No Magic finish in Orlando for Pacers

The visiting Pacers fell to the Orlando Magic 93-92 Sunday night. The Pacers are now 39-11 on the season while the Magic improved to 16-37.
The Big Plays
There were some key ones down the stretch in this one, but first things first. The Pacers were up 71-54 with 3:55 left in the third quarter, then the Magic outscored the Pacers 26-8 to take the lead on a Victor Oladipo shot with 7:48 left in the game. Orlando took the lead for good on another Oladipo shot at the 7:14 mark. The Pacers were down 92-86 with 1:21 to go, but still had two good chances to win. After cutting the lead to two on a Paul George 3-pointer with 37.7 seconds left, the Pacers got the ball right back after an Oladipo offensive foul. But George missed an open 3-pointer. Then as the final seconds were ticking down, Lance Stephenson picked off a Magic inbounds pass and got it to George, who missed from about 18 feet and the Magic got the ball and ran out the clock.
The Ups
1) It was good to see George get back to form for the Pacers. He finished with 27 points on 10 of 19 shooting. Sure, it would have been better to see him make either that 3-pointer or the final shot of the game. But it was good to see him want to take those shots. The final shot was maybe a bit in question as the Pacers could have called a timeout to set up a play. However, with George loose on a fast break, that's not necessarily a bad option for the Pacers, even though it didn't work this time.

Former Indiana University star Victor Oladipo
torched the Pacers with 23 points off the bench.

2) It was good too to have Lance Stephenson back after he missed a game due to a back injury. Stephenson made two huge plays late in this one, drawing the offensive foul on Oladipo and then coming up with the deflection on the final out of bounds play by the Magic. Stephenson finished with 16 points, nine rebounds and three assists, but also had five turnovers.
3) Indiana University basketball fans are certainly familiar with how good Victor Oladipo was for them before being drafted by the Magic last summer. While Oladipo has had the usual ups and downs almost all rookies go through, he showed he was a legitimate NBA player in this one. He was the primary reason the Magic won this game, scoring 17 of his 23 points in the second half, including 13 in the fourth quarter. Oladipo basically put the team on his back early and midway through the fourth quarter to help Orlando build a seven-point lead by the 5:21 mark of the quarter.
The Downs
1) It's tough to be up by 17 in the second half and lose a game. The Pacers clearly were in control of this one and maybe like the rest of us, they thought the Magic would just float along and play out this game and that the Pacers would go home with a win. But it proves once again that there is no room for letdown, no matter who you play. The Magic were feeling good about themselves having won their last two games, including a comeback win over the Thunder. So hopefully the Pacers can learn from this by not letting off the gas pedal too early the next time they are in that situation.
2) For the game, the Pacers defensive stats don't look that bad. They held the Magic to 41 percent shooting overall, but the fourth quarter was where it fell apart. Led by Oladipo going 5 of 8 from the field, the Magic hit 11 of 21 shots in the quarter for 52 percent. The Magic also handled the Pacers on the boards, outrebounding them 14-8 in the quarter. The Pacers just picked a really bad time to have a bad quarter, mainly losing track of Oladipo way too often.
Afterthoughts
Yes, this should be considered a bad loss, so to speak. When you have the best record in the league and are up 17 in the second half to a team with just 15 wins, it's pretty much a game you should win. It was the Pacers first loss this season on the first night of a back to back games situation. So, now, they come home to face the Nuggets Monday night and must find a way to win in what has been one of their weakest situations of the season, the second night of back to backs.
Next Up
The Nuggets, coached by former Pacers assistant Brian Shaw, come into this game with a 24-25 record, having last played Saturday and losing to Detroit 126-109. The Pacers may receive a big break in this one as Nuggets point guard Ty Lawson suffered a fractured rib Saturday and is doubtful for tonight. Lawson has been averaging 18 points and nearly nine assists this season. The Nuggets are also led by Wilson Chandler at 14.4 points, Randy Foye at 11.8 points, J.J. Hickson at 11.7 points and 9.4 rebounds and Kenneth Faried at 10.4 points and 7.7 rebounds. The Pacers lost to the Nuggets 109-96 at Denver back on Jan. 25. That game also was a second night of a back to back for the Pacers when the Nuggets had not played the night before.

Hill pushes Pacers up hill in OT win over Blazers

The Pacers defeated the Portland Trail Blazers Friday night 118-113 in overtime. The Pacers are now 39-10, including 24-2 at home and 3-0 in overtime this year, while the Blazers are 35-15.
The Big Plays
There were several of them in this game. First, there was George Hill's 3-pointer to tie the game in regulation with 8.3 seconds left after Roy Hibbert got an offensive rebound and passed the ball back out to him. Then there was the overtime where Hill put the Pacers ahead for good with a driving layup to make it 109-108 with 2:25 to go. Then with the Pacers still up by one, Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge ran down a defensive rebound in the corner. While falling out of bounds Aldridge tried to get the ball to teammate Robin Lopez. But the pass was a little low and the Pacers' David West picked it off and dunked it to the give Pacers a 111-108 lead with 1:32 to go.
The Ups

George Hill had his best offensive game of the
year Friday with 37 points in a win over Portland.

1) On a night where the Pacers needed George Hill to be an offensive force, he had what was the best offensive game of his career. He finished with 37 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. Hill has been anything but aggressive on the offensive for big chunks of this season, so it was a bit of a surprise to see him go at the basket and take shots so often in this one. He, or the Pacers coaches, recognized that Blazers all-star point guard Damian Lillard couldn't guard him, so Hill just kept going in the second half until somebody stopped him, but no one ever did. The most points Hill had scored in the any of the last 19 games was 17. And Hill had topped the 20-point mark just three times this season with a high of 26 before Friday.
2) David West had played well of late, scoring in double figures in eight of his last nine games, including two 22-point games. He might have saved what was his best game of the year for Friday night though, hitting 13 of 16 shots from the floor for 30 points, to go with 10 rebounds. It was West's first 30-point game of the season and all of the shots he took and in the fourth quarter and overtime were big ones.
3) Back in early January the Pacers had to make a decision on whether to keep Rasual Butler, or release him before the date when contracts are guaranteed for the rest of the season. Thankfully, they did keep him and thankfully Butler was ready to go on a night the team needed him. That's because Lance Stephenson was out due to a back injury suffered in Wednesday's win over Atlanta. That forced Danny Granger into a starting role, and then pushed Butler into some key minutes off the bench. Butler responded by hitting 3 of 4 shots from the floor, including both of his 3-point attempts, for 10 points. It's safe to say the Pacers don't win without Butler's contributions in this one. It was a good example of what a true professional does when he's called on.
The Downs
1) It was kind of amazing that the Pacers won this game when you consider that their all-stars, Paul George and Roy Hibbert combined to shoot 7 of 31 from the floor. That's a lot of iron there. Hibbert just didn't seem like he was interested in taking the ball at the basket in this one, and George, well, I don't have a big problem with him shooting a lot because the Pacers need him to be a major player on offense. But whatever he is doing on his shot, whether he's hurrying some of them, or a little off balance, or maybe trying to do a little too much before he puts one up, he and the coaching staff need to figure that out. While it was obviously good to see Hill and West have big games in this win, the Pacers still need George to be their go-to guy more often than not.
2) It's not often that a player makes the Ups and Downs in the same game, but that was certainly the case for Hill in this one. While he was brilliant offensively, he couldn't slow Lillard down on the defensive end. And then when the Pacers put George on Lillard and put Hill on Wesley Matthews in the fourth quarter, the Blazers started going to Matthews who was quite effective with 13 points in the quarter.
Afterthoughts
I thought this may well be one of the best games of the year and it certainly turned out that way. I didn't think the Pacers would be without Stephenson though, so that made this a fairly impressive win. It was a good test of character for the Pacers to beat a good team without a top player like Stephenson. It was also good to see them stay with this game and get it to overtime after trailing for much of the time. I also liked that the offensive philosophy in this game seemed to be to take the ball at Lillard and Aldridge, the Blazers top two players, to force them to play defense, resulting in big games for Hill and West and making Lillard and Aldridge play while in foul trouble late in the fourth quarter and overtime.
Next Up
The Pacers play at Orlando in a 6 p.m. game Sunday. The Pacers played the Magic on Monday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse and pulled away in the fourth quarter to win 98-79. The Magic have been led by guard Arron Afflalo at 20 points per game, former Indiana University star Victor Oladipo and forward Tobias Harris at each at 14 points per game, point guard Jameer Nelson at 13 points, center Nic Vucevic at 13 points and almost 11 rebounds and Glen Davis at 12 points per game. After going just 3-14 in January, the Magic are 15-37 after a 2-3 start in February, including a 103-102 win over Oklahoma City Friday night. And if the Pacers win, it will give them their fourth winning streak of five games or more this year, which is pretty impressive in itself.

Pacers go West for this win

The visiting Pacers defeated the Atlanta Hawks 89-85 Tuesday night. The Pacers are now 38-10 while the Hawks are 25-22.
The Big Plays
The Pacers were in control of this one until it started getting close late in the game. The Hawks had cut the gap to 78-74 when Pacers Coach Frank Vogel called a timeout. The Pacers went to one of their clutch players in David West who delivered with a basket in the low post. Then Paul George had a steal and dunk on the next Hawks possession to put the Pacers back up by eight. The Hawks didn't go away easily and cut the lead to two points in the waning seconds. But Danny Granger hit two free throws to account for the final score.
The Ups

David West had 22 points and 10 rebounds to lift
the Pacers to their first win in Atlanta since 2006.

1) David West seemed to get his game back over the last couple of weeks and they needed him on this night. West responded with 22 points on 10 of 19 shooting and also had 10 rebounds. Another big play in this one was when West hit a 3-pointer to end the half to cut the Hawks lead to one. West is certainly one of the leaders on the team and that's the kind of thing that can't be really measured. But he's still also a skilled and effective basketball player and we shouldn't forget about that either.
2) The Pacers seemed to get back to their defensive ways in Monday night's win over the Magic and it continued Tuesday night. In something you won't see very often, none of the Hawks starters scored in double figures for the game. And that includes a deserving all-star in Paul Millsap who had scored 20 or more points in seven of the Hawks last 10 games. Millsap finished with just seven points in this one on 3 of 11 shooting. In all, the Hawks starters were just 16 of 43 from the floor for 37 percent for the game.
3) Sure, backup center Ian Mahinmi has struggled much of the season, causing the Pacers to sign Andrew Bynum. But even as a lame duck backup center (Bynum probably won't start playing until next week at the earliest), Mahinmi continues to hustle back on defense and give the supreme effort we are used to seeing. He is averaging just three points and three rebounds while shooting just under 42 percent. It's just a shame that effort couldn't have translated into him being a more effective player. Mahinmi is a guy you like rooting for. I've never said that about Bynum, but that will change once he steps onto the court in a Pacers uniform. Hopefully it will stay that way through the rest of the season, too, which as you all know, is no guarantee.
The Downs
1) There was some big concern after Pacers guard Lance Stephenson hit a somewhat remarkable shot, falling backward, throwing it up and having the ball come through the basket. Stephenson took a hard fall on the play and while he's usually slow to get up when he falls to the court, this time it looked more serious. And while he was able to get up hit the free throw, he didn't return after leaving the game with four minutes to go in the third quarter. The downside is the Pacers can't afford to lose Stephenson for any length of time and he didn't play in the fourth quarter because of back soreness. But the good news is it sounded like the injury was not serious and the Pacers don't play again until Friday, so he will have a couple of days to get treatment and rest.
2) The turnover bug returned to the Pacers in this one, too. They had 18 turnovers through the first three quarters, including six by Stephenson and five by George. But they had just one turnover in the fourth quarter, so maybe that's a sign of better things to come there.
Afterthoughts
For whatever the reason, the Pacers have had a tough time winning in Atlanta in recent years, not having won there since Dec. 22, 2006 before Tuesday night. Combine that with their issue of having difficulty winning on the second night of back-to-back games this season, you would think this wouldn't be a good spot for them. But they were good enough to win on this night. These are the kind of games where you're not really looking for style points, just the win, and the Pacers delivered in this one.
Next Up
The Pacers are off until Friday when they host the Portland Trail Blazers in a 7 p.m. game on ESPN. The Pacers lost the first meeting between these two teams 106-102 back on Dec. 2. In that game, the Pacers' Paul George had 43 points, and the Blazers improved to 15-3. The Blazers still continue to be one of the league's top teams with a 34-14 mark heading into their Wednesday night game in New York against the Knicks. The Blazers have been a bit more vulnerable lately, going just 5-5 in their last 10 games, including a 100-90 loss at Washington Monday night. They are still led by power forward LaMarcus Alridge at 24.3 points and 11.6 rebounds per game and point guard Damian Lillard at 20.7 points and 5.7 assists. They've become one of the best 1-2 punches in the league. The Blazers also have Wesley Matthews at 16.7 points, Nicholas Batum at 12.8 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists, center Robin Lopez at 10.6 points and 8.2 rebounds and top reserve guard Mo Williams at 9 points and 4.7 assists. This could very well be one of the best games of the season and if you're a Pacers, Blazers or even an NBA fan, it's a game you won't want to miss.

Granger returns to former self in Pacers win

The Pacers defeated the visiting Orlando Magic Monday night 98-79. The Pacers are now 37-10, including 23-2 at home, while the Magic fell to 13-37.
The Big Plays
Lance Stephenson hit one of his circus shots when it was most needed with 5:39 left in the third quarter. The player known as Born Ready hit about a 12-foot scoop shot halfway down the right side of the lane. He was also fouled on the play and hit the free throw to give the Pacers a five-point lead. Before that, the Pacers had missed their first nine shots of the second half, scoring a lone point on a Roy Hibbert free throw. After Stephenson's 3-point play, Paul George followed with a 3-pointer and the Magic were never closer than five points the rest of the way.
The Ups

Lance Stephenson had one of his typical nights for the Pacers, finishing
with 15 points, 12 rebounds and five assists and providing his usual spark.

1) The Pacers got some much needed production from the bench, something that had been missing as of late. C.J. Watson, Danny Granger, Luis Scola and Ian Mahinmi combined for 23 points in the first half and they finished with 45 for the game. The bench had scored just 23 points combined in the previous two games. The bench built the lead to 16 points in the second quarter before the Pacers eventually settled for a nine point lead at the half. The bench then came in and continued to play well at the start of the fourth quarter, extending the 12-point lead to 20 points by midway through the quarter. Granger looked especially comfortable in the offense, maybe the best he's looked since returning from his knee surgery. He finished with 16 points and also had a couple of nice finds and finished with three assists too. If the Pacers can get some consistent play like that from Granger, it will be a significant step in their goal to defeat the Heat and reach the NBA Finals.
2) Pacers fans know that Stephenson has a motor that won't stop, and for most part that's been a good thing this season. And it was good thing in this game. Stephenson didn't play a perfect game, but he finished with 15 points, 12 rebounds and five assists and gave the Pacers that much needed boost in the third quarter when the game was in danger of being a close one.
3) I liked that Pacers coach Frank Vogel compared his team to the Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks on Monday. The Pacers had strayed a bit from their defensive identity and it was a reminder to the team to not forget the style of play that is needed to win a championship. And also, too, it was a good reminder by Vogel that he still believes in his team. And that's important because the Pacers in general just haven't displayed the kind of confidence they had early in the season. And while Orlando has had its struggles this season, it's always good when you hold an opponent under 80 points, something the Pacers have now done nine times this season.
The Downs
1) After staring out so well and shooting over 50 percent for much of the first half, the Pacers offense decided to take a hiatus in the final three minutes of the second quarter and for most of the third quarter. They went from moving the ball and cutting to get open to standing around and watching Stephenson, George Hill and Paul George launch and mostly miss 3-pointers. It's probably lucky they were playing Orlando or the nine-point halftime lead would have likely been completely gone. The Pacers and Magic combined to score 29 points in the third quarter, and that was with a late surge by the Pacers. Not the most fun 12 minutes of basketball I've ever watched.
Afterthoughts
It was good that the Pacers finally beat a team they way they should have. The Pacers still had some moments where you wondered what they were doing out there, but it was important for them to have an easy game before they head to Atlanta. And maybe this will give them at least a little confidence boost too.
Next Up
The Pacers will try to do something they have struggled with a bit this year and that's win the second night of a back-to-back on the road when they play the Hawks in a 7:30 p.m. game Tuesday. The Pacers were without Stephenson when they went to Atlanta on Jan. 8 and lost 97-87. The Hawks were hit hard with injury when they lost center Al Horford for the season, but others have picked up their game. That includes forward Paul Millsap, who was deservedly named to the All-Star team, who is averaging 17.7 points and 8.2 rebounds. The Hawks also have point guard Jeff Teague at 16.2 points and 7.3 assists. That could be a problem area for the Pacers who have been letting point guards run crazy on them lately (the Suns' Goran Dragic would be exhibit A). Atlanta also has sharpshooter Kyle Korver at 12.2 points, DeMarre Carroll at 10.2 points and super sub Lou Williams at 9.6 points. This is the kind of game where the Pacers should be able to take advantage of their size with Hibbert and West inside. In their last meeting Hibbert and West combined to score 10 points on 5 of 19 shooting from the field. The Pacers can't have that happen again if they want to win on the road against the Hawks, who at 25-21 were sitting in the third spot in the East heading into Monday night's games. The Hawks also had Monday night off, so they'll be rested and ready for the Pacers.

An ugly win and the Bynum factor

The Pacers defeated the visiting Brooklyn Nets 97-96 Saturday night. The Pacers are now 36-10 while the Nets are 20-25.
The Big Plays
The Nets hung around in this game and the score was 76-76 when Pacers center Roy Hibbert made a nice up an under move, where he made the basket and also was fouled and made the free throw to give the Pacers the lead for good with 6:50 remaining. Another key play came with 57 seconds left when the Pacers were up by three and David West banked in a 10-footer. George Hill also made a key free throw with the Pacers up three in the final 30 seconds to keep it a two possession game and West made two free throws to put the lead at three points with 7.6 seconds left. West also hit another free throw with 4.2 seconds left to give the Pacers a four-point lead, which was key, since the Nets' Deron Williams hit a 3-pointer for what turned out to be the final score.
The Ups
1) For the second straight game the Pacers took advantage of center Roy Hibbert inside. After scoring 26 points in a loss against the Suns Thursday, he came back with 20 points Saturday night. Hibbert may have also had the most entertaining move of the night in the third quarter, when with the shot clock running down and standing at the edge of the free-throw line, he took two dribbles, made a ball fake pass to the middle, and then went in for the layup and was fouled. Roy the point guard, at least for a moment, also made that free throw to complete the three-point play. It brought a smile from Hibbert and some key points to the Pacers to put them up by 10 at the moment. Hibbert also added five rebounds and three blocked shots and as usual, just his presence in the paint keeps opponents outside the lane, making them take lower percentage shots.

Pacers power forward David West finished with
17 points, seven rebounds and seven assists Saturday.

2) When it comes to triple-double watches, Pacers fans usually think of Lance Stephenson. But the guy who got sort of close to that Saturday night was power forward David West. He finished with 17 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. He also hit those key free throws in the final seconds. And while all those things were important for this game, West's presence and leadership on the team has to be one the reasons that Pacers President Larry Bird felt the team could take the risk of signing Andrew Bynum.
3) One of the reasons the Pacers were able to win this one was because they easily won the rebound battle. They outrebounded the Nets 46-27, including getting eight rebounds from Paul George, along with seven each from West, Stephenson and Luis Scola. This game wasn't pretty to watch by any stretch, but the rebounding helped cover many of the Pacers mistakes.
The Downs
1) A lot of those mistakes were turnovers. The Pacers finished 23 for the game, and they had six of them in the third quarter. The disturbing thing about many of them is that they came on passes that really weren't necessary and were sometimes forced. The Pacers were fortunate to be catching the Nets on a second night of a back-to-back on this one, or the final result could have been different.
2) The Pacers bench continued its recent inefficiencies. Against the Nets they hit just 4 of 18 shots from the field, bringing their shooting total in the last four games to 36 of 113. Hopefully this is a midseason slump, but it's one of the reasons the Pacers have to give Andrew Bynum try (more on that below).
Afterthoughts
This may have been one of the Pacers ugliest wins of the season. It was as if they were still getting used to being home after coming home from their West Coast trip. That was understandable for Thursday, but not really for Saturday, especially with the Nets on the second night of a back-to- back. But nonetheless, a win is a win, and every team is glad to get them and nobody gives them back. These ups and downs are somewhat typical in a long NBA season, it's just good that the Pacers can win on at least a good number of these nights when they aren't at their best. The Pacers are 22-2 at home and now have beat the Nets all four times they have played them this season, so however you want to slice it, those are good things.
The Signing

The Pacers hope they get something
close the Lakers' version of Andrew Bynum.

The big news off the court came early Saturday morning when the Pacers announced they had signed free agent center Andrew Bynum for the rest of the season. One of big questions here is how will Bynum fit in with a team that has chemistry as one of its strengths. Bynum had signed a two-year deal with Cleveland before the season and averaged just over eight points and five rebounds before the Cavaliers essentially kicked him off the team, even though it officially came in a trade with the Bulls for Luol Deng. It's become apparent in the last couple of weeks that the Pacers' bench needed a boost, especially with little offensive output from backup center Ian Mahinmi. The fact that Bynum lasted longer than a month is obviously not a good sign either. But in an odd sort of way, that may actually work in the Pacers favor.
The fact he went unsigned for so long may have sent a bit of message to Bynum that he's not the hot commodity that he thought he was. He knows he needs to make a good impression with his attitude as well as be an effective player on the court to try and impress a potential suitor for next year. And the fact that the Pacers are likely to make a deep run into the playoffs, can also only help him. If Bynum can play a positive role in that run, he knows that will only help his value. So, this might not be as risky of a move as it appears. You also have to look down the road here a bit too, in that if Hibbert gets in foul trouble in a key playoff game, Bynum certainly has the potential to give the Pacers quality minutes off the bench. And finally, too, if the Pacers fall to the Heat again in the Eastern Conference finals, and they had not signed Bynum, they would have been left asking the "what if?" question. At least the front office can know it did all it could to make this a championship team. That's all you can really ask of them. Signing Bynum is not a slam dunk to work, but the decision to at least give it a try was a slam dunk.
Next Up
The Pacers play host to the Orlando Magic in a 7 p.m. game Monday. The Pacers opened the season with a 97-87 win against the Magic. Orlando has struggled as expected for much of this season with a 13-35 record going into their Sunday afternoon game at Boston. The Magic have been led by guard Arron Afflalo at 20 points per game. They also have rookie and former Indiana University star Victor Oladipo and Tobias Harris each at 13.9 points a game, Jameer Nelson at 13.4 points, Nic Vucevic at 13.1 points and 10.8 rebounds and Glen Davis at 12.6 points. The Magic had particularly rough January where they went 3-14 for the month.

It's a sunny-side down return home for Pacers

The Pacers suffered their second home loss of the season with a 102-94 defeat against the Phoenix Suns Thursday night. The Pacers fell to 35-10 and no longer have the best record in the league. The Suns are now at 28-18.
The Big Plays
The Pacers trailed throughout in this one, but were within striking distance midway through fourth quarter, being down one point with 3:48 to go. But on the next two Suns' possession, Gerald Green hit about a 15-foot jump shot and then Marcus Morris hit a 3-pointer to put the Suns up by six. The Pacers got it to within four points late, but never had the ball and a chance to tie game. The Pacers only basket after the 3:48 mark was a short turnaround jumper by George Hill with 1:48 remaining to cut the gap to four.
The Ups
1) Lance Stephenson did get snubbed for the all-star game, but he played like an all-star for most of the night. He finished with his fourth triple-double of the season with 14 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. Stephenson's issue's on this night was that he was in foul trouble, and couple of them were silly reach in fouls, that kept him off the court for most of the fourth quarter when the Pacers really needed him while they were in the midst of trying to come back. He also had five turnovers. But still, Stephenson showed that even though he wasn't selected for the all-star team, that he will likely continue to play like one.

Pacers center Roy Hibbert had 26 points, six rebounds and two blocks,
but it wasn't enough to prevent a loss to the Phoenix Suns Thursday night.

2) One of the Pacers big advantages in this game was their inside game and they took full advantage of that with center Roy Hibbert, who was named to the all-star team as a reserve earlier in the night. Hibbert finished with 26 points, six rebounds and two blocked shots. He also had eight of his points in the third quarter while hitting all four of his shots as the Pacers cut the Suns lead from 17 to three points by the end of the quarter. Hibbert also played his usual good defense, especially in the second half when he made things difficult for the offensively talented Suns.
3) The Pacers second-half defense was much more what they have played like most of this season, when they allowed 36 points in the second half to the high scoring Suns. The Suns hit just 12 of 30 shots in the second half for 40 percent. Pacers fans can only hope that is a sign of things to come in the near future.
The Downs
1) And then there was that first half defense. The Suns scored 66 points and shot 52 percent in the half and left-handed guard Goran Dragic tormented the Pacers by scoring 21 points, scoring when it at times it looked like he had nowhere to go. The Suns also had 14 fastbreak points in the first half, and that was a pretty disturbing number considering for the most part, it's just a matter of hustle  when it comes to getting back on defense.
2) It's always a tough call when it comes to picking reserves for the all-star team and somebody always gets left out. And in this case one of those guys was Stephenson. One of the real problems here was that the Heat's Dwyane Wade was voted in by the fans, and also that there was no voting for a true center. The means an extra guard type player was voted in, leaving room for one less reserve guard or small forward. Another big question here is that the Nets' Joe Johnson made it on this team averaging 15 points per game on a team that has had a disappointing season. Stephenson has been an all-around key player on a team with one of the best records in the league. So, that's the rub here. The two face off Saturday night, so it will be interesting to see who wins that battle.
3) The Pacers bench has been a bit inconsistent lately. It was thought that with the return of Danny Granger from injury, and even a subpar Granger, that the bench would at least be fortified. And with C.J. Watson and Luis Scola that was the case for a while. But lately, that's not been the case. In the last five games, that trio has combined to shoot 32 of 95 from the field for just under 34 percent. They combined to score just seven points Thursday, while the Suns bench scored 40. The Suns have a deep bench, so it's not an embarrassment to get outscored by them somewhat, but it is an embarrassment to get outscored by that much.
Afterthoughts
This was a tough game for the Pacers for a couple of reasons. First, no matter who the opponent is, the first game back after being on a long road trip (five games in this case) is always a tough one. And then, too, the Suns play their traditional brand of small ball, which causes a bigger playoff-built team like the Pacers some fits. It would have been nice to see the Pacers come out with a little toughness in the first half, but at least they did find it in the second half. Hopefully it will carry over into Saturday's game against the Nets.
Next Up
The Nets visit the Pacers in a 7 p.m. game Saturday. The Nets got off to a disappointing start, but have won 10 of their 12 games in January and are at 23-25 heading into Friday night's home game against Oklahoma City. The Nets have been led by Johnson and his 15 points, Paul Pierce and Deron Williams at 13 points and Andray Blatche at 12 points a game. The Nets also lost center Brooke Lopez for the season after just 17 games this year so they look to Kevin Garnett and Blatche for rebounding help and they average seven and six rebounds each. Each of the Nets two losses in January have come to the Raptors. The Nets are playing better so the Pacers had better be prepared for a tough battle. The Pacers have won the first three meetings against the Nets this season, 96-91 back in November and 103-86 and then 105-91 each in December.

Stephenson's All-Star campaign continues in win

The Pacers defeated the host Los Angeles Lakers 104-92 late Tuesday night to conclude their five-game western road trip. The Pacers are now an NBA best 35-9 on the season while the Lakers fell to 16-30.
The Big Plays
It was not Paul George's night overall, but he had a hand in a couple of the bigger plays of this game. First, he had a behind-the-back move on a fast break for a dunk that gave the Pacers a seven-point lead midway through the third quarter. Then he finished the third quarter by hitting a long 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Pacers a 10-point lead. The Lakers hung around for a bit, but it was never really close after that.
The Ups

Pacers guard Lance Stephenson had 15 points
and 14 rebounds in Tuesday's win over the Lakers.

1) Pacers guard Lance Stephenson continued his western campaign to make the NBA All-Star team as a reserve. The starters were announced last week, which included George, and the rest of the squad will be announced Thursday night. Stephenson finished with 15 points, a career-high 14 rebounds and six assists in this win. One of the best things about Stephenson's game on this trip, is that he seems to have gained a bit more of a sense on when his outside shot is going and when it is not. He's gaining more patience on the offensive end, meaning that he's not going to settle for a jump shot if he misses his first couple. He instead is works to get rebounds and push the fastbreak or uses his ball handling skills to get inside the defense and get an easier shot or to set up a teammate. Stephenson was 25 o 44 from the field in the final three games of the trip. Just another step in the maturation of Stephenson as a player.
2) The defense returned in earnest in this one. Yes, it's true the Lakers are not the offensive machine like the Clippers, Blazers or Thunder. But they had scored 100 or more points in eight straight games before Tuesday night. That might be more of reflection of Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni's shoot first and pass later type of philosophy, but nonetheless they do have the ability score. The Pacers also did a solid job on Lakers guard Nike Young, who has embraced that shoot-first mentality by holding him to just 12 points on 5 of 16 shooting.
3) One of the good things on this trip has been the involvement of David West in the offense. He finished with 19 points Tuesday on 8 of 14 shooting. West finished 35 of 74 from the field (hurt mainly a 6 of 20 night at Denver) on this trip. It's important to note because the Pacers often have an advantage on offense with him and it's good to see them get back to taking advantage of it. The Pacers will not only need him to play well in the second half of the season, but in the playoffs where he will really be needed.
The Downs
1) Lakers point guard Kendall Marshall is a nice story, coming from the D-League and playing well in a starting role for the Lakers. But once again the Pacers had trouble containing a left-handed point guard as Marshall had 13 assists and 11 points. That included letting Marshall get inside the defense in the final seconds of the first half and dishing off to Jordan Hill for a basket that tied the game. It's an area that the team will have improve on because teams will keep exploiting it until the Pacers stop it.
2) Sure he had that big play to end the third quarter, but maybe we should ban Paul George from going on late night talk shows. He hit just 4 of 21 shots after appearing in the Jimmy Kimmel show Wednesday night. After hitting just 6 of 18 shots at Denver, George will likely be glad to return to the home this week.
Afterthoughts
This was by no means one of those victories to brag about, but being on the final game of five-game road trip and needing it to have a winning trip, made this game kind of a big deal. The win gave the Pacers a 3-2 record this time around, making them 6-4 on their two western swings this season. So simply put, for a team trying to have the best record in the East, and possibly the league, coming back with a losing record on this trip would not have been acceptable.
Next Up
The Pacers will try to avenge one of their losses on the western trip as the Phoenix Suns visit Bankers Life Fieldhouse in a 7 p.m. game Thursday night. The Suns, led by guards Goran Dragic and ex-Pacer Gerald Green outgunned the Pacers last week in Phoenix 124-100, easily the most points the Pacers have allowed this season. The left-handed Dragic is averaging 19 points and six assists, followed by Green at over 13 points, Channing Frye and Markieff Morris each at 12 points and Marcus Morris at 10 points. Also, the Suns have former Pacers backup center


Miles Plumlee averaging just under nine points and just over nine rebounds per game. The Suns have a 26-18 record going into Wednesday night's game at Milwaukee, so the Pacers will get a little benefit in facing Phoenix on the second night of a back to back.

No mountain miracle for Pacers in loss to Nuggets

The Pacers lost to the host Denver Nuggets 109-96 Saturday night. The Pacers are now 34-9 while the Nuggets are 21-21.
The Big Plays
The were a few key moments in this game. The Pacers, while not playing great in the first quarter, were still hanging around until Nuggets went on a 16-0 run against the Pacers reserves early in the second quarter. So in terms of being within striking distance of the lead, that was pretty much it for this game as tiny guard Nate Robinson had 13 points in the quarter. After being down 19 at halftime, the Pacers scored the first 11 points of the second half. On three occasions they had the ball and a chance to cut Denver's lead to four points but it never happened. Most notably, one of those times was midway through the fourth quarter when C.J. Watson stole the ball and was free for what seemed like a breakaway, only to miss the shot under pressure. The telling story though, was that no other Pacer player was there to cleanup the rebound for an easy bucket, so instead the Nuggets got the rebound and that was that.
The Ups

Lance Stephenson turned in another all-star type
performance in Saturday's loss to Denver.

1) For the second straight night, Lance Stephenson was one of the standouts for the Pacers. He finished with 23 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. It's one of few times the Pacers have lost this season when he has four or more assists, with that mark now being 27-4. But besides putting up some of his usual numbers, Stephenson also entertained in this game, with several moves around the basket. One of the favorites was when he took a pass and almost lost the ball on his shoulder next to his ear, but somehow controlled it enough to get it on the glass for two points. This game was just another all-star statement for Stephenson.
2) Even though it was a loss, it was good to see the Pacers come out and make a game of this in the second half. A lesser team would have succumbed to the thought that it was the second night of a back to back for the road team here, and the Nuggets were coming off two days rest, so let's just pack this one in and try and get the next one. But the Pacers did really try to get this one, too. It was just that problematic first half they had was too much overcome, even though they certainly did try, try, again.

The Downs
1) The Pacers seemed to rediscover their defensive identity in the second half Friday night at Sacramento, but it didn't make the trip to Denver. The Nuggets, much like the Suns and Kings earlier this week, came out firing and ready to play. The Nuggets really hit their stride in the second quarter when they shot 60 percent from the field and outscored the Pacers by 15. It's understandable that a team will have offensive lulls from time to time during the season, but if the Pacers want to secure homecourt for at least the Eastern Conference playoffs they can't have these extended defensive lulls they've experienced in each of their last three games.
2) The Pacers bench, while not the best in the league, has generally been a plus for the team this year. But that was not the case Saturday night. The bench was on the floor with Stephenson when the Nuggets went on their big run early in the second quarter. The Pacers bench for the night was outscored 33-22 for the game. But in that game-turning first half the bench hit just 3 of 12 shots for nine points. It just seems to be an unfortunate timing thing of power forward Luis Scola's shot being a little off lately, Watson not having some of the success he had earlier this year and Danny Granger still finding his way and confidence on the offensive end after coming back from injury.
Afterthoughts
This was a tall order simply because the Pacers were on the second night of a back to back and the Nuggets had the previous two nights off. There's also the thin-air factor in Denver, which apparently can make opponents tired. The Pacers did bring a bit of this on themselves, too, by playing overtime Firday night against undermanned Sacramento. So, the key here, is not to go too crazy over this loss. Yes, it's a little upsetting the Pacers have given up an average of just over 110 points in the last three games, so the defense has got to be better, especially out front when it comes to at least slowing down guys like Robinson, Isiah Thomas and Goran Dragic, who each too many times ran around and did whatever they wanted in each of the last three games. This loss here is certainly not the end of the world, but I'd be a little less worried if it was an offensive breakdown rather than a defensive one.
Next Up
The Pacers finish their road trip with a 10:30 p.m. game at the Los Angeles Lakers Tuesday. It's been a difficult season for the Lakers who are 16-28 going into Sunday's 3:30 p.m. game at New York against the Knicks on ABC (yes, we get the whole big market TV thing here). Kobe Bryant has played only six games for L.A. due to a fracture in his knee and isn't scheduled to return until sometime in mid-February. Also, there have been trade rumors surrounding forward Pau Gasol, so that uncertainty has not helped either. The Lakers have been led by shooting guard (and he takes that role literally at 1.4 assists per game) Nick Young at 17.1 points per game. Gasol averages 16.7 points and 10 rebounds and reserve guard Jodie Meeks average 10.2 points. One of the bright spots for the Lakers has been the play of point guard Kendall Marshall, who they signed from the D-League and is averaging 10.4 point and 9.6 assists a game. They also get 10 points a game from Xavier Henry.

By George, he did it again for Pacers

The Pacers defeated the host Sacramento Kings Friday night 116-111 in overtime. The Pacers are now 34-8 and the Kings are now 15-27.
The Big Plays
The first real big play for the Pacers in this game didn't come until there was 15.1 seconds left in regulation. The Pacers were down four and Paul George came off a screen and hit a 3-pointer and was fouled by Derrick Williams (here's the video link. George then hit the free throw and the defense held to force the overtime. Another big play came early in the overtime with the Pacers down by a point. With the shot clock running down forward David West found himself open from behind the 3-point line and hit it to put the Pacers up 108-106. And then the final big play of the game came with the Kings down three and with the ball with 22.4 seconds left. The Pacers put George on the red-hot Isiah Thomas, who was denied access into the lane and when he turned his back on the defense and dribbled with his right hand, George stole the ball, was fouled, and hit the final two free throws to seal the win.
The Ups

1) It's hard to say just where George's four-point play will rank on his play list in his young career, but at least in terms of regular season big shots, this was a key one, especially when you do it on the road. But George was good all night as he finished with 36 points and 12 of 22 shooting and hit all eight of his free throws. George without question deserves his all-star starting status, but what was nice to see in this game was that your all-star/MVP candidate stepped up and hit the big shot here. It's the second time he's hit a 3-pointer to send a game into overtime for the Pacers this season and the Pacers won both of those games (the other one was at New York). It's good too for your best player to get used to taking and making these kinds of shots. And just a little reminder here, too, never give up when things look bad. That attitude is what makes great players great.
2) A big part of the reason the Pacers got back into this game was the play of West, especially in the fourth quarter. West finished with 22 points on 9 of 14 shooting and six rebounds. West consistently exposed the defensively challenged Jason Thompson in the low post and it was really a case where West knew he could take him and Thompson knew he couldn't stop him. Without West's play in this game, George's four-point play doesn't happen.
3) This was by no means a great game played by the Pacers, but after giving up 60 points or more in three straight halves (we'll get to that in a second), they did seem to find their identity in the second half. The Pacers allowed 42 points to the Kings in the third and fourth quarters, and that's the kind of game they need to play. Maybe it will be a sign of good things to come on the final two games of the road trip.
The Downs
1) The Kings were without two of their best players in Rudy Gay and DeMarcus Cousins. So, it wasn't unreasonable to think that the Pacers would go into Sacramento and have this thing wrapped up by the middle of the third quarter. If there's a lesson here it's that nothing can be assumed and that you know, you just can't flip the intensity switch on and expect to walk out with a win. It's an every game, every quarter, every minute, every possession thing. So, maybe that lesson was reinforced a bit Friday night.
2) We understand that Isiah Thomas Jr. is in the running for most improved player and that Marcus Thornton is capable of hitting some shots if he's left open. But really, a team that pride's itself on defense can't allow these two guys to combine for 80 points in a game. Thornton had 19 in the first quarter and his confidence level was through the roof the entire game as he finished with 42. The left-handed Thomas, much like the left-handed Goran Dragic in Phoenix on Wednesday night, had his way with the Pacers, especially in the first half. It wasn't until Pacers point guard George Hill started going over top of the screens they were setting for Thomas that the defense began to change. Maybe these past two games was a good lesson on how the Pacers need to defend the pick and roll. If not, teams will keep doing it until the Pacers find a way to stop it.
Afterthoughts
This wasn't a great win in terms of going on the road and beating a top team. But it was a good win in that the Pacers were clearly struggling with getting back to the type of style they like to play and they found it just in time to make it a game in the second half and set up George's big shot. So, in April if you look at the season results and see the Pacers won at Sacramento, you'd be like well, yeah that's expected, what's the big deal? But at this point in the season and given what had happened in Wednesday's loss at Phoenix, and that it was the the first night of back-to-back with the next opponent being off on Friday night, it was maybe a little bit of big deal. And you know, it's always nice to steal one of the road, no matter who the opponent is.
Next Up
The Pacers visit the Denver Nuggets, who are led by former Pacers assistant coach Brian Shaw. The Nuggets are led on the court by point guard Ty Lawson at 17.8 points and 8.5 assists. They also have Wilson Chandler at 13.7 points, forward J.J. Hickson at 11.5 points and 9.1 rebounds, diminutive guard Nate Robinson at 10.8 points, guard Randy Foye at 10.7 points and forward Kenneth Faried at 10 points and 7.7 rebounds. The Nuggets are 20-21 on the season.

No sunshine for Pacers in loss at Phoenix

The Pacers fell to the host Phoenix Suns Wednesday night 124-100. The Pacers are now 33-8 while the Suns are 24-17.
The Big Plays
The Suns played at an uptempo pace all night and the Pacers could never catch up. The Suns took control in the second quarter and when the Pacers tried to get back into it at the start of the third and fourth quarters, the Suns responded in what turned out to be a blowout. A couple of the big highlights from this game came from ex-Pacer Gerald Green, with his dunk in the first half, then a with a crazy looking scoop shot in the lane in the third quarter where he was also fouled and made the free throw.
The Ups

Paul George was mostly the Pacers only bright
spot in Wednesday night's loss at Phoenix.

1) The only consistent bright spot for the Pacers was the play of Paul George. On the offensive end, he kept alive any semblance of hope for the Pacers to get back into it. He finished with 26 points on 10 of 19 shooting. And in the second half, when the Pacers were flirting with getting back into this one, part of the reason was that George was guarding Goran Dragic.
2) The Pacers love having Luis Scola on the team for good reason. But the trade that sent Miles Plumlee and Green to Phoenix for Scola has worked out quite well for the Suns. Green had a crazy first half with 18 points and finished with 23. He still may be friends with some of the Pacers and that may have given him a bit of extra incentive to play well against them. That kind of thing has happened before and it will happen again. Plumlee had 11 points and seven rebounds, including a key dunk off an offensive rebound in the third quarter. He gives the Suns some much needed muscle inside.
3) I liked the fact that Pacers coach Frank Vogel played the starters for a bit in the fourth quarter even when the outcome was all but decided. The Pacers looked so out of sync for much of this game, that maybe them playing together for a bit would help. Well, at least it seemed like a good idea until Roy Hibbert fouled out with 6:34 to go.

The Downs
1) This was maybe the worst defense the Pacers have played all year. The Suns pretty much did whatever they wanted. The Suns shot 45 of 83 from the field for 54 percent, including hitting 11 of 16 from 3-point range. Part of it was Green being somewhat unconscious from the field, but part of it was Dragic just going wherever he wanted, sometimes taking the shot and sometimes setting up other teammates. It was just a really out of character defensive night for the Pacers, who offered little resistance as they allowed a season high 124 points.
2) Some key Pacers were on the court, but basically missing in action in this one. That included deserving all-star Lance Stephenson and almost certain all-star Hibbert. They combined to shoot 6 for 17 from the floor for 12 points and missed all three of their free throws. The Pacers can win if one of those guys has an off night, but unless it's a night where George goes crazy and scores 40 plus, they're not going to win when Stephenson and Hibbert are off on the same night.
3) Joey Crawford. That's it. Just Joey Crawford.
Afterthoughts
This was one of those games you basically want to forget about. It's not an end of the world situation and is no reason to panic because in a long NBA season these kind of games just come along every now and then. It's just that Pacers losses have been so rare this season, it can cause a bit of alarm when they do actually lose a game. Expect them to come out with a big effort Friday night at Sacramento.
Next Up
The Pacers continue their five-game road trip by traveling to Sacramento to take on the Kings in a 10 p.m. Friday game. The Pacers won the first meeting between the teams last week 116-92. The Kings had come into that game on a three-game winning streak. They are led by DeMarcus Cousins at 23.5 points and 11.5 rebounds a game. They also have recently acquired Rudy Gay at 20 points and point guard Isiah Thomas Jr. at 19.4 points and 6.2 assists. The Kings have a 15-26 record after losing the host Houston Rockets 119-98 Wednesday night.