Re: Picking Up the Pace: An Indiana Pacers Dynasty
Oct 29, 2010 - IND at CHA
TEAM
1ST
2ND
3RD
4TH
SCORE
Indiana Pacers ()
28
27
22
39
116
Charottle Bobcats ()
36
27
18
29
110
Pacers Outlast Bobcats for Tough Win
The Pacers fought hard through three quarters and entering the fourth, the team was physically tired. “We were all gasping for air out there,” said Roy Hibbert. “It was tough keeping up with the Bobcats…those guys were really running it.”
That’s when Coach O’Brien made some key substitutions. “I said to the team if they were gonna run us out of the gym, we’d have to outrun them,” said O'Brien. He sat Hibbert, Hansbrough, and Granger for the beginning of the fourth bringing in Paul George, Dahantay Jones, and Josh McRoberts. It was just the spark the Pacers needed.
After closing the lead of the Bobcats from eight to four at the end of the third quarter, the move to the quicker and more versatile lineup was rewarded with points in bunches. Jones, George, and McRoberts scored 17 points after five minutes on the floor.
“It was thrilling,” said Josh McRoberts. “Coach put us out there, told us to be quicker to the ball, and let us go. Dahantay just shot and shot and shot, hitting a couple of threes, and I just felt the momentum swing in our direction.”
“It’s games like that…and decisions like that that make or break a team. I decided to go quick and versatile and you know what? It worked. Sue me,” O’Brien said.
Lance Stephenson had a huge third quarter, helping the team close the gap with 12 points from the field and 3-3 from the line in the third. “I just got hot and went with it. Danny was great with drawing the double teams and I got free a lot.” Stephenson would finish with 26 points, the teams leading scorer.
Danny Granger finished the day with 22 points, going 8-15 from the field and 5-7 from the line. “I had a better game, managed to draw the double team; we won, so I’m happy.”
The fourth quarter was good to the Pacers, the team scoring 39 points to the Bobcats 29.
The final tally in this one; Pacer 116, Bobcats 110.
Analysis:
The Pacers performed much better on the scoring end in this game, the bench providing a huge lift in the fourth and final quarter. The subs by O’Brien proved to be perfect and the Bobcats seemed caught off guard. Defensively, the game was still below average. Allowing 110 points is not something the Pacers can do deeper into the season, as teams such as the Magic and Heat will literally outscore the Pacers by the minute if that weakness isn’t addressed in some way.
Re: Picking Up the Pace: An Indiana Pacers Dynasty
Oct 30, 2010 - PHI at IND
TEAM
1ST
2ND
3RD
4TH
SCORE
Philadelphia 76ers ()
30
23
24
22
99
Indiana Pacers ()
22
22
28
30
102
Pacers Rally Late Beat 76ers
“I’d like it better if we won games earlier than the fourth,” said Coach Jim O’Brien, “but a win is a win.”
The Pacers once again pulled some fourth quarter heroics, this time behind the efforts of Roy Hibbert, who scored 12 points in the fourth quarter of the game. “They just kept fouling me and I got to the line a lot. Darren kept making these great passes to me in the middle and I got the points-it was a real team effort.”
Going into the fourth, the Pacers were down 77 to 72, and needing some smart play to pull out a win. Hibbert, who had 12 points heading into the quarter, became the focus offensively, dominating the bench of the 76ers, and staying hot as the 76ers brought the starters back. Hibbert finished as the team’s leading scorer and rebounder with 24 points and 16 rebounds.
Lance Stephenson had another great night, getting 22 points.
“I just hit a stride again in the third and rode it,” said Stephenson.
The Pacers outscored the 76ers 30-22 in the fourth, sealing the close win; Pacers 102, 76ers 99.
Analysis:
The Pacers again pulled off some fourth quarter magic and the team is looking like it’s beginning to gel. Hibbert had a huge game, proving that he is indeed a starting center in this league and could have a bright future if he has more performances as that. The defense managed to lock down the 76ers late in the fourth, when it mattered most, but it still remains an area of concern.
Re: Picking Up the Pace: An Indiana Pacers Dynasty
@gameover: Thanks for following man. Been reading up on your Bulls chise-nice work with it.
@2SIQ2Quit: Yeah, beating the 76ers was nice, but losing to the Bucks...that was rough. I hated losing that lead, but the team played really poorly in the fourth and that's what happens when you can't finish.
******************
Nov 9, 2010 - DEN at IND
TEAM
1ST
2ND
3RD
4TH
SCORE
Denver Nuggets ()
24
16
27
17
84
Indiana Pacers ()
25
21
23
27
96
Pacers Never Trail, Beat Nuggets
“It’s nice to know after what happened with the Bucks this team still knows how to play some good defense,” said Coach O’Brien.
The Pacers never trailed in this game, taking the four days they had between games and making good use of them.
“The whole team was just sick after that loss to the Bucks…we had a big lead going into the fourth and we just blew it,” said Tyler Hansbrough. “We decided to make sure that didn’t happen here tonight.”
The Nuggets and Carmelo Anthony came into the game with a high octane offense but we shut down all game by the Pacers. ‘Melo only managed to score 26 points on 9-28 from the field as the rest of his team struggled to shoot the ball.
“I challenged the guys during the week to tighten up on defense and they did…not anything remotely remarkable about it. These guys haven’t even begun to tap their potential…we just got to stay focused, contest every shot, and good things will happen,” said O’Brien.
The night was not a disappointment to lovers of good shooting duels however. Danny Granger and ‘Melo went at it all game, Granger finishing with 30 points, 6-14 from the field, 4-7 from long range, and 14-16 from the line.
“I like a good shooting match…I won this round, but he (‘Melo) might get me next time,” said Granger.
Pacers pull out the win, 96 to 84.
Analysis:
Indiana played its best game of the year on defense and after that wretched showing against the Bucks, they came out with a mission; don’t lose the game. They didn’t and in the process showed that they can compete. It’s up to Coach O’Brien to get that effort out of them every game and if he does, the Pacers have a good chance of making the playoffs for the first time in years.
Re: Picking Up the Pace: An Indiana Pacers Dynasty
Nov 22, 2010 - IND at MIA
TEAM
1ST
2ND
3RD
4TH
SCORE
Indiana Pacers ()
19
18
26
17
80
Miami Heat ()
30
31
34
23
118
Pacers Don’t Get Off the Bus; Heat Win Big
"Disappointed doesn’t begin to describe it; more like disgusted,” said Coach Jim O’Brien on the Pacers’ performance against the Heat. “We did not play our game-we played their game and that’s why we got beat so bad. Our discipline just evaporated after the first eight minutes of the opening quarter and after that everything spiraled. It was a bad game, so let’s just move on.”
Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way, Coach. The Pacers got stomped in the marquee matchup of the day. Wade, James, and Bosh combined for 75 points, Wade scoring 40 by himself and exploding on the Pacers.
“He was in the zone and I just couldn’t get a handle on him…there’s a reason a lot of people think he’s among the best in the game now or at any time,” Lance Stephenson said of Wade. Stephenson wasn’t able to score as much as he wanted, finishing with 12 points, going 5-18 from the field and 2-4 from the line.
“We didn’t play well today and every team goes through that,” said Danny Granger. “We just need to move on and think about the next game.” Granger had a poor showing, with only 14 points.
The Pacers never led once in this game and were constantly fighting to stay afloat. They were able to exploit Miami’s weak point guard situation with Darren Collison, who finished with 16 points and was the Pacers’ leading scorer.
In the end, Collison wasn’t enough. Pacers lose, 118-80.
Analysis:
The Pacers played like they were confused and outmatched by the Heat, who seemed to think they were playing on a playground with the amount of scoring they did. The Pacers defense, a weakness all season, once again collapsed early and was never able to recover in a game that proved the Pacers have a long way to go before matching the Heat. Granger was an afterthought, finishing with only 14 points and hitting only 1-7 from long range. He was dominated by Lebron James all night. If the Pacers want a shot in making the playoffs they must win a few games they aren’t supposed to; that didn’t happen tonight and in the future it must.
12-29-2010, 09:41 PM
