Opening Night for the Pacers

            The Indiana Pacers began their 2011 campaign Monday night with a 91-79 victory over the Detroit Pistons. The Pacers had to rely on their rebounding and defense as they only shot 37% from the field. Indiana’s big men were the stars of the game. Center Roy Hibbert, and forwards Tyler Hansbrough and David West, all had double-doubles. Indiana made 7 of 15 from behind the arc and 20 of 25 from the free-throw line. The team also combined for 53 rebounds, 18coming on offense, and 20 assists. This was a game that the Pacers should have won. They are the better team, and they proved it. The Pistons never led (I don’t think) and we beat them in most statistical categories.

            
            Tyler Hansbrough may be the early candidate for the “Sixth Man of the Year Award”. Hansbrough is the back up to West, but he gets plenty of playing time. Head coach Frank Vogel also played Hansbrough and West at the same time. West moved to center and replaced Hibbert while Hansbrough played power forward. Although the Pacers lose some height, they replace that with two guys that play with a lot of tenacity and energy. Everybody’s favorite journalist, Bob Kravitz, compared Hansbrough to Tim Tebow in an article today. I agree completely. Hansbrough has a drive to win that not everybody is born with. He is a competitor that wants to win every time he plays. It is vital that he is on the court as much as possible.

            
            The player that starts ahead of Hansbrough, David West, was also impressive in the first game of his Pacers’ career. West suffered a season-ending injury about eight months ago, and came off of rehab less than three weeks ago. He showed last night why the Pacers were so quick in signing him. He only shot 3-12, but he made five free throws and had twelve rebounds.

            
            Another player making his debut for Indiana was my new favorite player, George Hill.  Hill was born in Indianapolis and attended the same high school as me, Broad Ripple. He then turned down offers from several schools to stay in Indy and play at IUPUI. After playing for four years and leading IUPUI to the NCAA Tournament, Hill was drafted by the San Antonia Spurs. There he backed up Tony Parker and got to see some starting time. He finally returned home when the Pacers traded a draft pick to acquire him. Hill is the backup to point guard Darren Collison, but he is more than capable of being the starter. 

           

            
            I went to three Pacers’ games last year, but none of these even came close to the energy and excitement of what I experienced at this game. I could definitely feel the electricity in the air from the time I first walked into newly named Bankers Life Fieldhouse and until I left three hours later. As I was standing in the lobby before the game, surrounded by fellow Pacers fans, I couldn’t help but to smile. There was such a sense of pride and happiness that I had never felt at a sporting event before. This city has yearned so much for a great basketball team, and it seems like they finally have it. Opening night was just the first game in the beginning of what could be a magical ride. 


Next three games for the Pacers: at Toronto (12/28), vs. Cleveland (12/30), at Detroit (12/31)

Miller Time!

            
           The greatest Indiana Pacer of all time may be returning to the Hoosier State, but not as a player unfortunately. A recent Yahoo Sports report says that Pacers owner, Herb Simon, has been asking people around the league how Reggie Miller would fare with a front-office job.

            
            Larry Bird, the current team president, is taking the job “one year at a time”. I, and many others, expect Bird to leave after this year or at the latest after next year. He seems to have finally gotten the team back on the track to winning and making the playoffs. Bird had considered retiring before this season but met with Herb Simon in May and decided to stay.

            
            Reggie Miller played for the Pacers for 18 seasons and is one of the best 3-point shooters ever. He has been a NBA analyst for TNT for the past six years. Miller said recently, “It would be an unbelievable opportunity to be able to go home.” He would obviously accept the jobs if the position was open. I would love nothing more to see Miller be the head of the Pacers, but he would need some time to adjust to the position.

            
            Former Pacers president, Donnie Walsh, has also been brought up as a possible candidate. He is currently the president of the New York Knicks. If anything, he could come back to Indy and help Miller become accustomed to the ins and outs of being a team president.

             
            This is all assuming there is a 2011 NBA season. There is still a lockout for the NBA and as it is now there will be no basketball in the fall.

Miller in the 1995 Playoffs gesturing towards New York Knicks fan, Spike Lee.

2011 Pacers Off-Season Part 2

            There was a lot going down in the Pacers front office in Conseco Fieldhouse this week. Three men were signed to work for the Blue and Gold, none of which will be wearing sneakers and a jersey though.
             
            In an astonishing (said with sarcasm) announcement, Frank Vogel was named the head coach for next season. He has been the favorite for the job after taking over mid-season and leading the team to the playoffs. I cannot find anywhere what kind of contract was he given, but I’m assuming he’ll be the Pacers head coach for a while.
             
            The second man given a job was Brian Shaw, as he will be Vogel’s assistant. Shaw is a former player who knows what it’s like to be on a successful team and compete in the NBA playoffs. Shaw was also the assistant coach to the great Phil Jackson for the past few seasons. He has worked with Shaquille O’ Neal and Kobe Bryant, and the rest of the recent Lakers. He will be able to give the younger players on the Pacers’ roster the motivation they’ll need to win at a high level.
             
            Finally, the former general manager of the Portland Trail Blazers, Kevin Pritchard, was signed to be the GM of the Pacers. Pritchard is a great evaluator of player talent and an “inspiring public-figure”. He will give the Pacers another set of eyes to try and find great players or players with great potential.  
             
            Pritchard may also be the man to be Larry Bird’s replacement. Bird has one year left on his contract and is only sticking around as a “favor” to Pacers-owner and friend, Herb Simon.

             
             Also occurring this week, a NBA lockout! This lockout is apparently much worse than the one happening in the NFL. Many of the teams aren’t producing a profit, and it is said that a lot of the owners of teams would actually report a profit if there wasn’t a 2011 season.
               
            
             I’m about sick of this lockout crap as it’s screwing over Indiana. No NFL season means no Super Bowl in Indy. The Pacers finally have a solid team and came off a good season last year. If they can’t play this season then all the work the Pacers’ front office has done in the past few years will be a waste.

2011 Pacers Post-Draft

The scoreboard at the 2011 Pacers Draft Party at Conseco Fieldhouse.

           The Indiana Pacers hit the jackpot Thursday night during the 2011 NBA Draft. Going into the draft, the Pacers needed a guard that could score and add depth to the roster. They got that, and then some.

            

With the 15^th pick, Indiana selected Kawhi Leonard, a forward from San Diego State. Kawhi is known for his big hands and rebounding skills. For me, this pick didn’t make any sense; the Pacers did not need any more forwards trying to compete for a starting position.

            

A few minutes after this, it was announced that Leonard was being traded to the Spurs, for guard George Hill. Jackpot! Needless to say, I was ecstatic after hearing this.

            

George Hill was born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana. He went to my alma mater, Broad Ripple High School, and went to college at IUPUI (Indiana University -Purdue University- Indianapolis). He was drafted by the Spurs and has been a member of that club for three seasons.

            
            Here’s what some experts are saying about the Pacers picking up George Hill.

Tom Lewis of Indy Cornrows: “He’s (Hill) not a backup point guard or an undersized shooting guard – Hill is a player. Hill can play either guard spots with any of the other guards on the current roster. But more importantly, Hill is a productive, professional player. Put him on the court and he will consistently play hard at both ends, giving the Pacers playing rotation a much needed boost in reliability and leadership.”

Chad Ford of ESPN: “(Hill's) versatility, toughness and playoff experience on a veteran roster all help accelerate the Pacers’ rebuilding project. He can step in immediately and give them something they need: a guard who can create his own shot and defend.”

Tom Ziller of SB Nation: “The Indiana Pacers were in the fortuitous spot of having a No. 15 in the 2011 NBA Draft in which a number of prized talents slipped out of the lottery. The Pacers struck gold with … George Hill. Did I say gold? I meant, uh, George Hill? They struck George Hill … The Pacers now have Darren Collison, Hill and A.J. Price under contract. Am I missing something? Is Indiana planning on merging Collison and Hill in a grand science experiment?”

Zach Lowe of SI.com: “The numbers peg Hill more as a shooting guard with nice ball-handling skills than someone ready to run a team full time. Luckily for the Pacers, they have a young point guard ready to run an offense full time in Darren Collison, and they have a major need for consistent scoring on the wing. Hill, an Indianapolis native who starred at IUPUI, can fill the same role with the Pacers that he played in San Antonio. He’ll be an immediate upgrade over shooting guards Dahntay Jones, Brandon Rush and Paul George.”

All these quotes were found by www.eightpointsnineseconds.com, an ESPN affiliate that covers the Indiana Pacers.

            
            This is my favorite thought on the acquisition of Hill.

Bob Kravitz of the Indianapolis Star:  “Hill isn't a terrific pickup simply because he's a local guy, although that isn't going to hurt any at the box office. (Think owner Herb Simon was loving this move?) Hill is a terrific pickup because he's a proven commodity, an established, grown-up, NBA guard entering his fourth season who can play the point and the two-guard. He makes the Pacers bigger and deeper and more formidable in every conceivable way, leaving absolutely no reason this team shouldn't be better than .500 next season and for years to come.”

            

            Not trying to suck up too much, but this is why Kravitz is my favorite writer. Great minds think alike!

George Hill's tattoo of the state of Indiana. You think he's happy to be back?

            

            The Pacers still have some work to do if they hope to win the NBA Championship, but there is plenty of time and money to do that. The Pacers are way under the salary cap and have players to get rid of. I could almost guarantee that the Pacers are not done wheeling and dealing. It should be a very exciting 2011 season. Go Pacers!

2011 Pacers Pre-Draft

So what do the Pacers need to get them to the playoffs next season? They hope to answer that in the 2011 NBA Draft on June 23^rd. Pacers president Larry Bird has said he wants a consistent scorer to help out small forward, Danny Granger. That player will probably end up being a shooting guard, because all the other positions have a solid starter and backup.

There has been a lot of discussion on Jimmer Fredette possibly being selected. To that I say, “NOOOOOO!!!!” Jimmer is so over-rated it’s disgusting. He racked up gaudy numbers against weak competition and everybody praises the ground he walks on. Ever heard of Adam Morrison and J.J. Riddick, or even Steve Alford? They are all shooting guards that posted great numbers in college and did nothing in the NBA.  Fredette is also white (like Morrison, Riddick, and Alford), which I think played a huge part in the amount of attention he got.

The big name players that have worked out for the Indiana Pacers include: Jon Deibler, Kyle Singler, Tyler Honeycutt, Jimmy Butler, Jamine Peterson, and Jake Kelly. (Kelly attended Indiana State University, but I think the only guy that is giving the guy a chance is former Sycamore, Larry Bird)

Jon Deibler- 6-6, 205lbs. junior from Ohio State University.  Deibler broke the all-time OSU records for career 3-pointers and single-season 3-pointers. He was the best 3-point shooter not in only the Big Ten Conference, but in America. Of his 328 career field goals, only 21% have been 2-pointers. I’d much rather have this guy than Fredette.

Kyle Singler- 6-8, 230lbs. senior forward from Duke University. Anybody from Duke is gonna be at least a decent player. Singler owns the Duke career records for games played, consecutive games played, games started, and minutes played. According to Pacers scouts, Singler is a “highly skilled offensive player with the ability to score on the block or from the perimeter ... one of the top inside-outside threats in the country. As well as fluid athlete with an advanced and well-rounded skill set ... has the ability to lead the team in nearly every statistical category”. Singler is an outstanding player. I never really liked the guy though, and I think a team will have already drafted him before the Pacers have a chance to.

           

Tyler Honeycutt- 6-8, 188 lbs. sophomore forward from UCLA. Honeycutt averaged 12.8 points per game with a .406 field goal percentage. From espn.com and pacers.com, that’s all I got besides a random compilation of statistics. I have never seen this guy play, so I have no clue if he’s the real deal or not. He’s a forward and the Pacers have plenty of those already, so hopefully we don’t pick him up.

            Jimmy Butler- 6-7, 220 lbs. senior guard from Marquette University. Butler received All-Big East honorable mentions last season. He averaged 15.7 points, 2.3 assists, and 6.1 rebounds per game. He’s not an outstanding player, but I have seen him play a lot (and beat Notre Dame) and he is an alright player. He may be able to become great, but I don’t think he’s worthy of a first round pick.

Jamine Peterson- 6-6, 230 lbs. sophomore forward from Providence College.  Peterson averaged 19.6 points per game and 10.2 rebounds per game. There was talk of him possibly receiving the Big East Play of the Year Award, but come on, the guy plays for Providence. I could be their best player! Unless this guy has some ungodly talent he’s been hiding, the Pacers should stay away from him.

Other possible selections include: Diante Garret (guard, Iowa State), Kenneth Fried (forward, Morehead State), Andrew Goudelock (guard, Charleston), Charles Jenkins (guard, Hofstra), Trey Thompkins (forward, Georgia), Nikola Vucevic (forward, USC), and Rick Jackson (forward, Syracuse).

It’s interesting to me that local players JaJuan Johnson (Purdue) and Shelvin Mack (Butler) are considered possible first round draft picks, but are not even being looked at by the Pacers.

2011 Pacers Off-Season

Pacers' mascot "Boomer"

            The Indiana Pacers finished the 2010-2011 seasons with a losing record, but made it the postseason under interim coach, Frank Vogel. He is youthful and seems to connect with the young Pacers team. The Pacers increased their scoring average from 97.8 points per game to 102.1 points per game after Vogel took over from fired head coach Jim O’ Brien.

            
            Vogel took advantage of his younger players, and seldom-used players under O’ Brien's reign. Tyler Hansbrough, "2010 Player of the Year" at the University of North Carolina finally looked like the star he was expected to be. He became a starter with Vogel and added a sense of aggression that the Pacers had definitely lacked before.

            
            Vogel also played around with the lineup until he found one that was firing on all cylinders. It was great to see players I had never even heard of make a contribution to victories. Vogel has not yet been given the Pacers head coach job for the 2011 season, but he is considered to be the leading candidate. He knows the system and the players, and has shown he can win. Hopefully, he’ll be back again leading the Pacers to the playoffs.

Frank Vogel

Here is who the Indiana Pacers currently have on their roster:

Guards- Darren Collison, Mike Dunleavy*, T.J. Ford*, A.J. Price, Brandon Rush, Lance Stephenson

Forwards- Danny Granger, Paul George, Tyler Hansbrough, Dahntay Jones, Solomon Jones*, Josh McRoberts*, James Posey

Centers- Roy Hibbert, Jeff Foster*.

*-free agents

             

            Collison, Granger, George, Hansbrough, and Hibbert are the definite core of this team. They are all young players who all have great potential, not to mention the standard starting rotation. Dunleavy is a solid shooting guard, but he’s not getting any younger or better. T.J. Ford has been a disappointment so far. Price, Rush, Stephenson, Jones, Jones, and Posey are just names that could be replaced with anybody. Sure, they’re all good players that know the system, but none of them will ever be all-stars. Foster and McRoberts are both good backups for their respective positions, and sometimes started games.

            

            Larry Bird said in a recent press conference that he wants "10 players that can be competitive every night” . From the 15 players currently listed, I see 7, maybe 8. If the Pacers office can nail this 2011 NBA Draft, then Pacers will have a very bright future.