There's no denying it: the Indiana Pacers are in a slump. But at least they gutted out an ugly win tonight against the struggling New Jersey Nets, 93-88, relying on Danny Granger's 32 points (despite a sprained ankle) to snap their season-high 5 game losing streak. Can you believe it? Not that long ago the team was boasting that it hadn't lost 2 in a row all season, and now they are scrambling to find a solution.

To be fair, this type of slide was expected in a shortened, unprepared season like this, and at 18-12, the Pacers shouldn't be panicking, though it's clear they still have a lot of work to do to get back to the level they were at earlier in the season.

On the bright side, they are entering one of the softest parts of the schedule, where they will play the Bobcats, Hornets, Bobcats, Warriors and Hornets (including the All-Star break in between). Even with the way they've been playing, there's no reason why they can't go at least 4-1 during this stretch. Even if they don't, it'll be a good opportunity to play their way into form again.

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Did I see it coming?  Perhaps.  Did I think it would be this bad?  No.  Getting slammed by Miami again was foreseeable, but getting trounced by the Cavs?  Ouch.

Does anyone still think this team is a contender?  I don't think so.  I don't think even they believe it anymore.

That said, I don't think it'll be like last season, when this team crumbled so badly that it got Jim O'Brien fired.  They'll bounce back, but whether they'll keep winning at the previous rate is a big question mark.

The good thing is that they get a quick opportunity to redeem themselves, with the third game of their back-to-back-to-back tomorrow against the New Jersey Nets, a team they've beaten twice already this season.

Will the streak continue?  I hope not.

Can't believe I'm typing this but I'm going to go check out some Jeremy Lin hightlights.  no comments

Lost in the Linsanity phenomenon over the past week was the fact that the Indiana Pacers, who previously prided themselves in not losing consecutive games all season, have now dropped three straight.

After the lousy loss to the Hawks, the Pacers promptly lost their next couple of games, both close ones, against Memphis (98-92) and Denver (113-109), respectively.

Remember when the Nuggets visited the Fieldhouse last time?  Yes, it was the game where the Pacers shot the lights out in that historic third quarter where they missed just one shot (thanks McBob) and racked up 144 points on the night.

This time, not so lucky.

Even with the losses, the Pacers are still 17-10 and are on a 42-win pace in a 66 game season.  That's still awesome. But the question is whether they can maintain this pace over the remainder of the season.

The team obviously has been in a funk as of late, lacking in energy and desperation against teams they could have and probably should have beaten. It seems when one player is up (eg, Paul George and Roy Hibbert), other players are down (eg, David West and Danny Granger), and vice versa.  The other big problem is the bench, which can't have George Hill back soon enough.  Tyler Hansbrough is appearing to break out of his slump, and Jeff Foster is finally back, but it's not nearly enough. The previously celebrated Pacers depth is suddenly starting to look like an illusion.

No time to whine though.  The Pacers are about to face the Miami Heat again, and the last time these two teams met it wasn't pretty.

Will the Pacers suffer their fourth consecutive loss, or will they put together a sorely needed effort and get back on track?

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Forgot to post about that awful loss to the Hawks the other night, so here's the highlights.

 
In short, the Pacers stunk up the joint.  It was another one of those lousy efforts that elite teams should never have, even in a crazy condensed season. Should the Pacers be worried?  Yes.  They are at 17-8, still 4th in the East and very impressive, but as a team they are starting to show signs of slippage.  Look at the upcoming schedule: @Memphis, Denver, Miami, @Cleveland, New Jersey, Charlotte, New Orleans, Charlotte.  The first three are all dangerous opponents, and even though the rest of them aren't much to look at, they are played within the space of 8 days. The Miami, Cleveland and New Jersey games is the first back-to-back-to-back for the Pacers this season and it'll be interesting to see how the do.

The good news, of course, is that Roy Hibbert has been selected as an All-Star reserve in the East.  Given the dearth of centers in the East and the Pacers' early success, big Roy is an obvious choice, even though his numbers (13.6 points, 9.9 rebounds) aren't exactly remarkable.  A good experience for Roy, even though I would have preferred for him to get some rest.  The All-Star game isn't really a game for post-up, unathletic centers like the big fella, though I'm looking forward to him showing off his passing skills. 

Congrats to Roy Hibbert!

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By now you should know that the Indiana Pacers gave up a massive 21 point lead againt the Utah Jazz before finally waking up and earning a tougher-than-it-should've-been 104-99 victory at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

The Pacers had a few guys that player well (Collison in particular, Hibbert, and Granger when it mattered), but what must be worrying is the team's continued inability to close out games that they appear to have in hand.  Remember last year when the Pacers held those big leads against the Bulls in the first round of the playoffs, only to lose 3 of those 4 games?  I had initially chalked that down to the greatness of Derrick Rose and that Bulls team, but the continuing trend this season is a concern.

The one that most will remember is that debacle in Sacramento, when the Pacers simply melted away and allowed the Kings to steal certain victory from the Pacers' grasps, but there have been numerous games where the Pacers have given up big leads.  Sure, they won a lot of those games by digging deep in crunch time, but what it does illustrate is the team's lack of killer instinct.  To be honest, many of those wins came from luck or from the other team imploding at the last minute.

The argument that the Pacers don't have a legitimate go-to-guy or superstar is not as salient these days, considering committee teams such as Philadelphia and Denver are getting it done with arguably less talent.  It's human nature to ease up when ahead, but the Pacers often appear to fall asleep when they have a big lead, playing lots of one-on-one, throwing up tough jumpers early into the shot clock, making lazy passes, not boxing out and not getting back on defense.  It was more understandable last year and the year before, considering how young the core of this team is, but if the Pacers want to become serious contenders, they need to close games out.

Point differentials are the sign of a quality team.  Looking at the standings now, the Pacers are 17-7, just half a game behind Philly (18-7), but
their point differential stands at just +3.4, way behind the league leading 76ers who are at a full +10.  For contending teams like the Heat (+8.0) and the Bulls (+9.2) with their superstars, it's understandable -- you rarely see them (especially the Bulls) give up big leads against inferior teams.  But a team like Philly, which has the similar multi-weapon model as the Pacers, the contrast is startling.

Not to be a party pooper beacuse the Pacers ought to be very proud of their record thus far (and especially the calibre of opponents they have beaten), but if they want to win one or possibly two series in the playoffs, they need to start developing that killer instinct they sorely miss right now.
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Yes, the Pacers lost to the Orlando Magic at home.  Again.  But let's not let that get us down.  Despite all their turmoil and travel difficulties due to the Superbowl, the Magic gutted out the ugly win against the tired legs of the Pacers offense, undoing a lot of the good work they had been exhibiting on the road as of late.  The Pacers did everything they could to lose that game, but the game was close and went down to the wire, though I'm not sure if that's a praise for the Pacers or an indictment of the messy Magic squad.

Anyway, let's forget about that horrible game and focus on the positives.  It seems George Hill's chip-fractured ankle is not as bad as it first appeared, and although there is no specific timetable for his return, Hill claimed that he is targeting February 23rd as a potential date for court action.  If that's the case then the Pacers will receive a much-needed boost.

In other news, the Pacers were ranked...wait for it...3rd (!) in ESPN's Power Rankings.  That seemed a little high for me.  I like the Pacers to remain underdogs under the radar.  They perform better that way. no comments

Gotta love the JET. no comments

Admit it.  Deep down, you thought the Pacers were going to lose today against the defending champs.  Well, not if Paul George had anything to say about it.

The second-year player broke out today for a career high 30 points, including 7 treys, plus 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals and a block with no turnovers in a game high 41 minutes as the Pacers dominated the second half en route to a 98-87 victory.  Yes, the Pacers are now 16-6 and 10-5 on the road for the season.

In actuality, it was a team effort.  David West was in beast mode again with 20 points on 9-11 shooting.  Danny Granger had 16 but shot poorly (5-18), but the shots he did hit were big, making the poor percentage seem less painful than it really was.  Big Roy Hibbert struggled from the field to score only 9 points, but had 14 rebounds and a couple of blocks.

The real concern for the Pacers was the bench (again), which is really starting to make me doubt those boasts about having one of the deepest benches in the league.  With George Hill out with injury, all eyes were on Tyler Hansbrough (as the team's "7th starter") to produce, but Psycho-T was atrocious again, racking up a team high -15 on the plus/minus chart and scoring only one point on a free throw.  It's quite baffling because Hansbrough was on fire during the shortened pre-season and was said to be ready for a solid season as West's back up, a position most believed he would thrive in.

The entire bench was pretty awful, actually, combining for a total of 10 points and 3 turnovers on 4-14 shooting.

Nevertheless, when it's all said and done, this game was Paul George's coming out party.  At 6'10", with freakishly long arms, superb athleticism, a silky smooth finishing ability, and now with a deadly outside shot to go with his cool demeanor and diligent work ethic, PG is destined for great things.  In fact, it's arguable that PG has been on a bit of a roll over the last few games.

Against the Timberwolves he had 10 points in the first half before foul trouble kept him on the bench for the majority of the game.  The game before that, against the Nets, he had a (previous) career high of 24 points on 8-11 shooting, including 4-6 from 3-point range and that sick reverse jam replayed over and over on TV.  And with the team winning, no wonder his confidence is sky high.

"I've grown into a confident player. I feel like I can knock down any shot," he said after the game. "I've got a comfort level out there right now."

The question really is how long PG can keep this up and how much more he can develop.  Remember when he was drafted by the Pacers at No. 10, a lot of people were against it because he supposedly played the same position as Danny Granger.  But looking at the way he has been progressing, it is highly likely that George will catch up to and eventually surpass Granger as the best player on the team.  For starters, he plays more consistently at both ends than Danny and has the potential to be a genuinely lock down defender.  He is taller, longer and more athletic.  Is an All-Star selection within the next 3 years out of the question?

While Granger developed a vocal bravado (that often gets the best of him) as the young leader of a struggling team, George has had the opportunity (some would say luxury) to slowly grow into his game at his own pace.  He simply keeps his head down and works hard without getting into any of the unnecessary stuff, and it's starting to pay dividends.  

Of course, he still needs to become more consistent, grow a lot stronger and perfect his finishing ability, especially at the rim, plus he needs to work on his ball handling and passing, the weaker areas of his game.  However, right now PG is way ahead of where he is supposed to be on the progression curve.

Up next, the Orlando Magic back at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.  Again, I don't expect the Pacers to win, but I hope they can keep surprising me.
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A little late but better late than never.

Danny Granger went off yesterday against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second half to score a season-high 36 points, and Darren Collison thoroughly outplayed Ricky Rubio with 20 points, 9 assists and 6 boards as the Pacers cruised to a 109-99 victory and improved to 15-6 on the season. 

Granger was already having a solid third quarter when, with a couple of minutes to spare, Kevin Love lost his footing and grabbed Granger's shoulder/neck area on his way down after fighting for a loose ball.  Granger, with his back turned to Love, thought it was a deliberate "clothesline" and got right back into Love's face, causing players from both sides to jump in and Frank Vogel to run into the fracas to pull Granger away.  The misunderstanding earned Granger a technical but it also got him mad as he and the Pacers started clicking offensively to put the Wolves away for a rather comfortable victory in the end.

After the game, the scuffle caused headlines when Kevin Love declared that he "don't like the Pacers" and laughed at the team for trying to be a bunch of "tough guys".  The Pacers seem to be getting under a lot of skin lately, as you will recall the "never forget" words from Derrick Rose only a few days ago.  Some fans like it, others don't.  I'm just glad the Pacers won both of the games, on the road too, mind you.

Roy Hibbert later tweeted: "Great win tonight. Lesson to the league don't get [Granger] mad. Y'all been warned!!!"

Granger, who said he considers his Team USA teammate Love a friend, responded to Love's comments with the following tweet: "We don’t act tough, we just play hard. If we have to be tough then we will be…"

In other news, still no news on George Hill's ankle, though one would think a chip fracture would be at least a month or more, though Hill apparently speculated that he'd be out for only three weeks. Let's hope so because the Pacers suddenly look a lot thinner with Foster out for long stretches and now Hill.  Not to say Amundson, Pendergraph, AJ Price and Lance Stephenson can't step up, but it is starting to become a concern.

Which brings me to the next piece of news -- that the Pacers are supposedly the frontrunners to land big man Chris Kaman, who has been told by the New Orleans Hornets (who acquired him in the Chris Paul trade) that he can stay home (ala Tinsley) until they figure out what to do with him.  The Pacers are apparently the only team with enough cap space to take him and his $14m contract on without losing much (if anything) in return.  The only thing is that Kaman is in the last year of his contract so he will likely be a short term rental for the rest of the season.


With Foster being semi-unreliable because of health problems and the "Awkward Brigade" of Hansbrough, Amundson and Pendergraph being slightly undersized and each having obvious flaws, it's actually not a bad idea for the Pacers to rent Kaman for a little while -- provided they don't give me too much in return.  The question really is what the Hornets are willing to give him away for.  Remember, Tinsley virtually zero value too, but the Pacers held onto him until the very end.



Apart from looking like a drug addict (which would go well with Psycho-T's serial killer and Amundson's porn star), the 7-foot Kaman actually has some skills (he averaged a career high 18.5 points just a couple of seasons ago) and would easily be the answer to question of Roy Hibbert's back-up.

Let's wait and see if there is any truth to these rumors. 

Next up, the Pacers head back on the road AGAIN to face the defending champs, the Dallas Mavericks, before heading home to play the Magic (again) and the Utah Jazz.  Looking ahead, it's then @Atlanta, @Memphis, Denver, Miami.  Another tough, tough stretch for the Pacers. no comments

Good news and bad news.  

The Pacers defeated the Nets today, 106-99, at Bankers Life Fieldhouse to start the season 14-6, but in doing so, lost George Hill indefinitely after jumped on an ankle and suffered a small chip fracture in his left ankle.  

Hill has been a little up and down this season, but more recently he has been mostly up, and his absence will be missed.  There is no one on the team that can create quite the burst that Hill can off the bench.  Perhaps this will be an opportunity for Lance Stephenson and AJ Price to shine.

No time to rest though, as the Pacers head off to Minny to face Ricky Rubio and the Timberwolves next. This Rubio kid looks like the real deal and a genuine gem, and it will be interesting to see how Darren Collison compares after being roughed up by Deron Williams for 34 points and 7 assists today.

Speaking of Deron Williams, there was apparently an ESPN Insider article today that got Pacers fans into heated discussions.  The article speculated on the possibility of the Pacers making a run for D-Will by trading George Hill and Darren Collison for him.

Now, before this gets out of hand, let it be reminded that this is mere speculation by the writer and not a legit rumor.  D-Will is going to be a free agent next year, and if the Nets don't land Dwight Howard there is a good chance he will flee to a contender.  Accordingly, D-Will will most probably be a rental for the rest of the season unless the team that scores him can convince him that they can compete for the title.

The biggest problem with this idea is that there is no way any team would trade significant assets for D-Will unless they are either banking on a all-or-nothing once-off run for the championship this year or can guarantee that D-Will will re-sign with them next season.  The next biggest problem is that the Nets would be crazy to trade D-Will for Collison and Hill.

Reading the various forums, I was stunned to see the number of Pacers fans who are shooting down this "trade" because they don't think D-Will is worth Collison and Hill combined.  Maybe it's just a matter of them being homers who believe Collison and Hill are better than they really are, but if you can score a player like D-Will for more than a couple of seasons you'd be certifiably insane to not try and get him, especially if all you are giving up is Collison and Hill (if it was Roy Hibbert and Paul George you might need to think for a second).

I like Collison and Hill as much as the next Pacers fan, but we're talking about D-Will here.  D-Will, the guy many would have picked over Chris Paul only a couple of seasons ago.  One of the top three PGs in the league along with Paul and Derrick Rose.  A playmaking scorer who has size, skill and leadership, not to mention has the ability to absolutely take over a game (see today's Pacers game as a prime example).  His Utah departure, health and less than optimal production this season aside, D-Will is the kind of player the Pacers have been dying to get forever.  People always say that the Pacers are a good team, but what they lack is a true superstar who can win the big tight games for them.  How they don't realize that D-Will is one of these rare players is beyond me. no comments