playing him when the game is on the line unless something is bothering him.

"I don't think you can become totally reliant on a number even though it's a well thought out number by our medical people. You have to win basketball games."

Dunleavy, who has made four appearances, is averaging 12.8 points on 45.9% shooting in just 20.3 minutes per game this season.