The Pacers may be short a substantial amount of players for tonight?s game at Philadelphia, most of them with flu-like symptoms.

Below is a list of players who are displaying flu-like symptoms and are questionable for tonights game:

Jermaine O?Neal
David Harrison
Anthony Johnson
Jamal Tinsley

Sam Smith of the Chicago Tribune is reporting that the Indiana Pacers are discussing a potential deal that would send Ron Artest to Atlanta in exchange for Antoine Walker.

Smith goes on to say that Larry Bird has always admired Walker's talent and could make the deal to give Indiana a legitimate shot at the finals this season.

The Pacers were defeated by the Pistons on Thursday night, dropping them under .500.  With the loss, the Pacers lost their third straight and their fifth out of their last seven games.

``I've got to stay positive with this group,'' coach Rick Carlisle said. ``There are a lot of games to play and this team will get better.''

Jermaine O'Neal finished with 27 points for the Pacers.  

Also, Reggie Miller rebuked reports that he has privately revealed that he had plans of retiring at season's end.

``If and when, I'll have the first conversation with Charles (Barkley) and Cheryl Miller,'' he said, referring to his sister. ``Right now, I'm considering getting us off a three-game losing streak. I'll be there all year. That's the only thing I'm focused on.''

The rivalry of the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers will have another chapter to speak of on Thursday nights as Larry Brown's club visits Conseco Fieldhouse.

The Pacers are playing fresh off the return on Stephen Jackson, while the Pistons are featuring newly acquired point guard Carlos Arroyo.

The Pistons and Pacers played without incident on Christmas Day, their first contest after the brawl that occurred in Detroit.

Stephen Jackson's return to the Pacers' line-up wasn't enough for the club to defeat the Celtics in Boston, as they were defeated by a final score of 100-86.

Jackson returned from suspension and scored 17 points in 38 minutes of play.

``I felt like a kid. I'm back and I'm happy to be back,'' Jackson said. ``I was pumped, excited to be out there. But as the game went on, my shots fell shorter and shorter from the rim. You have to be out there to get in shape.''

Mark Montieth of the Indianapolis Star reports that not only did Ron Artest return to the Pacers practice court on Monday, but so did the media and Artest was not talking.

The Pacers view Artest's return as mutually beneficial. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year will don a white jersey and work with the second and third teams the rest of the season, doing what he can to raise the competitive level and make teammates better.

He also will try to improve his game. He has been working with coaches on the court, and has enhanced his conditioning with swimming, Pilates and yoga. He worked privately with teammate Stephen Jackson, who just finished his 30 game suspension and is eligable to play Wednesday, on Sunday and was the first player on the court Monday morning.

"After sitting home watching the media and hearing all this (stuff) he needs to be with his team where people care about him," Jackson said. "Being around the team is the best thing for him.

"It's good for him and for us. We need him. We got in this situation because we were supporting our team. To not support him now would be defeating the purpose of fighting in Detroit."

A spectator who police say was involved in November's Pacers-Pistons brawl had his case in court today.

Police say 21-year-old Charlie Haddad of Burt, Michigan, was punched by two players during the brawl. Haddad today pleaded no contest to violating a local ordinance that prohibits fans from entering the basketball court during an NBA game.

He's scheduled to be sentenced March 16th.

The good news for Indiana Pacer fans is Stephen Jackson has completed his 30 game suspension and will be able to take his place in the Pacers lineup when the team meets the Boston Celtics on Wednesday.

Excluding injuries, Jackson's return leaves only Ron Artest unavailable to the team but the NBA did allow the reigning defensive player of the year to begin practicing with his teammates.

Pacers president Donnie Walsh told ESPN.com on Friday that Ron Artest will begin practicing with the team as early as Monday.

"When the original suspensions came down, the league wouldn't allow Ron to practice with team this season," Walsh told ESPN.com. "We went to them with Ronnie and made our case that they can't disallow him to practice. It wasn't healthy. You're isolating him. He's a part of our team, and we felt like it was doing unnecessary damage to him and the team by not even allowing him in the building."

The league eventually relented, and the Pacers are welcoming the 25-year-old forward back.  This does not at all mean that the NBA has reduced the suspension.

Center Scot Pollard was activated on Friday while the Pacers placed rookie center David Harrison was placed on the injured list with a concussion.

Pollard has been out of action since Dec. 3 with a sore lower back, an injury that started with a fall against Minnesota on Nov. 25.