HOOPLOG: Indiana Pacers

Elimination Time? Pacers Looking to Force Game 7

Thu, 04 May 2006 09:34:51 -0800

In the INDIANAPOLIS STAR, Mike Wells writes that "moments like this are why stars spend countless hours after practice in the gym, working on new moves and improving old ones. This is what it's all about," said Indiana Pacers president Larry Bird, who thrived in pressure situations throughout his career with the Boston Celtics. The New Jersey Nets lead Bird's Pacers 3-2 in their first-round series and can eliminate Indiana tonight (NBA TV, 7:00 ET) at Conseco Fieldhouse."

David Stern on Ron Artest

Wed, 03 May 2006 11:29:40 -0800

This is more than two weeks old, but I just ran across it and thought it was worth publishing now... not only is it a good example of the league at least giving lip service to supporting one of the...

Pacers to Face Nets, Heat or Pistons

Wed, 19 Apr 2006 09:17:22 -0800

In the INDIANAPOLIS STAR, Mike Wells writes that "five months ago, who would have thought that the Indiana Pacers would be battling to avoid the Detroit Pistons in the first round of the playoffs?" The Pacers figured they'd be pushing the "Pistons for the Central Division title and priming for a run to the NBA Finals. Instead, they are entrenched in a numbers game in which they could finish as the sixth, seventh or eighth seed in the East playoff race. Their first-round opponent won't be determined until later tonight, but they know it's one of three teams: New Jersey, Miami or Detroit."

All tomorow's parties

Wed, 19 Apr 2006 09:17:10 -0800

UPDATE: Check out the comments for a scenario I completely missed. - Matt

I tried to avoid doing this after all the confusion regarding these playoff tiebreakers , but I can't help myself:

Tomorow's games:
Bulls vs. Toronto
Washington at Detroit (i.e. the Tony Delk show)
Indiana vs. Orlando

If Bulls win(Bulls guaranteed higher seed than Milwaukee):

AND Washington wins AND Indiana wins:
- Washington is 42-40, Bulls/Indiana are tied at 41-41
- Indiana wins tiebreaker (division record)
- Bulls are the 7th seed
Washington loses, Indiana wins:
- Bulls/Indiana/Washington are tied at 41-41
- Bulls win tiebreaker (highest winning percentage in games among the 3 teams)
- Bulls are 5th seed
Washington loses, Indiana loses:
- Bulls/Washington are tied at 41-41, Indiana is at 40-42
- Bulls win tiebreaker (head-to-head versus Washington)
- Bulls are 5th seed

If Bulls lose(Bulls guaranteed lower seed than Washington):

Indiana loses
- Bulls/Indiana/Milwaukee are tied at 40-42
- Bulls lose tiebreaker (lowest division record)
- Bulls are 8th seed
- I cry myself to sleep
Indiana wins
- Indiana at 41-41, Bulls/Milwaukee tied at 40-42
- Bulls lose tiebreaker (lower division record)
- Bulls are 8th seed
- I cry myself to sleep

Feel free to check my work, the real wrinkle was the Bulls being 3-1 against Washington during the season, which set them apart from Indiana (who split their games against the Bulls and Washington) and Washington.

I'd say the most likely situation is the first, with everyone winning and the Bulls earning the 7th seed.

And if I needed to remind everyone:
5th seed - face Cleveland
7th seed - face Miami
8th seed - face Detroit, I cry myself to sleep.

The Eastern Conference Clusterfuck

Sat, 15 Apr 2006 16:46:56 -0800

The top four is set, but the battle for the final four spots in the NBA’s Eastern Conference Playoffs is as tight and bunched-up as Magic Johnson’s boxers. Milwaukee, Washington, and Indiana all have identical 39-40 records, with Chicago one game behind them at 35-41. The Sixers are the odd man out at the moment, 2 games out of a spot at 37-42. With perhaps a little bit of shuffling among the order, the four teams that are in right now are probably the same four teams that will end up sliding in.

HowEVA (Â© Stephen A. Smith)… right behind them, we have the Orlando Darkos, probably the best team of the group. They’re mathematically alive, but barely. At the moment, they’re three games out of a spot with three to play, despite their current 7-game winning streak that includes wins against maybe the best five teams in the NBA, the Spurs, Pistons, Mavericks, Suns, and Heat. The Darko trade has been great for them (no, seriously), and they’ve got a bright young line-up with Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson, and of course, Darko. This is probably the last time in a while that they’re not going to be in the playoffs.

Key games remaining:

Sixers @ Magic, Tonight.
Bucks @ Wizards, Tuesday.
Magic @ Pacers, Wednesday.
Bulls @ Magic, Monday.

EA Sports: Danny Granger

Mon, 10 Apr 2006 14:44:45 -0800

EA Sports gives a look at highlights from rookie Danny Granger of the Indiana Pacers.

Pacers Make Switch at Guard -- Again

Thu, 06 Apr 2006 09:55:27 -0800

Mike Wells of THE INDIANAPOLIS STAR writes, "In an attempt to get his team back on track, Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle replaced Jamaal Tinsley with Anthony Johnson as the team's starting point guard."

NBA Mock Draft-College players only 1. Noah 2 Morrison 3. Thomas

Wed, 05 Apr 2006 19:16:17 -0800

Here is my mock draft, usually when a player does well in the tournament, their stock goes up in the draft. Teams are gonna pass on Sheldon Williams, due to poor tournament performance. He’ll be the next Elton Brand and will help that Hornets go to the playoffs next year. I put Reddick with the Jazz, looking at the Jazz's draft history they pick over hyped white dudes, who can’t play in the NBA. Hopefully the Sonics get Brandon Roy, he and Ridnouer will form the best back court in the league circa 2110. I only did college players that I have seen play and one Eurotrash dude that Espn ranked high. I guessed the teams that will end up with the highest lottery picks.

1. Bulls from knicks- joekim Noah. Had a good tournment, he could really develop

2. Portland Trailblazers- Adam Morrison. Keep him local.

3. Charlotte Bobcats- Tyrus Thomas

4. Atlanta Hawks-Lemarcus Aldridge

5. Toronto Raptors- Randy foye

6. Orlando Magic- Josh Mcroberts

7. Golden state- Andrea Bargani. The bay area better have ample olive oil and garlic.

8. Boston Celtics- Dee Brown

9. Timerwolves- Rodney Carney

10. Supersonics- Brandon Roy

11. Rockets- Al Hortford

12. Bulls- Ronnie Brewer

13.Utah jazz- J.J reddick. Another white person playing basketball in Utah, I don’t understand.

14 Hornets- Sheldon Williams. Every team will regret passing on him

15. 76ers- Maurice Ager

16 Indiana- Jordan Farmar.

17. Sacramento-leon powe

Rudy Gay was going pretty high but he will end up a second rounder, due to poor performance in the tournement

No comments

Shaq Rests Knee on Toronto Trip

Thu, 30 Mar 2006 09:34:16 -0800

In the MIAMI HERALD, Joseph Goodman writes that "Shaquille O'Neal missed Wednesday night's game against the Toronto Raptors with a hyperextended left knee and is day-to-day." O'Neal did make the trip, however, so at least he gave the Canadians a little face time. Heat coach Pat Riley said he didn't know when O'Neal tweaked his knee. He speculated it might have occurred near the end of Monday's game against Indiana, possibly by an inadvertent kick."

Pacers to retire Miller's No. 31 on Thursday

Tue, 28 Mar 2006 12:49:20 -0800

Read full story for latest details.

3/21/06 Box Score: Sonics 96 Kings 105

Wed, 22 Mar 2006 09:17:22 -0800

The unofficial box score from tonight’s game and PopcornMachine’s GameFlow.


	1	2	3	4	Total

Seattle	29	31	22	14	96	Final

Sacramento	23	35	30	17	105	ss="yspscores">

Seattle
Name	Min	FG	3Pt	FT	Off	Reb	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	Pts
R. Lewis	33	5-12	1-4	4-4	0	4	2	3	2	1	2	15
C. Wilcox	39	7-12	0-0	2-2	5	19	1	3	2	0	2	16
J. Petro	21	3-9	0-0	1-3	3	5	0	3	1	0	4	7
R. Allen	41	8-19	3-10	4-4	0	7	5	4	1	2	2	23
L. Ridnour	33	2-10	0-3	2-2	0	1	10	1	0	1	4	6
M. Wilks	15	0-4	0-0	6-8	0	1	2	1	1	0	1	6
D. Wilkins	12	2-6	0-1	1-1	1	2	0	0	0	0	3	5
R. Swift	23	6-7	0-0	1-2	4	9	0	2	0	0	2	13
N. Felix	5	1-2	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	2
M. Moore	10	1-2	0-0	1-1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	3
N. Collison	DNP - Coach’s Decision
M. Fizer	DNP - Coach’s Decision
D. Fortson	DNP - Coach’s Decision
E. Watson	DNP - Throat Injury

Totals	232	35-83	4-18	22-27	13	48	20	17	8	4	23	96
Percentages:		.422	.222	.815		Team Rebounds: 6

Sacramento
Name	Min	FG	3Pt	FT	Off	Reb	Ast	TO	Stl	Blk	PF	Pts
R. Artest	42	10-18	3-4	11-15	3	8	6	3	1	2	1	34
K. Thomas	33	5-8	0-0	1-1	3	11	4	2	2	1	2	11
B. Miller	40	4-12	0-1	0-2	1	14	1	2	1	0	3	8
K. Martin	19	2-10	0-4	2-2	0	2	1	2	1	1	4	6
M. Bibby	39	9-20	5-10	7-7	2	4	8	2	2	0	5	30
S. Abdur-Rahim	15	2-4	0-0	0-0	1	1	3	1	1	0	2	4
J. Hart	1	0-0	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
F. Garcia	8	1-3	0-2	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
B. Wells	22	4-12	0-1	2-2	3	6	3	2	2	0	4	10
S. Monia	DNP - Coach’s Decision
V. Potapenko	DNP - Coach’s Decision
R. Price	DNP - Coach’s Decision
J. Sampson	DNP - Coach’s Decision
C. Williamson	DNP - Coach’s Decision

Totals	219	37-87	8-22	23-29	13	46	26	14	10	4	22	105
Percentages:		.425	.364	.793		Team Rebounds: 9

Game Info

Technical Fouls:
Seattle - C. Wilcox 1, M. Moore 1
Officials: Bob Delaney, Tommy Nunez, Tony Brothers

_____________________________________________________

PopcornMachine’s GameFlow (not yet available)

Plus/Minus
The Good: Mike Wilks +8, Damien Wilkins +5, and Robert Swift +2. The Bad: Mikki Moore -1, Noel Felix -2. The Ugly: Chris Wilcox -8, Rashard Lewis -10, Johan Petro and Ray Allen -11, and Luke Ridnour -17.

Help Value (hv=Reb+Ast+Blk+Stl-TO)
Wilcox led the team with a very strong +19 on the back of his rebounding. Ray Allen and Luke Ridnour were both +11.

Swift/Petro line of the night: 44 minutes, 20 points, 14 boards (7 offensive), 6 fouls.

Sonics: 20 assists, 17 turn overs.

Nothing fits forever

Wed, 08 Mar 2006 21:49:48 -0800

It would seem that last night’s infernal burst of Gilbertology might truly need no comment from ours truly. As in, we live in heaven, he lives alone, our souls are intertwined and the moment need not be soiled by explanation. The more and more I gazed upon that fascinating still—one as destined for iconic status as Tiger with the fist pump or Yao’s scream of antiquity—the more brutally apparent it becomes to me that Arenas, far from being an oddball, is the living, breathing god of my favorite kind of NBA player: the kind you watch, instead of just view. What Iverson, Kobe, Nash, and a handful of others I go out of my way to see play have in common is this ability to not merely produce on any given night, but to casually redefine themselves through masterstrokes of basketball impressionism.

Let me put briefly put aside the strained fire and brimstone that guides this site long enough to admit, as I did last week, that this is by and large a league of consistency. Unlike baseball and football, where one can be violently up and down from one game to the next but still get recognized overall as a fantastic contributor, to be a credible contributor a guy’s got to come with steady output. Freaks and streaks can be profound, but no player’s a recognizable force (or definite failure) in this league until he can be counted on; to scrape the ridges of Mount Dunkmore, he’d better be guaranteed to account for a serious percentage of his team’s production, both in the box score and as a reliable force when the ball hits his hands. Until then, he will always get saddled with the p-word, no matter how impressive he is in spurts.

When you reach the rarified air of superlative hoops accomplishment, there are at least three kind of consistency. Most obviously, there are the rock-solid bequeathers, under-appreciated and often big men like Duncan, Brand, Bosh, Dirk, Jamison, Kidd, Ray Ray and Redd. These folks give it their all with frightening regularity, churning it out from the opening bell and expected to operate as if to a rhythmic tick. I want to stop short of saying that you can intuit them from looking at a box score, but by and large there is no dramatic arc to their in-game performances. Professional, workmanlike, whatever you want to call them, these are consummate anchors of an offense, the given you pencil in at most moments during the season’s onslaught.

In the next category, you find explosive players with a tendency toward predictable outcomes, who ebb and flow over the course of a game, occasionally make you doubt, and ultimately bring you right back to who you always knew they were. I’m talking about Garnett, Pierce, Wade, Vince, Billups, Bibby, Gasol, Melo, Richardson, Jefferson, Sheed, Marion, and Artest himself—unquestioned experts who sometimes lull, sometimes soar, but never have to redeem themselves and are constantly working within their own limits and images. This isn’t a knock on any of these fine, hurling turtles; merely to point out that if you turn on the television to see them play, you know what you’re getting and will be accordingly excited. Each game reinforces their , with ups and downs that end in a pointed reminder of yeah, that’s him.

Gilbert and his gang, as I will now aptly dub them, rest upon their own set of shaggy shoulders. To return to last week’s trope of half-assed existentialism, All-American and yet bleakly Continental, they are players constantly exceeding themselves, or at least engaging in what feels for all the world like a motherfucking statement game. It can LeBron or Amare exerting and expanding their dominance, Kirilenko or Gerald Wallace twisting up the parameters of a box score, Nash working his conductor-ly magic, or Kobe, Iverson or McGrady scoring not only at will, but as if it’s unnatural for them to miss—or even repeat themselves out on the floor. Arenas is a must-see, not only because he’s likely to put on a show, but for what each and every game can do to your sense of him as a player and personality. If Wade proves with each big game that he’s still Wade, still proud, then Gilbert does it up in a way that’s not only unpredictable; with each of these self-transcending events, he also manages to seem unlikely all anew. As does Kobe, Bron, et al. In the crucible of the game, their legend is broken down and created anew, surprising you not only with this most recent installment but, in its reconstitution of the player’s most basic essence, shock you yet again they exist at all, that anything they do has ever happened in the glare of man’s senses.

This may seem like two-bit metaphysics for those of you not in tune with my lifelong education on this planet (or anyone merely taking issue with my late night sloppiness). But next time you find yourself up past bedtime watching one of these aforementioned idols, think about whether or not you feel you’re seeing them for the first time, whether you’re transfixed partly out of the fear that you’re witnessing a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence. Not just a good game from your favorite NBA player, or one of those “instant classics” this blog will reference two years from now; I mean one of those performances where, in some ways, you feel like you’re discovering the sport again for the very first time.

Head-to-Head's Up (2/20-2/26): Trade Deadline Edition

Fri, 17 Feb 2006 09:54:14 -0800

Well I’m glad the NBA (David Stern) came to its senses and invited Gilbert Arenas to play in Houston this weekend after all. Too bad Gil had to go and finish the first half of the season with a 4-for-22 effort and 6 turnovers at Dallas. Ouch.
So we have All-Star festivities to get through this weekend and then we’re back to the real games and hopefully an exciting week full of blockbuster trades. Here’s looking at you, week 2/20-2/26.

Four Games: Atlanta, Boston, Cleveland, Detroit, Indiana, LAL, Memphis, Milwaukee, New Jersey, New Orleans, Orlando, Portland, Seattle.
Three Games: Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Golden State, Houston, LAC, Minnesota, New York, Philadelphia, San Antonio, Utah, Washington.
Two Games: Denver, Miami, Phoenix, Sacramento, Toronto.

Season-long trade rumors are finally coming to fruition this week. Darko is moving to Disney World, former Terrapin Chris Wilcox swapped area codes with Vlad Rad, and Stevie Franchise just may get another ‘change of scenery’ if Isaiah Thomas continues his quest to bury the Knicks six-feet-under. Keep a close eye on pending trades as several players are sure to find themselves in new situations that could really boost their second half value.

Plug ‘em in, Plug ‘em in:
Josh Smith/Childress, G/F – The reigning Slam-Dunk champ just put up career-highs of 21 points and 15 boards, while fellow swingman Josh Childress also scored a season-high 21 in a win over the Lakers Wednesday. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that Al Harrington will be asked to pack his bags before the Feb. 23rd deadline. Josh & Josh would immediately reap the benefits should Harrington (and his 37 mpg) depart. Smith averages an incredible 2.3 blks in only 27.5 mpg, and Childress contributes across the board but especially in steals with 1.2 spg in 28.4 minutes. Hopefully both will see 30-35 minutes a night the rest of the way and improve on their already respectable numbers. The youngsters have four games next week so get them in your lineups.

Delonte West, PG – LeBron (43/12/11) and Paul Pierce (50/7/8) may have stolen the show in an overtime thriller the other night, but Delonte also filled his stat line with 15/10/8 and 3 blocks. One of the best waiver wire pickups of the year, the versatile guard just keeps on truckin’. Jefferson, Perkins, and Wally are banged up, so West should have plenty of scoring chances in four contests next week.

Anthony Johnson, PG – Jamaal Tinsley is starting to make Marcus Camby and Fred Taylor look like iron men. He’s only appeared in 23 games this season and hasn’t been healthy for a full year since his rookie campaign. Veteran point guard Anthony Johnson has been handed the reins and asked to do what he can to help salvage Indiana’s season. A.J. has been a member of the Pacers’ starting five since the end of December and averages nearly 30 mpg as a starter. Usually just a borderline fantasy starter in deep leagues, Johnson’s hot hand (19/4/5 with 2 threes and 1.3spg in last 3 outings) makes a decent plug-and-play for four games next week.

Darko Milicic, F/C – If there ever was an ideal situation for the young 7-footer, Orlando is it. Darko’s playing time was so limited in Detroit that analyzing his stats does not really give you an indication of his potential. He’s shooting an impressive 51.5% from the floor, yet a miserable 37.5% from the charity stripe this season. But of course, his 17-of-33 FGs and 3-of-8 from the line are such small samples that they are essentially rendered meaningless. If one were to ascertain anything from his stats it would have to be his impressive 15 blocks in only 140 minutes of play this season. He’s sure to see plenty of playing time on his new team, and starting alongside league-leading rebounder Dwight Howard (12.6 rpg) seems to be a perfect fit for the Serbian big man. If you’re feelin’ Darko, get him in your lineups right away. Let's just hope for the best.

Chris Wilcox, F/C – Assuming Evans/Fortson get shipped out of town sometime before next Thursday, Wilcox will have a great opportunity to excel as the new starting PF in Seattle. Now that he lives in Starbucks capital, USA, maybe some grande caramel macchiatos can help Chris wake up and get his head in the game. The former Terp has immense talent and this appears to be a good situation for him. The Sonics frontcourt has lacked athleticism and been clogged up with the likes of Evans/Swift/Collison/Petro/Fortson for too long. Wilcox brings much needed explosiveness up front and could average 15 and 10 if he's focused and motivated. Think of him as a younger/healthier Kenyon Martin, with center eligibility to boot.

Stash ‘em or at least keep on your radar:
Antoine Walker – He was back in the SLU for a couple games before the break (scored 26 pts and hit six treys on 2/15). Employee #8 needs a starting gig to be a consistent fantasy contributor, and he may just land one if traded to the right team.
Shaun Livingston – Prep-to-pro point guard struggling in his second season, "the next Magic Johnson" has started three of the Clips last five games, averaging 6.7 assists in those contests. The potential is there for a monster second half if 36-year-old Cassell were to go down with an injury.
Earl Watson – Incessant trade rumors surrounding Denver’s reserve PG are making me nauseous. He could have some value if given a starting job somewhere (New York?)
Nazr Mohammed – The big man averaged 11 pts and 8 rebounds for the Knicks last season. He has been stuck on the Spurs’ bench all year, but exploded for 18 pts and 20 boards Wednesday night at Philly. He could make some noise if he were to take the starting spot from Rasho, or perhaps filling in for an injured Duncan.

Forget about ‘em and move on:
Larry Hughes – just went under the knife again and will be lucky to return for the playoffs.
Emeka Okafor – they’ve been saying he’ll be back in 3-5 weeks for over a month now. Word out of Charlotte is that he’ll likely sit for the rest of the season.
Jameer Nelson – Specialists can’t figure out what is wrong with his foot, and he is out for at least another three weeks. Even if he returns, he’ll have to fight for playing time with a crowded Orlando backcourt.
Sebastian Telfair – Stephon Marbury’s little cousin was benched in favor of the Blake/Dixon combo. Bassy needs to learn the pro game and improve on his "Dick Cheney-esque" shooting (36.6%FG) before he can be a reliable fantasy force. Maybe next year.
Marko Jaric – Yes, he may be traded, but he is just stinkin’ it up this season.
Deron Williams – Did they really draft him ahead of Chris Paul? Williams is simply not a good fit for the Jazz and Jerry Sloan is not a good fit for fantasy owners.

Also… the Knicks/Magic exchanging Jamal Crawford and Steve Francis would help all parties involved (especially their fantasy owners).
Enjoy the All-Star festivities and be ready to pounce once those trades are announced.

Bibby, Artest KO Bulls

Wed, 15 Feb 2006 09:32:52 -0800

Sacramento 105, Bulls 101, OT * Mike Bibby and Ron Artest combined for 58 of the Kings' points CHICAGO Mike Bibby scored 31 points and Ron Artest added 27 and 14 rebounds to lead the Sacramento Kings to a ...

The Crazy Trading Season Continues

Sat, 04 Feb 2006 12:41:02 -0800

Anna Benson and Ron Artest have already found new homes, and now Kendra Davis joins in the fun, as the Knicks sent her and her husband back to Toronto in exchange for Jalen Rose and a first-round pick.

If you're into conspiracy theories, consider that there's been a little bit of friction reported between legendary head coach Larry Brown and far-less-than-legendary GM Isiah Thomas. Antonio Davis, who will do things like play defense and rebound, was a Larry Brown favorite, while the guy they get in return, Jalen Rose, feels about defense how Stephen A. Smith feels about understated subtlety.

So the Raptors get back Antonio Davis, and for his purposes in this trade, he might as well be referred to as "Cap Room." No word on what Mrs. Cap Room thinks of the deal, but I have a theory that they agreed to include the first round pick if the Knicks agreed to chain Kendra Davis to a park bench in New York and not let her get anywhere near Toronto.

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