Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Hibbert continues to turn back challengers

The Pacers defeated to the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers 91-76 in a special Wednesday afternoon game on New Year's Eve. The Pacers are now 25-5 while the Cavaliers are 10-21.
The Big Plays
The Pacers pulled away with a 19-6 run from the 10:26 mark of the fourth quarter until the 4-minute mark of the game. And has often been the case this season, only usually it has happened in the third quarter, Paul George played a key role in those game-deciding minutes by scoring eight of those 19 points. He started it with a three-point play and then scored five straight points later on to put the Pacers up by 11 and that was essentially the game as the Pacers outscored the Cavs 26-10 in the fourth quarter. George finished with a game-high 21 for the Pacers.
The Ups
Pacers center Roy Hibbert was up to the challenge against the Cavaliers.
1) It's not like Roy Hibbert had been missing in action or anything close to that in recent games. Offensively, there had been the combination of George and Lance Stephenson getting most of the attention and playing at a high level. Defensively, teams have learned to shy away from the middle when Hibbert is in there. It's a credit to the respect he has earned around the league and most teams simply don't test him, a big reason he had only had three or more blocks in a game just twice in the last 16 games. But the Cavaliers seemed to come in with the idea that they were going to challenge Hibbert Wednesday and he had three blocks in the first half and finished with five for the game, the eighth time this season he has had five or more in a game. Hibbert also made a major impact on the offensive end with 19 points. And what was especially significant is that a couple of times when the defense slacked off of Hibbert near the top of the key, he looked very comfortable stepping up and hitting that 18-foot shot. I'm not saying he's Rik Smits when it comes to hitting those kind of shots, or that the shot should be a first option, but the fact his confidence is growing at taking those, and he's making them more often, is a big plus for the Pacers offense because defenses are not going to come out that far to guard him. What any Pacers fan has to like about Hibbert though, is that he doesn't need a certain amount of touches on offense to play well. And also, that when the Pacers do have the mismatch advantage with Hibbert on offense, that he more often than not has delivered when called upon.
2) The defense here and especially that of point guard George Hill against the Cavaliers
 Kyrie Irving was a key factor in this game. Sure, it's never just one guy when comes to shutting down the opponent's best player, but it started with Hill. In Irving's previous three games he had scored 27, 32 and 40 points on 39 of 74 shooting from the field. On Wednesday afternoon, Irving finished 3-for-9 shooting with just 10 points. Yes, Irving missed a few minutes late in the game with a knee injury, but he seemed fine when he returned. The Pacers defense clearly made his basketball life difficult in this game. It was also the eighth time that the Pacers have held an opponent to 80 points or less this season.
3) This was without question Danny Granger's best game since he returned to the Pacers active roster. He finished with 12 points on 3-for-7 shooting, so the numbers don't jump off the page here. But he was more aggressive at taking the ball to the basket on offense and also seemed to fit better into what was going on when he was on the court. The previous four games, he seemed to be still trying to find his way out there. And yes, he does still have some more finding to do, but he took a big step in the right direction. Just for the record, in his five games back, the Pacers have won by 33, 27, 17, 14 and 15 points. A big percentage of that is coincidental, but part of it is not.
The Downs
1) The Pacers had some trouble keeping the Cavaliers off the offensive boards in this one. The Cavaliers had 12 offensive rebounds for the game and five of those came in the first quarter, when the Cavaliers scored 25 points. The Pacers got this area taken care of pretty much the rest of the game, but it was just a little reminder that it's an area they cannot let down in.
2) When you have the No. 1 overall pick in the draft these days you're not thinking that it's a project type situation. But it appears that's what has happened with the Cavaliers and rookie Anthony Bennett. He has not scored in 16 of the Cavaliers 31 games this season and was a virtual non-factor Wednesday afternoon. And for sure, numbers don't tell the whole story when it comes to rookies. Sometimes, you know a guy is going to be good, but maybe just needs some time to figure out the NBA style. I can't say that's the case with Bennett. After watching him in two games against the Pacers and here and there against other teams, the Cavaliers have to be wondering why they didn't take either of former Indiana University stars Victor Oladipo, who is averaging 13 points a game, or even Cody Zeller, who is averaging just under six points a game, but has shown he clearly belongs in the league and has plenty of room for growth.
Afterthoughts
Often on New Year's Eve, people like to look ahead and think about what they can do better. For the Pacers, maybe this is a time to look back for a second and see how far they have come. After 30 games last the season the Pacers had established themselves as a good team with a 17-13 record, but it was one game worse than the 18-12 mark from the previous year. And then three seasons ago, they were 13-17 when Jim O'Brien was still the so-called coach. So, just the fact they are eight games ahead of last season's mark is quite a statement and is proof there is genuine reason for Pacers fans to be excited for the possibilities of 2014.
Next Up
The Pacers travel to Toronto for a 7 p.m. game Wednesday night. The Raptors had a 13-15 record going into their Tuesday night game at Chicago. They had won four of their last five going into that contest. The Pacers defeated the Raptors 91-84 back on Nov. 8 when they improved their record to 6-0. The Raptors are led by DeMar DeRozan at 21 points per game, point guard Kyle Lowery at almost 16 points and over 7 assists, Amir Johnson at 11.5 points and 7 rebounds and Jonas Valanciunas at over 10 points and eight rebounds.

Saturday, December 28, 2013

Hill more than a threat in this win over Nets

The Pacers defeated the Brooklyn Nets for the second straight game, this one in Indianapolis, by a 105-91 score Saturday night. The Pacers improved to 24-5 while the the Nets fell to 10-19.
The Big Plays
The Pacers led by two at the half and then outscored the nets 14-5 to start the third quarter and were in control the rest of the way. Paul George also had a four-point play late in the second quarter that broke at 47-47 tie. While the Nets did comeback to tie it at 56-56 before Lance Stephenson hit two free throws with seven seconds left in the first half, the Pacers never trailed again. The Nets were certainly more game this time than they played the Pacers Monday, but the Pacers scored over 100 points for the the fourth straight game, which makes one of the league's top defensive teams tough to beat when it reaches the century mark.
The Ups
Pacers guard George Hill scored 21 points
and did not have a turnover in Saturday's win.
1) Pacers point guard George Hill had his best game in over a month by scoring 21 points with four assists and three rebounds and no turnovers. Hill had not scored more than 13 points in a game since Nov. 25 when he scored 26 against Minnesota. The Pacers don't need Hill to be a big scorer every night, but they do need him to be a legitimate threat and to not turn the ball over. There's been some talk on whether Hill is a good enough point guard for the Pacers to win a championship. Given the balance this team has, I think he is, but there's no question they do need him to play better more consistently.
2) It's become a regular thing here, but Lance Stephenson continued his stellar play and he has now become a player the Pacers can count on to deliver. He finished with 23 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. But what I liked about this game is that when Stephenson returned to the floor with about five minutes to go in the fourth quarter, he didn't force the whole triple-double issue, even though the the sellout crowd was understandably hoping he would get it. But it seems Stephenson gets it now, gets that he's a better player when he plays under control and gets that the team is more important than his individual stats.
3) While the bench is better now that Danny Granger has returned, one player who has stepped up defensively in recent games is backup center Ian Mahinmi. This is not about getting more blocked shots. It's about the fact that Mahinmi is starting to understand the defensive rotations and react appropriately. There was a play early in the fourth quarter where Mahinmi was defending on the high post and noticed a Nets play developing into a back door play. Mahinmi noticed what was happening and left his man to go defend on the play. He doesn't have to be scorer with the second unit the way it is now, but they do need him to defend every night.
The Downs
1) The Pacers defense was definitely a little off in the first half. It was probably due to a combination of things. One, is that they were playing the Nets for the second straight game and they had beaten the Nets handily in Brooklyn and the Nets didn't want to get embarrassed again. And two, the Pacers were coming off a five-day break and while the offense looked good for most of the night, the defensive rotations just weren't what they had been in the previous three games. But they did recover and allowed the Nets just 40 points in the second half.
2) Pacers big men David West and Roy Hibbert combined for 10 of the team's 17 turnovers Saturday night. Teams may try to double team them more often now, like the Nets did Hibbert Saturday, so they will have to be ready to make that extra pass and understand just exactly where it needs to go. And that will also depend not just on West and Hibbert being willing to make the pass, but teammates being set up in the right places to receive those passes to swing the ball to the open man.
3) The Nets are a frustrated team. On Monday, it was Paul Pierce getting a Flagrant 2 foul and ejected for a hard foul on Hill. And then at the end of Saturday's game there was Reggie Evans taking a cheap shot at Pacers center Roy Hibbert. We get it if you're a frustrated with the season Nets, but that's no excuse to take cheap shots at teams that are better than you.
Afterthoughts
Since their defeat at Miami last week, the Pacers have now won by margins of 33, 27, 17 and 14 points. There's just hasn't been any late-game drama, and really, when the Pacers are playing in the Easteren Conference, and unless they are playing the Heat or having an uncharacteriscally bad game, it's going to be that way most nights. It's a credit to how good the Pacers are and nobody should blame them for that.
Next Up
The Pacers play again in a 3 p.m. New Year's Eve game Tuesday against the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers, who are 10-19. The Cavaliers are led by guard Kyrie Irving at just over 22 points and six assists per game. The Cavs also have guard Dion Waiters at just over 15 points and power forward Tristan Thompson at 12 points and just under 10 rebounds per game. The Cavaliers are also in a bit of disarray as they have suspended center Andrew Bynum and are reportedly looking to trade him now. But you have to wonder how much they will get in return for a player they clearly don't want on their team.

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Christmas break a Christmas present for Pacers

Many NBA and Pacers fans were upset the Pacers weren't one of the teams selected to play in the five Christmas Day games. We were subjected, if you chose to watch, to the Nets and Knicks and the Lakers, though give the lesser team in L.A. right now some credit for giving the Heat a good battle.
This is Pacers backup center
Ian Mahinmi
This is Pacers starting center
Roy Hibbert.
And this isn't to blame anyone who would have rather have watched the Pacers or the Portland Trail Blazers play Wednesday. Maybe some could be surprised that the Blazers are 23-5. And while it's OK to be a bit surprised that the Pacers have the same record, the fact that they took the Heat to seven games in the Eastern Conference Finals last year should have been a clue to TV and NBA prognosticators that they were going to be at least one of the best teams in the East this season, if not the entire league. And someone at ESPN.com didn't have a clue when promoting Pacers center Roy Hibbert and Blazers guard C.J. McCollum to take over the ESPNNBA twitter account Wednesday
and used Pacers backup center Ian Mahinmi's photo instead of Hibbert's, before it was eventually corrected. Maybe just another example of how the team tied for the best record in the league can fly under the radar. But flying under the radar here is actually a very good thing for the Pacers.
At just past the one-third mark of the season, it's about the time of year when players start to get those nagging injuries that aren't big enough to keep them from playing, but maybe do keep them from playing at their best. There are the little scrapes on the shooting elbow, maybe a sore leg muscle or sore knee, or a sprained ankle that isn't terrible, but also won't allow a player to make that little extra move to get open or to get in position to grab a key rebound or steal. It gives them some time to get some physical healing and keep minor issues from turning into major issues.
Then, too, there is the mental side of it. NBA training camps start in early September and now that winter is here and teams are beginning to get into the so-called dogs days of the schedule, the reality is that they are not mentally going to be at their best in every game. That's not a criticism of the Pacers, or any other of the top teams, it's just part of the natural evolution of an 82-game season. Though, yes, they are paid an exorbitant amount of money, players are still human and have lives and things to deal with off the court. And while the Pacers appear to be pretty good at keeping off-court and on-court issues separate, it's important to remember that NBA players are people, too, who have bad days and good days just like everybody else.
So, these few days off, hopefully, give the players a chance to take care of at least some of those issues. It also gives them a couple of days where they don't have to think about basketball, who they are going to guard that night or the next day, just how to play a pick and roll, or just how on offense to attack a team's weak spot.
That Pacers coach Frank Vogel gave the team a couple of days off  here was a good move. Everybody needs break from the grind every now and then, no matter what the occupation. It also gives Vogel and the Pacers staff a chance to evaluate certain areas they need to work on. The list isn't as long as in past seasons, but there is always a list. All you have to do is listen to assistant coach Dan Burke on the Pacers TV broadcasts just before the second half starts to know the team can still get better. He tells it like it is and that's a good thing. Besides Vogel, maybe he's one of the reasons this team's players are always looking to improve.
But a break from it all, the expectations that others have for them, and the expectations the players and staff have for themselves, that's a good thing. It's like an All-Star break a month-and-a-half before the All-Star break. And considering the Pacers will likely have multiple representatives at that game in February, there was no better time for a break then now.
So, yes, if you want to complain about some not-so-good NBA teams playing on Christmas Day, you'd certainly be right in doing so. But also thank the schedule makers for giving the Pacers a nice little break here that most teams would love to have at this stage of the season.



Monday, December 23, 2013

Forget the flash, Stephenson's game has substance, too

The Pacers defeated the host Brooklyn Nets 103-86 Monday night to improve to 23-5 on the season. The Nets fell to 9-18.
The Big Picture
The Pacers grabbed the lead for good in the second quarter and led by six at halftime. Then they had one of their patented third quarters outscoring the Nets 30-19, including building the lead to as much as 24 points. The Nets played with a little spunk and had the ball and a chance to cut it to 13 or 12 early in the fourth quarter, but they missed and that was that.
The Ups
1) Lance Stephenson continued his stretch of good games and this was probably especially big to him as it came in his hometown of Brooklyn where he tied his career high with 26 points. In his last six games Stephenson has shot 45-84, but the main thing is that he has his confidence back and is having fun on the court. And whether it rubs opponents the wrong way or not at times, there's nothing wrong with having some fun when playing a game. One of Stephenson's best plays Monday night though, wasn't one of his spectacular passes, but in the first half when he was leading a 3 on 2 fast break. He stopped at the free-throw line and made the wide open jumper. In past years, maybe even last year, he would at times go straight to the basket and really force the issue when he didn't need to. Here he didn't need too and settled for an easy two points. And also, playing this game in Brooklyn a year ago, he really had to fight himself from being too fired up to play well. But this time, he was calm when he needed to be and spectacular at other times. And just his teammate Roy Hibbert tweeted earlier Monday, you've got to look at Stephenson in the most improved category.
Paul George scored 26 points to help the Pacers
to another easy victory, this one in Brooklyn.
2) When Larry Bird returned as the Pacers president his first move was to sign C.J. Watson as the backup point guard. It may not have seemed like a big deal at that time, but Watson has not only had consistent effort but has played consistently well. He's a natural at knowing when to make the pass on the fast break and he also puts defensive pressure on the other team's point guard, sometimes making it difficult for the other team's reserves to get into their offense. And he's also a threat from 3-point range.
3) Paul George has emerged from a mini slump to return to the form the Pacers need him to be at. It's especially good when the Pacers have a halftime lead of any sort, and then he comes out in the third quarter firing away like he has the last two nights and basically helps put the game away for the Pacers. He finished with 26 points Monday night. Not an off the charts night, just what we've come to expect from George and what he expects from himself, too.
4) Danny Granger had very little, if anything, to do with this victory. It was his first time playing the second night of a back-to-back games and he finished 0-7 from the floor. However, in his first three games back the Pacers have won by an average of 26.7 points per game. Just sayin'.
The Downs
1) The obvious one here was the Nets' Paul Pierce Flagrant 2 foul on a George Hill layup. He didn't even pretend to make a play on the ball and the only reason the officials had to really look at it on the video is because they have to before they can make that call. Just because Pierce is on a bad team now doesn't give him an excuse to make bad plays like that.
2) The only thing I didn't like about the Pacers' part of the game is that with Nets center Brook Lopez out the Pacers didn't take advantage of Roy Hibbert's size early in the game. They did get it inside some to David West, who did his usual yeoman's job and finished with 13 points on 6 of 8 shooting. Hibbert didn't even get his first shot until late in the second quarter and that shouldn't happen in a mismatch game like this.
3) I've had a great deal of respect for the Nets' Kevin Garnett over the years, but he missed so many easy shots Monday night, I'd have to say the Celtics pretty much picked the right time to trade him. He still gives the effort, but after 19 years in the league, the skills start to go. It's an unfortunate fact of basketball life.
Afterthoughts
The Pacers have reached their first clear breaking point in the season with five days off now. They most likely would have signed off for a 23-5 record at just past the one-third mark of the season. The Pacers aren't a perfect team here, but they are certainly the most balanced of the league's elite. The Heat have Lebron, of course, the Thunder have Westbrook and Durant, the Spurs have Duncan and Parker, the Blazers have Lillard and Aldridge and the Clippers have Paul and Griffin, but do offer more balance the others, except for the Pacers. What will be interesting to see is how this plays out later in the season. But based on what has happened so far, the Pacers without question belong in that elite mix.
Next Up
The Pacers have five days off before they play host to the Nets. Normally, it's difficult to win both ends of a back-to-back against the same team. But since there are five days in between games, and since it's the Nets and since Pacers coach Frank Vogel is giving the team a couple of days off here, I'd be stunned if the Pacers didn't come away with another easy win Saturday night.


Sunday, December 22, 2013

Stephenson, Pacers have reason to feel good

The Pacers defeated the Boston Celtics 106-79 Sunday night and improved to 22-5 on the season. The Celtics fell to 12-17.
The Big Picture
For the second straight game the Pacers took an early lead and dominated a game at home. They have now won their last two games by a combined total of 60 points. The Pacers pulled away in this one in the second quarter and led by 15 at halftime. They built the lead to 22 points by the end of the third quarter as Paul George scored 18 of his 24 points in the third quarter.
The Ups
Lance Stephenson had his third triple double of the season
as the Pacers cruised to their second straight easy victory.
1) There were lots of good things in this one and well, you have to start with Lance Stephenson here. He earned his third triple double of the season with 12 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. While his numbers deserve attention, his 18-footer from the top of the key in the fourth quarter, the ankle breaking move he used to get himself open, and the dance that came afterward will all be highlight worthy. The good news here is this was Stephenson's fourth straight excellent game. If he continues on this path, it will only mean good things for the Pacers. That it has come at the same time as Danny Granger's potential and then eventual return may or may not be coincidence. But for now it's hard to imagine Stephenson not being a starter, especially with his ability to play some point guard when starter George Hill needs a bit of break from the position while still in the game.  The only thing to beware of is that Stephenson's post-shot and post-great pass antics will likely rub some opponents the wrong way, so he's got to be ready for some hard fouls that will come because of that. But a confident Lance is a good Lance, whether you like the way he dances or not.
2) We've heard for a bit that when Danny Granger comes back to expect a slow start for him. That would be understandable considering he played only five games last season, meaning he missed 102 games before returning to action this year.While Granger was just 1 for 7 in his first game back Friday night, he came back with 12 points on 4 of 8 shooting including hitting 4 of 5 from 3-point range. We could say that having that kind of threat coming off the bench would put the Pacers among the league's elite. But they already were before Granger's return. Now, the Pacers' bench could be among the league's best to go with an already elite starting unit. They Pacers reserves scored 40 points Sunday night.
3) The return of the defense has been good to see. After holding the high-scoring Rockets to 81 Friday night, they followed with another top defensive effort. Sure, the Celtics aren't the Trail Blazers or Thunder, but it's good to see the Pacers not play down to the level of the competition in these last two games.
4) It was nice to see the Pacers do a tribute to former Pacer star Clark Kellogg on the video board before the game (to be fair I was not at that game, but did see the video the Pacers posted on Facebook). During most of Kellogg's playing days, which were cut short by bad knees, he was one of the few reasons to go see the team. He hit an offensive rebound shot as time expired to beat the then championship-level Celtics team (and yes, I was at that game) and that was back in Larry Bird's prime when about 50 percent or more of the crowd was rooting and for the Celtics. But that basket had almost all of Market Square Arena cheering for the Pacers and it was in that moment that I thought, you know, maybe someday, the Pacers will win an NBA title. Maybe those days are upon us.
The Downs
1) It's hard to find any downs here and be too serious about it. You know, reserve guard Donald Sloan was the only player to not score missing his only shot from the floor. Had he hit that shot, the Pacers would have shot over 50 percent for the game. But, you still have to love Sloan if for nothing else than simply that he tweets "I'm up" each day when he wakes up.
Afterthoughts
What looks to be the Pacers most difficult 10-game stretch of the season ended with a win over the Rockets Friday night. And now we may be seeing the benefits of playing difficult competition over an extended number of games. When you play against the Clippers, Blazers, Thunder and Heat twice in that stretch, win or lose, you can't help but get better by playing against such high quality teams. It's just a matter of playing the same way no matter who the opponents are and the Pacers have done that with regularity this season.
Next Up
The Pacers play at Brooklyn Monday night. The Nets are 9-17 on the season and received bad news over the weekend that center Brook Lopez was out for the season. He had been their leading scorer at 20 points a game. The one thing that could be a bit dangerous here for the Pacers is that teams are sometimes a little more dangerous for a couple of games after they lose a top player and before reality starts setting in. The Nets still do have point guard Deron Williams, shooting guard Joe Johnson and small forward Paul Pierce. They are all capable of getting hot and carrying a team at times, so it will be important for the Pacers to continue to play the same kind of defense they have in these last two games.

Friday, December 20, 2013

Pacers have a blast against the Rockets

The Pacers defeated the visiting Houston Rockets 114-81 to improve to 21-5 on the season. The Rockets fell to 17-10.
The Big Picture
The Pacers returned to the form they have played with for much of the season in this win as it was all about defense. The Pacers outscored the Rockets 31-20 in the third quarter and put the game away with a 21-6 run in the middle part of the quarter that was capped by a Paul George 3-pointer and then break away dunk to put the Pacers up by 26 points.
The Ups
1) Point guard George Hill had without question been in a slump for the last few games. But he returned to form on both the offensive and defensive ends and was big a key in this win. Hill hit 5 of 8 shots, made some nice passes, especially including a nice set up to David West in the third quarter, and finished with five assists.  It's the kind of confident play that the Pacers will need from him if they want to earn the best record in the East.
Danny Granger played for the Pacers for the first time
this season and had five points on 1 of 7 shooting.
2) Even if Danny Granger didn't do a lot in this game, it was good news for the Pacers that he was back on the court and active, even coming from behind and blocking a Dwight Howard shot in the first half. It's going to take Granger a while to get his shot and offensive rhythm back, but you've got to start somewhere. If Granger can stay healthy now after playing just five games last season and needing a second knee operation, and if he can return to somewhere close to the player he was two seasons ago, and if he can easily accept a role off the bench, then it's like picking up a very good player in a trade without having to make a trade. Yes, that's a lot of ifs, and it's hard to say what the biggest one is. But there's no doubt that a good Granger could make the Pacers' bench one of the best in the league.
3) Paul George didn't have his greatest game offensively, but he's got the number of the Rockets' James Harden on defense. George held Harden, who is averaging over 24 points per game, to 25 percent shooting in their two meetings last year. Then held Harden, who in his defense is playing on a sore ankle, to 3 for 14 shooting Friday night. And maybe it was no coincidence that George's offense was good too in this game, finishing with 24 points on 7 of 16 of shooting.
4) The extra pass turned out to be a big thing in this game. The Pacers had 29 assists on 43 made baskets. The good shooting and good passing go hand in hand. And then, too, that allows the defense to get set up in good position, regardless of whether the shot is made. It all works together and the Pacers had it all working on this night.
The Downs
1) There's not much to not like in this game, and yes, this is certainly nit-picking about the team's assist leader. In the first half Lance Stephenson had the ball at the top of the 3-point circle and Luis Scola broke free and was wide open under the basket. Stephenson chose to shoot the 3-pointer and he did make it. But it still wasn't the right play. You can bet the coaching staff will point that out to Stephenson on the film. Stephenson continued his string of good games Friday night with 16 points, six rebounds and six assists, but if a guy's wide open under the basket you have to make that pass. Overall, you still have to like Stephenson's game and he definitely deserves to start even if Granger can return to something close to his old form. But with his ability to pass the ball, it's hard to believe Stephenson didn't see Scola open there.
Afterthoughts
This was the kind of Pacers team fans have become accustomed to seeing for the first 20 or so games of the season, before it started allowing over 98 points a game in December. That was partly due to the schedule and the quality of teams they were playing, but it was also partly due to losing a some focus on defense. The Rockets came in averaging 107 points a game and were held 26 under their average. And this kind of win was especially nice to see after the disappointing loss at Miami Wednesday night. The Pacers finished what looks to be their toughest 10-game stretch of the season with a 6-4 record. It would have been nice to get that second Miami game, but it's certainly not a disaster considering the stretch included games at the Clippers, Trail Blazers, Spurs, Thunder and Heat.
Next Up
The Pacers host the Celtics in a 6 p.m. game Sunday night. The Celtics have been a bit of surprise this year and coach Brad Stevens,  the former Butler coach, is certainly one of the reasons for that. Boston has a 12-15 record and is not contending for the worst record in the league as many suspected it might before the season. The Celtics are led by Jeff Green at 16.4 points, Jared Sullinger at 14 points and seven rebounds, Jordan Crawford at just under 14 points and 5.5 assists and Avery Bradley at 13.5 points.

Thursday, December 19, 2013

This is the one that got away for Pacers

The visiting Pacers lost to the Miami Heat 97-94 Wednesday night. The Pacers fell to 20-5 and the Heat improved to 19-6 in the battle for the best record in the Eastern Conference.
The Big Picture
Paul George returned to form for the Pacers
by scoring 25 points, but it wasn't enough
to defeat the Heat in Miami Wednesday night.
There's a lot to take from this game. The Pacers came out from the beginning, even with those early turnovers, and set the tone. They certainly weren't intimidated and were ready to play. They built the lead to double digits in the second quarter and were up by as much as 15 in the third quarter. The Pacers were even up 7 with 3:21 remaining, but the Heat went on a 10-0 run that included back-to-back 3-pointers by Chris Bosh and Ray Allen to take the lead for good.
The Ups
1) Well, yes, it was good to see Paul George return to form after a couple of down games. The Pacers need him to be that MVP-type player that he was in the first 20 or so games of the season. And it was especially good to see this happen in a game getting a lot of attention (ESPN gave it something similar to Super Bowl pre-game coverage). And despite the loss, George played the way the Pacers need him to with his 25 points, eight rebounds and six assists. And regardless of whether there should have been a foul called on that last play of the game, it was good to see the Pacers look for George in that situation and for him to take that shot.
2) It's hard to say this after a defeat, because the Pacers are all about winning, but it was good to see them return to the style of play that they have had for much of the season. It was a slower pace and gave them a chance to use their size and to get open looks for George. I think it's safe to say that if the Pacers had played like this against Detroit on Monday they would have won. Now it's just a matter of getting that consistency back for every game. If that happens (and I think it will) the Pacers will be right in the mix when it comes to going for the best record in the East when these two teams meet again March 26.
The Downs
1) I saw a graphic the other day about which teams are best at scoring coming out of timeouts. The Pacers were right in the middle of the pack. So, it's not been a disaster. But their last two possessions of the game were unorganized, and it was especially disheartening to see George Hill and Paul George not be on the same page on that next-to-last possession that resulted in a key turnover.That's one of those things that hasn't happened a lot this year partly because the Pacers have not been in a lot of close games. But it's definitely something they need to work on as the season progresses. It will be important coming into the playoffs that Pacers coach Frank Vogel and the players have a firm understanding of what they want to do on late possessions in games. They all need to be on the same page and they all need to know what adjustments to make to defenses in mid-possession.
2) It was the first game the Pacers have played this year that was decided by three points or less. That's not a big deal as much as this is one that they know they let get away. It doesn't matter who the opponent is, if you are up by 7 in the final three or four minutes of the game, you should win. The Pacers have often played so well in games that they have not been close at the end and there haven't been these late game surges by opponents. So hopefully they will be able to use this game as bit of learning experience in how to finish games on both the offensive and defensive ends.
3) The Pacers have generally dominated the Heat on the boards in the last couple of years, so the fact that the Heat won this battle 37-36 was a bit of an issue for the Pacers. It's an area where the Pacers have not been their dominant selves lately, so let's hope they can find their old rebounding form.
4) And finally, I had to be in the car for part of this game and flipped over to the Miami radio announcers for a couple of minutes. They were constantly complaining about how they were "getting mugged" and not getting calls in the second quarter. Pretty laughable to hear that from the Miami perspective. And pretty easy to switch back over to Pacers play-by-play guy Mark Boyle, who you know likes to the see Pacers win, but doesn't look at the game through Pacer-colored glasses either.
Afterthoughts
The Pacers lost the game, but they may have found themselves again. If not for some abnormal things happening here they would have won the game. They had Roy Hibbert in foul trouble for much of the second half, which without question hurts the interior defense. Then you had Allen and Bosh wake up and hit 3-pointers late, something that hadn't happened all game as the Heat finished 5-for 21 from behind the arc. So you can't kill the Pacers defense on this. Allen probably should have retired after last season as he's certainly no better of a player than Rasual Butler is for the Pacers, but even at this advanced stage of his career Allen will hit a 3-pointer on occasion when left wide open. This one hurt a little for the Pacers, no doubt. But maybe it will help them grow into a better team.
Next Up
The Pacers return home and face the Houston Rockets in an 8 p.m. game Friday on ESPN. The Rockets come in with a 17-9 record. They have been led by left-handed guard James Harden at 24.4 points per game. Also center Dwight Howard is average 17 points and 13 rebounds and forward Chandler Parsons is averaging 17 points while shooting 51 percent from the field, including 41 percent from 3-point range. Harden is questionable with a sprained ankle, but did play Wednesday night. The Rockets also hope to get starting point guard Jeremy Lin back, who has missed some games with a bad back. Lin is average 14 points and four assists per game.
And the Pacers could get a boost from the expected (once again) return of forward Danny Granger, their former all-star who played just five games last season and has had two knee surgeries.

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Have the Pacers lost some of their identity?

The Pacers lost to the visiting Detroit Pistons Monday night 101-96. The Pacers fell to 20-4, losing their first home game of the season, while the Pistons improved to 12-14.
The Big Picture
The Pacers flirted with the bitter taste of defeat at home Friday, when the narrowly defeated the Charlotte Bobcats. This time they not only flirted with defeat, they took her on out on a nice date and treated her quite well. The Pistons jumped out to an early lead and while the Pacers challenged at times, and even had the game tied at times, they never get over the hump. The Pacers seemed to have learned a few lessons this season in the midst of victory. And maybe this lesson will hit home a little more now, as the home crowd, this one of 15,443 fans, left Bankers Life Fieldhouse disappointed for the first time this season. The Pistons led by 10 with 7:20 to go and the Pacers cut the lead to two twice in the final minutes, but couldn't come up with the key defensive stops they've been noted for making in the last two seasons.
The Ups
Pacers guard Lance Stephenson had 23 points, seven rebounds,
and six assists, but it wasn't enough against the Pistons.
1) One of the players you can't pin this loss on is Lance Stephenson. He essentially saved them in Friday's win over Charlotte and nearly, along with Luis Scola, did it again Monday night. Stephenson finished a regular-season career high of 23 points, with seven rebounds and six assists and no turnovers. He made clutch shots to keep the Pacers in the game and also made key passes at the right time, one of which center Roy Hibbert couldn't get a clean handle on causing Hibbert to miss a shot. One which Hibbert should have been able to haul in and score on. This one was tough to take, but it wasn't on Lance.
2) The bright spot on the night was the aforementioned Scola. The power forward came off the bench to score 18 points and had several key baskets in the fourth quarter to keep the Pacers in the game, including an offensive put back on a missed free throw that cut the deficit to two. It was one of those situations where you hated to see him come out of the game, but coach Frank Vogel left him for nearly the first nine minutes of the quarter, so maybe Scola was out of gas at that point. While Scola has been a major upgrade from Tyler Hansbrough at that spot from last year, it was also good to see Scola turn into a scorer when the Pacers needed it.
3) Well, whether we like to admit it or not, the other team always has something to do with how you play. The biggest thing here about the Pistons is that coach Maurice Cheeks has turned Brandon Jennings into a real-life point guard, as opposed to what Jennings was in a Milwaukee, which was a guard who liked to shoot way too much. And while, yes, Jennings still gets his shots, he's also become aware that he's got four teammates out there who are capable as well and the Pacers inability to contain him was a major factor in the outcome of this game.
The Downs
1) Somewhere along the way, maybe it was in Portland, the Pacers kind of lost their identity a bit. Vogel has fashioned his team as a smash mouth, defensive type of squad since he took over, and the team and fans have embraced that. But starting with the loss to Portland, the Pacers have allowed opponents to score 100 or more points four times in seven games (and that's not including allowing 94 to offensively challenged Charlotte) and have lost three of those games in that span. Their inability to come up with a way to contain Jennings and Josh Smith, who scored 30 points, Monday night was a bit disturbing. The fact that Smith came out and scored the first eight points of the second half gave the Pistons the confidence they needed and planted those seeds of doubt in the Pacers' minds. Sure, Smith hit a few difficult shots, but he was allowed to get some confidence early on with some easy looks at the basket. The Pacers need to get back to making it tough on the other team's offense from the second they step on the court, not when it's too late in the second half.
2) It's no secret that point guard George Hill has been in a bit of slump for the Pacers offensively. He had just seven points Monday night, but the big thing Monday was the defense. He had trouble containing the smaller Jennings allowing the Pistons point guard to get in the paint too often to either put up a shot or make a pass to an open teammate. Hill doesn't have to be a big offensive threat every game, but the point is where the defense starts. Maybe this was a game where the Pacers would have been better served to have C.J. Watson guard Jennings in the final minutes? It's hard to say, but Hill certainly had issues with his defense in this game and that's where they really need him to set the tone.
3) There's plenty of blame to go around here, too. Even though Jennings was getting inside and getting the Pacers big guys out of position, that was still no excuse to allow the Pistons to win the rebound battle 55-40 (at one point is was at 50-30), including a whopping 20 offensive rebounds to the Pistons. The Pacers allowed 10 rebounds to Woody Harrellson of all people (OK, we know his first name is Josh, but it sounded good for second didn't it?) Anybody whose watched any basketball for any length of time knows it's hard to win games when you give up that many extra possessions to the other team. The Pistons took advantage of it too, scoring 22 second-chance points.
Afterthoughts
It was sort of a big deal here that the Pacers lost a game for the first time this season that they were certainly expected to win, especially considering the Pistons were coming off an overtime loss to Portland the night before and that the Pacers had just had two days off. The bigger deal here will be to see how they react to this loss. It won't be easy to go down to Miami, who is no doubt still stinging a bit from losing to the Pacers last week in Indianapolis. But the reaction to defeat here will be key and will tell us a lot about this Pacers team. If they go down to Miami and get blown out, well, not a good sign. Win or lose, they need to go into Miami with the same attitude that Detroit came into Indiana with, that they're going to take it to the home team. My guess is that is what we will see Wednesday night.
Next Up
The Pacers visit Miami Wednesday night in a 7 p.m. game that will be on ESPN. The Pacers have yet to lose two straight this season, so this game against the defending champs will certainly put that to the test. The Heat have an 18-6 record, so it doesn't take a mathematician to figure out the Heat will be just one game back of the Pacers with a win. It should be another good regular season battle, with the winner feeling a little better about itself, but the loser also knowing there's still plenty of season to go.


Friday, December 13, 2013

Stephenson steps up at right time in this win

The Pacers defeated the Charlotte Bobcats 99-94 to improve their NBA best record to 20-3. Charlotte fell to 10-13.
The Big Picture
The Pacers flirted with defeat in this one, needing to hold off the Bobcats late in the game to secure the win and remain undefeated at home with an 11-0 mark. The Pacers used a 16-3 surge in the third quarter to build their lead to seven points, but the Bobcats hung around and were down just three by the end of the quarter. The Bobcats took a 90-89 lead with 5:16 to go and the Pacers took the lead for good at 91-90 with 4:18 to go on a sweet move by Stephenson. But that advantage was in jeopardy in the final minute as the Bobcats' Al Jefferson badly missed a shot that would have tied it, thanks to the defense of center Roy Hibbert. George Hill hit two free throws with 15.1 seconds left to put the Pacers up by four to secure the win.

Lance Stephenson had 20 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists
to help the Pacers hold off the Bobcats and remain undefeated at home.
The Ups
1) With Paul George having an unusual off night, the Pacers needed someone to step up and Lance Stephenson was up to the task. He finished with 20 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists, but it wasn't just a numbers game for him. He shot the ball with confidence and made some excellent passes (with the exception of one sort of crazy over the shoulder thing that nobody was sure about but it didn't lead to a turnover, so OK, I guess) and pushed the ball up the court on offense. Stephenson's best move came on a break late in the fourth quarter. He had the ball and was ahead of the rest of the team and waited on them to catch up. Then he settled down and posted up on Ben Gordon on the baseline, did a quick spin move for the layup and foul. Stephenson hit the free to give the Pacers the lead for good at 92-90.
2) This was a letdown game waiting to happen. After the big win over the Heat Tuesday night, the Pacers had a couple of days off and on this night they played like a team that had just come off a long five-game road trip, as opposed to playing like that in their first game back home Tuesday. But here's the good part: The Pacers were not into this game mentally or emotionally (at least not collectively) and they still found a way to win. That's yet another sign of a good team. No, you don't want to have a lot of nights like this, but they do happen in the course of an 82-game schedule. But when those nights come and you can still win, that bodes well for a team trying earn the best record in the East and possibly the NBA to have home court throughout the playoffs.
3) Pacers reserve forward Rasual Butler had played only 12 minutes in the first 22 games this season, but played 23 minutes Friday night. And he responded by giving them eight points in the first half. Along with C.J. Watson and Luis Scola, it gave the Pacers a third legitimate scorer off the bench, something they have not consistently had all season. And it's also good to see Coach Frank Vogel give a guy who spent the entire season in the D-League last year, and worked his way onto the team this year a shot to play some. It's a good message to send that if you work hard and improve your game, there will be minutes for you.
The Downs
1) The first half defense was anything but good. The Bobcats came in shooting 41 percent on the season and averaging just 90.5 points per game. But they shot 50 percent and scored 55 points in the first half and hit their first seven shots of the second half. Maybe it was a bit of hangover from the road trip and the game against Miami Tuesday, but if  you want to have the best record in the East and in the league, you can't let teams like the Bobcats, improved as they may be, make the game interesting on your homecourt.
2) It's not often that the Pacers are outworked in a game, but that was the case tonight. The Bobcats are trying to create a winning atmosphere there and they are making steps in the right direction. The Pacers stepped up the effort at enough key times to win, but it wasn't the consistent type of play that Pacers fans have been accustomed to seeing this year.
3) OK, I give Paul George plenty of credit when he plays well (which has been a lot this year), but he was off in this one. He went 2 for 12 from the field, including 1 for 6 from 3-point range. Everyone kept waiting for him to get going, but it never happened. And while his 43 points in Portland last week were exciting, the Pacers lost that game. He was anything but exciting in this one, but the Pacers won. That's not a bad trade off in the end.
Afterthoughts
This was not the type of game the Pacers will want to talk a lot about, but it was a good reminder about how they are viewed these days. What it means is when you have the best record in the NBA you are no longer under the radar and other teams will bring their best effort to try and knock you off. So, it was a good lesson in that you can't let down against these average teams trying to make the playoffs, like the Bobcats are. But let's admit, it's nice lesson to learn, yet still win the game, too.
Next Up
The Pacers have the weekend off before hosting the Detroit Pistons on Monday night. The Pistons have shown some signs of life and won four straight games to start the month. But they had lost three straight before winning at home against Brooklyn Friday night and have an 11-13 record. The Pacers get a bit of break here schedule-wise as the Pistons will be playing their third game in four nights. They host Portland on Sunday night. The Pistons have a balanced attack led by Brandon Jennings at 17.5 points, Rodney Stuckey at 15 per game, Greg Monroe at over 14, Josh Smith at just under 14 and Andre Drummond at 13. Drummond is also among the top rebounders in the league at over 12 per game.


Thursday, December 12, 2013

Granger could be perfect fit for Pacers

Rumors of Danny Granger's NBA demise may have been greatly exaggerated, or they might end up being right on target. But for the moment, it appears the much-injured Granger from the past year-and-a-half is ready to return to the only team he has played for in his nine professional seasons when the Pacers host the Bobcats Friday night.
Danny Granger appears ready to return and he may be
 just what the Pacers' bench needs.
First, it's important here that fans have a little patience with Granger. Sure, we thought he was coming back in the middle of last season, but after five games, he was hurt again and done for the season. Then, OK, we thought he was going to be ready for the start of this season, but he was hurt again and we were told he was going to miss the first three weeks of the season. Well, that was about six weeks ago, so sure, there's some frustration there.
But the good news is that Granger is likely frustrated, too. He was one of the few bright spots during the darkness of the coach Jim O'Brien years, when the teams went 121-169. And like any competitor, you can be sure that he had enough of those losing seasons. So, I'm guessing and making what I think is a safe assumption that he would love to be a key player in these winning years.
Also, it's not like Granger has went out on his own here to try and recover independently. He has traveled and worked out with the team regularly. He's not been some sort of missing person, who just showed up and said "put me in coach." He's been involved with the growth and development of the team these last two seasons, just not on the court. So, he deserves a bit of a break here. And remember, it's not his fault that he has a contract that pays him $14 million this year. We would all like to see that pay some dividends on the court, but don't hate the player for taking what any of us would take when negotiating that contract.
The big question and concern here is just how will Granger fit into the Pacers' current structure? They have the NBA's best record at 19-3, so it's OK to ask, just how bad do they need him? However, if Granger comes off the bench, it gives the Pacers second unit an instant upgrade. It also has probably helped that forward Luis Scola and point guard C.J. Watson, guys who are good enough to start for a lot of NBA teams, have accepted their bench roles with the Pacers and have been key contributors in the first quarter of the season. Hopefully, Granger sees that and sees even though he will most likely come off the bench, he can still be a key player.
The ironic thing here, too, with Granger, is that as long as he is coming off the bench, he won't have to make a big adjustment to his game from what it was in the O'Brien years. It was O'Brien who basically let Granger take over the offense, allowing him to shoot at will, and in that, Granger learned how to create his own shot while averaging 25 and 24 points in two of those seasons. That's an element the second unit is missing. And while second year player Orlando Johnson and rookie Solomon Hill have certainly given good effort while on the court this season, it's also hard to see them playing significant minutes in the playoffs.
A decent version of Granger will eventually give the Pacers a nice upgrade from what they are now getting off the bench. I think it's a given that Lance Stephenson has earned the right to continue to start unless he goes into an extended major funk (we're talking like 10 or 12 games here). But even when Stephenson has not played well offensively, he's become a capable defender against other teams' shooting guards and small forwards. And his ability to rebound and push the ball up the court is a unique skill that suits the Pacers' first unit well. Also, since Granger most likely is not as good defensively as Stephenson, if he is playing a lot of minutes against other teams' second units, it will be easier for him to match up against a lesser-skilled offensive player. And if Stephenson is having a bad night, or Granger is having a particularly good night, there's no reason the minutes can't be adjusted for that specific game. And Pacers coach Frank Vogel has shown in the past he's not afraid to let the players who are playing well finish out a game, even if they are normally reserves.
The Pacers have regularly been outscored in the second quarter this season, and to see them have a lead at halftime is rarity. So, if they can just get a respectable version of the Danny Granger that once was, it can only help.
Granger has said he has been pain free recently and it's just a matter of him getting in good physical condition so he can contribute. But if we see some flashes of what the old Granger used to play like, the Pacers will be in much better condition make their much desired run to an NBA title

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Crucial stretch ends with key win for Pacers

The Pacers improved their league-best record to 19-3 Tuesday night with a 90-84 win against the defending champion and visiting Miami Heat, who fell to 16-6.
The Big Picture
Members of both teams tried to down play this game coming in, but while their words said one thing their play said something else. The defensive rotations were tighter and baskets were not easy to come by. The Pacers played much like they have all season, falling behind by as much as 13 late in the second quarter, then using a big third quarter to take the lead, which included a 7-0 run midway through the third quarter to take the lead for good at 62-57, the only lead change of the game. The Pacers by no means ran away with it after that, but Miami could never regain the lead. The win also allowed the Pacers to finish a crucial six-game stretch with a 4-2 record, which included the first five games being on the road, and five of those games being against the league's elite.

Pacers center Roy Hibbert had 24 points and
five rebounds in Tuesday's win over Miami.
The Ups
1) The one position where the Pacers have a significant advantage against the Heat is at center with Roy Hibbert. Even late in the regular season last year, the Pacers were preparing Hibbert to be a prime offensive option against the Heat by force feeding him the ball on offense. It took a while for the big guy to find his rhythm, but eventually he figured it out. And the good news for the Pacers is he still has it figured out after scoring 24 points Tuesday night. Hibbert hit left-handed and right-handed shots and also had a key offensive rebound basket early in the fourth quarter. The Heat clearly had no answer for Hibbert in the middle. Sure, there is talk of them saving Greg Oden for the playoffs to guard Hibbert and it's true, Oden may be better at that than anyone they have now. But also, you can't take two-plus years off from the NBA and step back in and be expect to be effective. So, while that may not be a bad plan that the Heat have, it should not be assumed that it will work. The Pacers know what they have in Hibbert and it's not a bad assumption to think he will be back in the NBA All-Star game this season.
2) It's been good to see Pacers coach Frank Vogel call a timeout in almost every game lately if the Pacers have the ball for what is likely the final possession of the first half. The timeouts recycle in the second half, so there's nothing to lose with taking one. However, the Pacers have had inconsistent success in scoring off those timeouts, so while it's the right move, it just hadn't really worked that much. With the Pacers down 10 as the second half was nearing it's end Tuesday, Vogel called a timeout to set up a play. And this time the Pacers' version of the three-man weave worked as Lance Stephenson turned the corner and made the layup and was fouled. He hit the free throw and the Pacers went into the locker room with some momentum. It's a stretch to say that was the definitive play that turned the game in the Pacers' favor, but it certainly among the plays that helped turn the tide.
3) Pacers guard Lance Stephenson was active throughout the game and that was a big key in this win. Along with the three-point play to end the half, he also hit a 3-pointer to begin the second half and just like that the Pacers were right back in it by being just down three. Stephenson also made a nice pass to Luis Scola midway through the fourth quarter that gave the Pacers a six-point advantage and had a key steal late in the game that helped secure the win. Also, Stephenson wasn't just a threat Tuesday night, he was a realistic option on the offensive end as he finished with 12 points, six rebounds and five assists. He also pushed the ball up the floor at times which allowed the Pacers to get into their offense early in the shot clock, a subtle, but key factor against a good defensive team like Miami.
4) Part of being a top player is learning how to shake off a bad quarter, or half, and comeback out and play up to your normal level. That's what Paul George did for the Pacers Tuesday. He had just two points in the first half and wasn't as active in the offense as he normally is. Part of that was because LeBron James was guarding him and part of it was because he played maybe a little tight in the first half. But George recovered to score 15 points in the second half, including two key 3-pointers in the fourth quarter that helped keep the Pacers in the lead. Was it his best game? Certainly not, but it was the kind of game that can be considered an important step in his growth.
The Downs
1) It's hard to keep putting this in the down category if they keep winning, but again most of the second quarter was a problem. The fact the Pacers were down 13 and came back to win is good, but being down 13 or whatever-teen is still a problem in the second quarter. Sure, there's still time for them to overcome those deficits, but if you're playing to try and win a championship, it is one area the team knows it can improve in.
Afterthoughts
While this was a key regular season matchup, the team that wins it can't get too high and the team that loses it can't get too low. They will have a rematch in Miami next Wednesday, anyway. Sure, you would always rather win than lose, but let's not forget it's still a long way until early June, where at this point, it would be a major upset if these two teams were not in the Eastern Conference finals. The Heat are looking a little older these days as Dwyane Wade has had trouble staying on the court due to injuries and they are depending on a bench that features minutes for Rashard Lewis. Make no mistake, the Heat are definitely a flawed team. But when you have a guy like James, he can hide a lot of those flaws. With all due respect to George and Kevin Durant, James is still the best player in the league. But with his supporting cast breaking down at times, James may be forced to carry the team even more and he's certainly one player who can do that. The good thing for the Pacers in this game is that they didn't need a spectacular game for anybody to win. That's a good sign for the rest of the season for them. We may very well see contrasting styles for these teams come playoff time.
Next Up
The Pacers have two days off before trying to continue their perfect home record against the Charlotte Bobcats. The Bobcats have been trying to reach the .500 mark and are 10-11 going into their game Wednesday against visiting Orlando. The Pacers won the first matchup at Charlotte back on Nov. 27 by a 99-74 count. The Bobcats are led Kemba Walker at 17 points per game and Al Jefferson and Gerald Henderson each averaging just over 15 per game.


Monday, December 9, 2013

Road trip ends with a thud in loss to Thunder

The Pacers lost the final game of their five-game road trip with a 118-94 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder Sunday night. The Thunder improved to 15-4 on the season.
The Big Picture
Oklahoma City jumped out to an early lead and really from the second quarter on, the Pacers could never make it close. The Thunder built the lead to 19 points by halftime and the Pacers didn't have their usual big third quarter here and trailed by 21 heading into the fourth. The Pacers did nibble the lead down to 15 points and had the ball, but they missed the next shot and the Thunder went on another run and eventually built the margin to 29, erasing any small seeds of doubt about the outcome of this one. The Pacers finished the difficult road trip with a 3-2 mark.
The Ups
Roy Hibbert had 12 points and nine
rebounds for the Pacers, but didn't
block a shot for the first time this season
1) There were not a lot of good things in this game, but one of them was watching Paul George play. He finished with 32 points on 9 of 17 shooting. George had a sub-par first half, scoring only six points, but followed that up by scoring 18 in the third quarter, with a highlight reel reverse dunk off a nice pass from center Roy Hibbert. One of the moves I liked in this game was Pacers coach Frank Vogel leaving George in after the outcome was pretty much decided. Why? One, because your star player doesn't like to be completely out-shined by the other team's star player, in this case Kevin Durant. And two, not that George needs any confidence these days, but those minutes allowed him to create and mostly make many of his own shots, which is something that will definitely matter during playoff time, even though it wasn't going to matter in the outcome of this game. Still, while George did play 36 minutes, overall, he did come out for good midway through the fourth.
2) OK, so, I'm searching for one more "up" here, and that would be that Vogel called a timeout when the Pacers had the ball to end the first half. Sure, they were already down by 19, but who knows, maybe they hit a 3-pointer and go into the locker room feeling at least a little good about themselves. Even though the timeout didn't result in any points, I liked that Vogel showed his team that he wasn't about to give up on the game even though they had a poor first half.
3) Finally, too, when the game was out of hand, and the reserves were in, at least this time they played with some respectability, unlike what happened in San Antonio, when the Spurs flirted with a miraculous rally with a 15-0 run. The Pacers reserve didn't have any thing like that in them, but at least they competed this time out.
The Downs
1) It's not often the defense will appear in this category for this team, but it certainly belonged here Sunday night. The Thunder had little resistance for most of the night in scoring the most points of any team against the Pacers this season. Sure, everyone knows that Kevin Durant, who finished with 36 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, and Russell Westbrook, who finished with 26 points, 13 assists and seven rebounds, are two of the top players in the league. But for much of the night it was simply too easy for them. The Thunder shot 61 percent for the game and while they are capable of that from time to time, the Pacers know they shouldn't allow any team to be capable of that against their defense.
2) In a related matter, since the Thunder shot so well, there not a lot of rebounds to grab. The Thunder won the board battle 46-29. And while Oklahoma City only had 10 offensive rebounds, it seems as if they came at key times. Every time the Pacers seemed to be making an effort to get back into it, the Thunder would miss a shot, get the offensive rebound and make the shot off of it. So even those rare times that the Thunder did miss on Sunday night, it seemed like they followed that with an offensive rebound and basket.
3) One of the other keys in this game was not allowing one of the Thunder's other guys to have a big game. It's pretty much a given that Durant and Westbrook are going to get their points. The Thunder's offense is not complicated. It's basically get the ball into one of those two guys' hands and let them do their thing. But the player who really hurt the Pacers in the second quarter was Reggie Jackson, who finished with 15 points for the game. It was not an off-the-charts game for him, but with Durant and Westbrook going strong, it was imperative to not let one of the Thunder's reserves make an impact, but that's exactly what happened here.
Afterthoughts
For the most part this season, the Pacers have learned their lessons in the midst of wins. This lesson was a hard one in that just because they were on the end of the trip, the Thunder weren't going to play down to a tired team's level. While the Pacers were winning at San Antonio Saturday night, the Thunder had the night off. And it's now the point in the season where that is going to start showing up and it was evident in this game as the Thunder Sunday night, looked much like the Pacers on Saturday night. It's something that every team has to go through during the 82-game NBA season, so no whining here. It's just a reality of the NBA schedule and the Pacers will need to learn to battle through those second nights of back-to-backs. At any rate, if the basketball gods had asked anyone involved with the Pacers if they would take an 18-3 record and good health after 21 games, it would have been hard to say no. So, yes, there's still a lot to believe in here.
Next Up
You know the Pacers have come a long way in the respect category because it's kind of difficult to tell who is more fired for Tuesday night's matchup on NBA TV when the defending champion Miami Heat visit the Pacers. The Heat have their usual guys in LeBron James, who's averging 26 points a game on an impressive 59 percent shooting, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. But they, too, have added Michael Beasley, a former No. 1 pick, who is averaging 11.4 points. The Heat come in with a 16-5 mark and won at Detroit Sunday night. With these two teams being the obvious top two teams in the Eastern Conference right now, expect it to be a good early season battle.

Saturday, December 7, 2013

This win may be for the unbelievers

The Pacers improved to 18-2 on the season with a 111-100 win at San Antonio Saturday night. The Spurs fell to 15-4.
The Big Picture
The Pacers dominated this game from the midway through the second quarter on. They trailed by 13 early in the second, but led by four at halftime. The Pacers pulled away with a 35-17 third quarter and built the lead to 26 in the fourth quarter before the Spurs reserves went on a late 15-0 run against the Pacers reserves to make the score look closer than this game really was. The Pacers combined to score 67 points in the second and third quarters.
Paul George had 28 points, including
scoring 11 straight for his team in a
key second quarter run.
The Ups
1) Even with the Pacers hot start to the season, there still seemed to be a bit of skepticism about how good they are. This six-game span, with five games on the road and a home game against the Heat Tuesday would be the real test. Well, so far the Pacers are 3-1 in this stretch. The thing about this game wasn't just the fact that the Pacers won, it's the way they won. completely outplaying the Spurs in all facets of the game for the final two-and-a-half quarters. It was one of the those games that early in the third quarter on, the Pacers seemed to play with a sense of we're going to win this game. Period. No ifs about it. It's hard to believe a 17-2 team would still need to have a statement game, but the Pacers certainly made one tonight. This one, was no doubt, for the unbelievers. Like them or not, any fan with any reasonable knowledge of the game has to respect the fact the Pacers are good. Real good.
2) The Pacers played so well, it's hard to point out just who made the biggest difference individually. Yes, you've got Paul George with his 28 points and back-to-back three-point plays (one a 3-pointer, and one an old school version) that were big momentum builders in the second quarter. You've got David West with his 20 points, eight rebounds and four assists who the Spurs had trouble matching up with. Then you've got Lance Stephenson, while not having crazy numbers at 15 points, four assists and three rebounds, was a legitimate offensive threat. When Stephenson is that for the Pacers, they're pretty much unstoppable on offense because that means when the starters are the court, there's really no one the defense can cheat off of to double team say George or West or center Roy Hibbert. It turns into a pick-your-poison kind of situation for the defense.
3) This may be a bit of simple stat to look at, and sometimes it's overlooked, but free throws can tell us a lot about a game. This Pacers were 26 of 28 from the line, while the Spurs were 5 of 6. Some may say the officiating went the Pacers way, but that's hard to believe in a road game against an established team like the Spurs. What that statistic more likely tells us is that Pacers offense was running smoothly and that they were being more aggressive and driving to the basket more. Yes, a few of the Pacers free throws came late after the outcome was decided, but without a doubt we know who was the quicker team and the Pacers took advantage of that with their accuracy at the line as well.
The Downs
1) About the only negative in this game for the Pacers came in the late stages when the Spurs reserves made it mildly interesting. They Spurs had the ball and a chance to cut the lead to seven with a minute to go when Patty Mills missed a 3-pointer. The lesson here for the reserves, even with the game in hand, is you've still have to be ready to play. It's important because there may be a time later in the season, or as early as Sunday night, that one of those reserves will be needed in a key moment late in the game. So yes, even if you're up by 20 something points in a game you know you are going to win, it still matters how you play.
Afterthoughts
It's understandable if you thought, well, the Pacers haven't won in San Antonio in like forever (Jan. 4, 2002 to be exact), so let's not put too many expectations on this game. But here's the difference for this Pacers team as compared to past years: The expectations are high and they expect a lot of themselves. They expect to go in and win even against the toughest opponents. And when the Pacers go in and win handily on the road against a team like the Spurs, that can only solidify the confidence they already have. It's not OK just to play well anymore. It's all about winning every game because they know they can and that's pretty good feeling to have when you walk on the court.
Next Up
It won't get any easier for the Pacers as they visit the 14-4 Thunder in a 7 p.m. Sunday game in Oklahoma City. It's the final game on a five-game road trip and the Pacers have already won three. In the past, it would have been like, OK, this trip is a success. But the Pacers don't think that way any more. The Thunder are led by their own perennial MVP candidate in Kevin Durant at 28 points per game and Russell Westbrook is back from injury and playing at a very high level again averaging 20 a game. Serge Ibaka is there to hold down the middle for the Thunder at 14 points, 10 rebounds and 2.6 blocks. The real key defensively here may be in not letting guys like Reggie Jackson at 11 points per game and Jeremy Lamb averaging nine points, have big nights. And if you're looking for any recent results, the Thunder did lose at Portland by seven points Wednesday, the same place the Pacers lost at by five Sunday. The one notable advantage the Thunder do have is they were off on Saturday night.

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Pacers make a case for solidarity in latest win

The Pacers improved 17-2 on the season with a 95-86 win at Utah Wednesday night
The Big Picture
This was a taking care of business kind of game. No spectacular Paul George show here where he's draining 3-pointers from all over the court, or Roy Hibbert blocking eight shots type of game. The Pacers got off to a slow start trailing 12-2 out of the gate, but then outscored the Jazz by 19 points the rest of the way. The Pacers scored 30 in the second quarter to pull within one at the half then outscored the Jazz 27-19 in the fourth to secure the win, building the lead to as much as 12 midway through the quarter.
The Ups
Pacers power forward David West is a
good shooter, but he showed his passing
prowess as well with eight assists Wednesday.
1) Sometimes the little things make a big difference. That was at least part of the reason why this game ended up the way it did. First, you've got power forward David West with his eight assists. West sometimes doesn't always make the best decisions with passes when it has to be done quickly, like on out of bounds plays and when throwing long outlet passes. But when it comes to running the set offense, he's very adept in the high post at making the good pass. And as many not just Pacers, but NBA fans know, he's very good at making the jumper in the area around the key, which makes the defense respect him. But Wednesday night, it was the passing that stood out. Also, there were several times where Pacers were on the floor going after a loose  ball. Maybe the most notable was when reserve point guard C.J. Watson dove to the floor and then flipped a pass forward to Orlando Johnson for an easy fastbreak bucket. Then on a night when Paul George wasn't hitting 3-pointers (he missed his first seven), he didn't force the issue and found other ways to help his team win, with good passing, and a key steal and dunk in the fourth quarter that helped the Pacers extend the lead and stay in the lead for good. And finally, while George led the way with 19 points, the Pacers had six guys score in double figures. Nothing earth shattering, but a show of solidarity for a more than solid team.
2) And about that bench. While I can't say it's on the same level as the Clippers, led by Watson and Luis Scola, it did produce against the Jazz. Scola finished with 14 points and he continues to fit right into the Pacers system, like he has been on the team for a couple of years. He has good skills, he's got a great basketball mind, and he's scrappy, too. Nothing not to like here. Watson hit two key 3-pointers in in the fourth quarter that helped give the Pacers some cushion and pretty much put the game out of reach for Utah. In all, the bench outscored Utah's bench 28-15. so if you're looking for one of the differences in the game, you can't help but notice that.
3) Lance Stephenson didn't have one of his great games, but he did finish with 15 points, including 13 in the first half. Stephenson doesn't have to be "the man" for the Pacers to win, but he does have to be a threat. And he was that Wednesday night as he also had five rebounds and four assists. He still needs to control that temper a bit as he had a late technical foul, but you know, there's nothing wrong with showing a little fire once in a while as long as it doesn't put the outcome of the game in jeopardy.
4) Turnovers have been a problem at times this year, but the Pacers took care of the ball on this night with just eight turnovers. It was nice not to see a bunch of poor passes.
The Downs
1) There was that slow start, but that wasn't really a big deal. But what was kind of deal was that the Pacers allowed Utah's two big men so much room inside as Jazz power forward Derrick Favors and center Enes Kantner combined for 20 points in the first half and for 42 points and 23 rebounds for the game. That's a bit unusual with guys like Hibbert and West getting their usual big minutes.So, yes, it's a bit different to see another team's big men do that much damage against the Pacers, but I suspect this an aberration and doubt that it will become a habit for the Pacers defense.
Afterthoughts
If there was a must win on this five-game trip it had to be the Utah game. That's because the Pacers other four opponents on this trip just happen to be the four best teams in the Western Conference. The Pacers are now 2-1 on the trip. It was good that they didn't need any late-game drama to win here so now they can get a bit of rest and a bit of practice time (something that can be challenging during the season) to work on some weaknesses. That's because whatever weaknesses they do have will likely be exposed by the Spurs and Thunder in these next two games.
Next Up
The Pacers' trip continues in San Antonio in an 8:30 p.m. game Saturday and Oklahoma City in a 7 p.m. game Sunday. The Spurs are challenging for the best record in the West with a 15-3 mark, just behind Portland's 16-3. San Antonio is led by its usual suspects in guard Tony Parker, power forward Tim Duncan and guard Manu Ginobili. In case you think Duncan is getting too old at age 37, he became the oldest player in NBA history to have a 20 point, 20 rebound game the other night. So while no team is unbeatable, it's no secret that the Spurs will be formidable foe as always.


Monday, December 2, 2013

Pacers fall in Portland, but George escalates game even more

The Pacers suffered their second loss of the season 106-102 in a hard fought game at Portland. The Pacers are now 16-2 and the Blazers are 15-3.
The Big Picture
Sure, it's a tough loss to take for the Pacers, but when you play the team with the best record in the West on the road and take them down to the wire, then you do know that you are playing at a high level. The Blazers got an advantage late in the third quarter and early in the fourth with an 18-6 run. Late in the game, the Blazers used their offensive skill to keep the lead with the combination of point guard Damian Lillard and power forward LaMarcus Aldridge doing most of the damage. It was a good effort by the visitors, just not the winning one they expected.
The Ups
Paul George led the Pacers again
by scoring 43 points Monday night.
1) Well, we can't do this without mentioning Paul George again. He scored 43 points and made four huge 3-pointers down the stretch, one that looked near impossible to make when he went up for the shot. One major part of his development has been the confidence he has to not only take, but to make big shots. And while sure, that's a bit easier to do at home, George has done it the past two nights against good teams on the road. I think it's safe to say that George's play is not some passing fad, but that he has truly arrived. Yes, it would have been nice to see him do it a win, but he did do this in a game where his team needed to and even though it was a loss, let the MVP talk continue.
2) Here's how you know Roy Hibbert has matured as a player. He had a pretty poor first half as I'm sure he would even say, hitting just two of seven shots with two rebounds and two turnovers. But Hibbert came out and kept playing in the second half and turned in what was a very respectable game with 16 points and 14 rebounds, including hitting four of six shots in the second half. All players have bad stretches every now and then. The good players learn to make those stretches shorter.
3) Yes, I'm glad LaMarcus Aldridge is in the Western Conference as we only have to see him twice during the regular season. Aldridge is an outstanding power forward. He can play inside or out on offense and he can play a little finesse or a little physical. He came in averaging nearly 24 points and over 12 rebounds and finished with 28 and 10 Monday night. But he's not just a guy who gets his numbers, he knows what he's doing out there. The only criticism I can see of his game is he falls in love with his outside shot maybe a little too much, but he hits it with regularity, too, so you know, that's being a bit picky.
The Downs
1) The Pacers may now be at the point where they just don't know what kind of production they are going to get out of Lance Stephenson on a nightly basis. I'm not saying it's because of lack of effort, but teams have had a chance to scout him and know his tendencies, where he likes get to before making a pass, and just how he likes to make his passes. Also, he's been in a big time shooting slump and the other teams know that too. They are pretty much daring him to shoot and he is not making them pay. He's got to get his shooting confidence back like he had in the early part of the season to earn respect from the defense and to make him a more effective overall player. He needs to just keep working on his shooting and take a lesson from Hibbert and shake off the bad stretch here and there and just keep playing.
2) The Pacers like to fashion themselves as a smash mouth team, but the pace in this case belonged to the Blazers late in the third and throughout most of the fourth quarter. It turned into a bit of a quicker scramble game at times and that played to the Blazers favor. The Pacers can play a little fast at times, but against a good offensive team like the Blazers, they may have been better off to walk the ball up and run their set offense and keep the tempo slower.
Afterthoughts
So, the Pacers lost another game and the the world did not end. The best thing about this team is that there are no moral victories. They will not be happy with playing well, but not winning. The Blazers proved too, that they are a legitimate contender in the West and that their record is no fluke. And while the Heat, Spurs, Thunder and Clippers will have something to say about this before it's all done, it's not unfathomable to think that we could see a Blazers-Pacers rematch in mid-to-late June.
Next up
The Pacers play the third game of this trip in a 9 p.m. game at Utah Wednesday night. They will face former Butler star Gordon Heyward, who you might remember, was the ninth pick in the draft, going right before Paul George. And while we like to see Heyward do well from afar (he scored 29 points Monday night), the Pacers are glad to have Paul George. The Jazz are in the running to get one of the top picks in what is expected to be one of the deepest drafts in years in 2014 as they have a 4-15 record, but have won two straight. They also have what could be a top rookie this year in Trey Burke, but he is off to a slow start. This is the one game on the trip the Pacers pretty much have to win, because the rest of them and then coming home to play Miami next Tuesday, won't be easy.


Sunday, December 1, 2013

A character building win in L.A.

The Pacers improved their league-best record to 16-1 with a 105-100 win in Los Angeles against the Clippers Sunday afternoon.
The Big Picture
The Pacers started this key five-game road trip in good fashion by hanging on against the Clippers. They led throughout the game and were up by 10 after three quarters. But even when they built the lead to as much as 74-60 midway through the third quarter, there was always the feeling that the Clippers would make a run because they are a good team and they are at home and they won't go down easily. They did just that and had a chance to tie it twice late, but Chris Paul missed two short jumpers. The Pacers used their size to keep the ball alive twice in the final 15 seconds, eventually leading to a free throw by Lance Stephenson and a two free throws by George Hill to expand the lead from two to the final five-point margin.
The Ups
David West's character has been
key to the Pacers and his 24 points
and 12 rebounds helped Sunday, too.
1) The Pacers have strong character and it was tested in this game, but it certainly won out in the end. First, there was that ability to play defense all the way through every possession. The Pacers are used to doing this and lesser teams are pretty much worn out by it late in games and throw up bad shots. The Clippers though have enough veterans to know not to panic and even though Paul had those two good looks at the basket, the fact that they were short may have been a sign that he was just a bit tired because of the wear and tear from the whole game. The other part of the Pacers character showed on offense. When the Clippers were making their rally and making shots, the Pacers didn't take a bunch of bad shots. Sure, I would've like to have seen someone other than Lance Stephenson take that late 3-pointer. However, he was wide open, so it's hard to go crazy on that. Just finding a way to win on the road, no matter who does or doesn't do something, it's something that very good teams do.
2) If you watch Pacers regularly you know what Paul George is all about this season. The Clippers got to see that first hand as he scored 18 first half points. Then, when he got the ball in the second half, he was often double-teamed, something a bit unusual for small forwards in the league. George finished with 27 points and also had five assists. Clippers coach Doc Rivers didn't want to let George beat him, but the Pacers have enough weapons to still beat good teams when George warrants so much defensive attention. And yes, the Pacers have yet to lose when George scores 20 or more points.
3) Often sports fans will talk about baseball being a game of inches, but in the late stages Sunday afternoon, Pacers center Roy Hibbert showed basketball can be that kind of game, too. Hibbert's work ethic often shows up in the blocked shots, rebounds and sometimes the scoring categories. But all of those extra workouts he did this summer were apparent in the Pacers final possession when he had two chances at tip ins, then kept alive Stephenson's missed free throw that resulted in Hill hitting the final two free throws to clinch the game. Hibbert finished with 19 points and eight rebounds, but that was only part of his story in this game.
4) As for a good basketball game to watch, this was maybe the best of the young season. Each team had respect for the other, and each team also came ready to battle. Whether it was the Pacers' David West and the Clippers' Blake Griffin underneath, or even Vogel's defensive switch of putting George on a hot Jamal Crawford late in the game. This was as good of a regular season game as you'll find.
5) It was maybe Vogel's best timeout of the year when he called one with 25.4 seconds left. There was some confusion because the Clippers, down two, were trying to decide on whether to foul or not, and then Hill was in trouble and flipped the ball back to Hibbert in the backcourt. Seeing his team in a bit of disarray, Vogel got the timeout and the Pacers inbounded the ball in the frontcourt for what turned out to be their final possession.
Downs
1) The Clippers lead the league in dunks and something the Pacers never did figure out Sunday afternoon was how to defend Paul's little alley-oop pass to center Andre Jordan, which resulted in at least three dunks. To be fair, if this were a playoff series, the Pacers, or any other respectable defensive team, would figure out how to jam that whole play, but to see it so many times in this game was quite annoying for Pacer fans and I'm sure for players and coaches, too.
2) This maybe isn't the fairest criticism because the Clippers' Crawford is one of the best sixth men in the league, but the fact is the Pacers bench was outscored 44-17. Crawford did get starters' minutes too, at almost 33 Sunday, so if you give his 20 points to the starters and Willie Green's two points to the bench, that's still a 26-17 advantage for the Clippers. The Pacers' bench wasn't awful in this game as the 3-pointers made by Orlando Johnson, Solomon Hill and C.J. Watson all were significant in the final score, but it's clear the Clippers' bench is stacked. If Danny Granger is ever healthy enough to play for the Pacers by even the second half of the season it will be an important addition to their bench. I read things from fans that are down on Granger right now, but if he can come back and be a player that demands a defense's respect, then maybe the Pacers bench will be on the same level as the Clippers. But right now, it's just not.
Afterthoughts
No matter what happens on the rest of this road trip, this will be a big win. It was also important to win the first game of the trip to set the tone and keep the positive momentum rolling. But it's nice  to see a team go against a tough road opponent that isn't satisfied unless it wins. No such thing as moral victories for this team. No more good showings against the league's best and being OK with that. It's all about winning and being the league's best.
Next Up
No rest here as the Trail Blazers, who were playing at the Lakers late Sunday night, are next up in a 10 p.m. game Monday night. They have LaMarcus Aldridge averaging 22.1 points and 9.6 rebounds, and point guard Damian Lillard averaging 19.9 points and 5.8 assists. But while the Blazers have some offensive skill for sure, opponents do shoot 45 percent against them and they are allowing 99 points a game. While they may play enough defense to win, it's certainly not their calling card either.