Tim Hardaway has decided to call it quits.

''I wanted to play another year because I didn't go out the way I wanted to go out,'' Hardaway, 37, said via telephone Friday, sounding like no retirement is ever official. ``I went out being hurt. I never went out on my own terms. The coaches don't think I can play anymore. If they don't want me, forget it.''

"The tendinitis in Jermaine O'Neal's right knee could keep him out of the Indiana Pacers' showdown tonight with Central Division rival New Orleans, and possibly longer."

Jermaine O'Neal sat out the Indiana Pacers' victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night because of tendinitis in his right knee.

O'Neal's decision was made about an hour before tipoff. He is listed as day-to-day, and therefore is questionable for Friday's game at New Orleans.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Indiana Pacers forward Jermaine O'Neal was out of Wednesday night's lineup against the Los Angeles Clippers with tendinitis in his right knee.

O'Neal was listed as doubtful, but said in the locker room before the game he could not play.

Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said his star is day-to-day.

``We're going to have to do what we can to get him healthy and, in the mean time, have other guys step up,'' Carlisle said.

Carlisle said Al Harrington would start for O'Neal.

O'Neal has voiced concern this season that competing with the U.S. national team the last three summers is starting to take its toll. He missed time in the preseason with a back injury.

O'Neal's 10.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocks a game lead the team. He is second in scoring with 18.6 points a game.

WASHINGTON (AP) Allen Iverson had a season-high 40 points Tuesday night, winning a scoring duel with Gilbert Arenas and leading Philadelphia to a 112-105 victory over Washington.

Arenas scored a season-high 36 points in a game featuring two of the most exciting guards in the Eastern Conference.

Iverson had more than his share of misses _ 12-for-29 from the field _ but he never stopped shooting, and made 14 of 18 free throws. The 76ers went 24-for-26 from the line in the second half.

Arenas was 11-for-24 from the field, but was just 3-of-11 in the second half and fouled out in the final seconds.

The 76ers played without starters Glenn Robinson (sprained ankle) and Kenny Thomas (bruised back), and Derrick Coleman didn't play the second half because of the strained left knee.

Celtics 78, Pacers 76

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) Vin Baker hit a fallaway jumper in the lane with 20 seconds left to lift Boston past Indiana.

Paul Pierce led the Celtics with 19 points, nine assists and six rebounds, and Baker had 12 points and four rebounds.

Jermaine O'Neal had 25 points and 11 rebounds for Indiana. The Pacers lost for the first time in six games to drop to 6-2.

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Ron Artest controlled his temper after losing a tooth following a hard collision with Derrick Coleman, and then coolly sank a pair a free throws.

One of the NBA's most excitable players is behaving himself these days, and the Indiana Pacers are reaping the benefits.

``Tonight is an indication of the new and improved Ron,'' teammate Reggie Miller said.

Artest scored 30 points and had 10 rebounds to lead the Pacers to their fifth straight win, an 85-74 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday night.

``I'm just having fun,'' Artest said.

Artest led the league in flagrant-foul points last season and missed 12 games because of suspensions. This year, Artest has had no flagrants or technicals called on him _ so far.

``A couple of things were blown out of proportion,'' Artest said. ``I'm just here to play basketball.''

In other games, it was: Detroit 98, New Jersey 84; Atlanta 91, Seattle 81; Boston 91, Sacramento 82; and Toronto 89, Denver 76.

The Pacers are 4-0 in road games this season, their best start in the NBA. The 1971-72 Pacers started that ABA season 7-0 away from home.

Late in the fourth, Artest drove down the baseline from the left side with his left arm fully extended when Coleman collided with him under the basket.

Artest crashed to the floor, holding his face and was down for a few minutes. He lost a tooth and had a swollen lip but instead of retaliating against Coleman, Artest made two free throws for a 71-66 lead.

``I think last year's Ron would have probably took out a couple of fans in the front row,'' Miller said.

Later, he hit another 3-pointer for an 80-70 lead and the Pacers cruised from there.

Jermaine O'Neal added 23 points and 10 rebounds for the Pacers, whose 13-point first-quarter lead turned into a five-point deficit entering the fourth quarter.

But Artest and O'Neal led the Pacers on an 18-4 run.

Allen Iverson scored 37 points for the Sixers on 15-for-30 shooting, but had little offensive help.

``Once we got the lead, we kind of relaxed a little bit,'' Iverson said. ``We didn't keep fighting. We didn't try to finish the game.''

The NBA has suspended Hawks guard Jason Terry for tonight's game against the New Orleans Hornets for throwing an elbow at guard Anthony Johnson in Saturday's 103-99 overtime loss against the Indiana Pacers.

Miller suffered soft tissue damage in his lower back near his tailbone while warming up for Friday's home opener with Milwaukee. He played 20 minutes that night, but had to leave the game in the third period.