Pacers Keep on Winning

 It was a near perfect week for the Indiana Pacers. Starting on January 29^th, the Pacers went on a four-game winning streak that included wins against a couple of solid teams. They had wins at Orlando and defending champion Dallas. They were also able to beat Kevin Love and the Timberwolves as well as the New Jersey Nets. However, they were not able to win five games in one week when the Magic came to Banker’s Life. The Magic left out Super Bity with a four-point win.

            By going 4-1 in the past five games, Indiana has a 16-7 record and holds the fourth spot in the Eastern Conference. It’s a tight race for the top seeds, and one that is ever-changing. The Bulls, Heat, 76ers, Magic, Hawks and Pacers are separated by five games. Even though we have already beaten the Bulls, they and the Heat are the likely contenders for the top two spot. That leaves the other four teams to battle for the 3-6 spots.

I’m a little biased, but I believe the Pacers are the best out of all of those teams; although our record against those teams doesn’t really prove that. We have played the Hawks and 76ers once. We beat the Hawks but lost to the 76ers, mainly because we were without three key players. We have a 1-2 record against the Magic but still have one game left against them so that record could end up at .500. Indiana will face Atlanta two more times and Philly three more times. Two of the 76ers games come in the final five games of the schedule, so those will most likely play a huge part in which team gets a higher seed for the playoffs.

           

There are three players that have really stepped up their game in the past week. First is second-year man Paul George. George had a career-high 24 points against the Nets and has shot .533 from three-point range in the past five games. Veteran leader Danny Granger is also performing at a high level. Granger had a season-high 36 points against the Timberwolves and has averaged 23.5 points in the past five games. It’s nice to see Granger scoring a lot of points, and more importantly, taking good shots. In the beginning of the season, he still had the mentality of “I have to do everything”. It seems like he has realized that his teammates have the ability make baskets too.

            Last, but still least, is Lou Admundson. Admundson was added to the team before the season began and he has yet to impress me, but he is slowly chipping away at my disgust to him. In the past two games, Lou has gone 8 for 8 on field goals. He still has a lot of work to do to become a consistent force off the bench, but he is showing improvement from where he was at the beginning of the season.

Next 7 games for the Indiana Pacers:

2/7- vs. Utah Jazz (13-10)

2/8- at Atlanta Hawks (16-9)

2/10- at Memphis Grizzlies (12-13)

2/11- vs. Denver Nuggets (15-10)

2/14- vs. Miami Heat (18-6)

2/15- at Cleveland Cavaliers (9-13)

2/16- vs. New Jersey Nets (8-18)

            Six of those games are winnable for the Pacers. Can you guess the one that’s not? That’s right, the Heat. The last time we played Miami they man handled us, and that was without Dwayne Wade. The Jazz and Nuggets are playing well right now, but so are the Pacers. We’ve already beaten Atlanta, Cleveland, and New Jersey so they shouldn’t be a problem. 

UPDATE 2/14: Pacers got off to a good start with a victory against Utah. It all went downhill from there as they lost the next three. The team is playing good but they're just getting beat by better teams. I may just be making excuses but our bench is really sub-par. We have money and cap space to sign a good player and that's what we need to do. Our starting five can compete with anybody. It's our bench players that are failing.

            Watch for my next Pacers’ post in a couple of weeks.

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.

Spoiled Rotten

You know who makes the maddest in the sports world? People that complain “season ticket” prices are too high. Really? You’re complaining because you’re paying too much for a WHOLE season’s worth of homes games? You hear this all the time, from NFL to MLB to NBA to the NCAA. My god, I can only imagine how perfect it would be to have the luxury of owning season tickets to ANY sport or team. I would probably kill a terrorist to be able to see every Colts’ game.

               

I have been to:

4 Indianapolis Colts games

5 Indianapolis Indians games (never seen a victory for the Indians by the way)

5 Indiana Pacers games

2 Indiana Ice games

1 Notre Dame game (a gift from my wonderful girlfriend)

 4 races at IMS

2 St. Louis Cardinals games

1 St. Louis Blues games

               

That all may seem like a lot, but compared to the hordes that have been buying season tickets for years, that’s nothing(or the spoiled kids who have parents that buy tickets). Not to mention, of the 24 things listed, 14 were free to me (and my parents).Every one of those sporting events were moments that I will never forget, and isn’t that what a sporting event SHOULD be? It should be something that you can tell your friends or family about. It should be something your child and yourself should remember.

               

For so many, having tickets to a game like the ones listed are just as necessary as having food on the table. I grew up in a fortunate household, don’t get me wrong. But I didn’t see my first Brickyard 4oo until my dad won tickets in 2008, and I live right down the street from the track! I will NEVER forget walking around the track all morning, then sitting next to my dad, watching Jimmie Johnson drive to victory. 

I’m proud of how my parents raised me. I’m proud that I was old enough to truly appreciate going to a Colts and Pacers game.

-still never been to Disney World though!

                

I will always be willing to pay astronomical prices for tickets to sports events, but what about the up and coming fans, or the ones who want to learn more about a certain sport? The kids and people who are curious about a sport but can only see it on television like I once was?

Television can only do so much. You can’t hear the same crack of the bat, or the same referee whistles, or the same squeaking of shoes on a court, or the same roar of the engines. To truly capture the essence of a sport, you have to see it in person, and a lot of people are missing out on that.

Classy Chicago Fans and NBA Playoffs

I’m gonna start this post with some grumblings toward the fine folks of the Windy City, so If you’re a Chicago fan, put on your big boy pants and get ready to face the truth.

The Indiana Pacers and Chicago Bulls played Games 3 and 4 of their series in Indianapolis over the weekend, and in both games Conseco Fieldhouse was almost 50-50 Bulls-Pacers. After the Bulls victory in game three, dozens of Bulls fans stood outside Conseco and basically caused a mob scene. The very classy Chicago fans waved signs, started chants, and called Pacers fans names I won’t repeat on this website. My best friend was downtown during the game and was called several names. I’ve also read numerous stories where people were harassed and were on the edge of being in physical altercations.

           

Let me tell you, I will NEVER visit or spend one dime in the city of Chicago again. What happened in both games was the most disrespectful display towards a team I have ever witnessed. I can live with out of towners coming to Indy to watch games. I can live with them standing around celebrating. But once you start to insult our city, fans, and players, then that’s when I get pissed off. The Bulls have NO reason to have so much hatred for the Pacers; they have no reason to hate Indianapolis so much.

           

It’s also interesting to me how the Chicago fans during Game 1(in Chicago) chanted “Pacers suck!”. To me, the “your team sucks” chant is a very seldom used chant and only used when the opposing team actually sucks and has done something horrible to your team. But to chant that towards the Pacers is the ultimate offense for me.

Just a few weeks ago my family was in St. Louis where we attended a St. Louis Blues fans. The fans there were the epitome of class. They stood and clapped for the opposing team’s (Calgary Flames) player introduction and national anthem, and I never once heard a “boooo!”. Chicago fans are a bunch of arrogant jerks who I hope never see a championship come to their city ever again.

Anyway, I’ll get on to actual basketball. The Pacers finally won their first playoff game since 2006; the only problem is they’re still done 3-1 to the Chicago Bulls. The Pacers barely eked out a victory Saturday afternoon against Derrick Rose and company in a Conseco Fieldhouse that contained way too many red-clad fans.

The Pacers led the entire game and at one point were up by 22 points. With 3:45 left in the game, the Pacers had a 15-point lead and looked well on the way an easy win, but the Bulls mounted a frantic charge and pulled within 3 points with 38 seconds left. Fortunately the Blue and Gold held on and send the series back to Chicago for game five Tuesday.

Indiana has started off strong in every game against the Bulls so far in the series.  They have pushed the Bulls until the very last seconds of the game and were so close to pulling off victories. The first three games were won by the Bulls by a combined 15 points, and as mentioned the Pacers definitely had their chances to get a win out of any of those three games.  

Now to check on my ever glorious NBA Playoff predictions. My predictions are listed, with the actual series numbers in parentheses.

(1) Bulls over (8) Pacers in 5 (Bulls win 4-1)#

(2) Heat over (7)76ers in 7 (Heat win 4-1*

(6) Knicks over (3) Celtics in 7 (Celtics win 4-0)

(4) Magic over (5) Hawks in 6 (Hawks win 4-2)

(1) Spurs over (8) Grizzlies in 4 (Grizzlies win 4-2)

(2) Lakers over (7) Hornets in 6 (Lakers win 4-2)#

(3) Mavericks over (6) Trailblazers in 7(Mavericks win 4-2)#

(4) Thunder over (5) Nuggets in 5(Thunder win 4-1)#

*- predicted winner correctly

#- predicted exactly right

Let’s just remember I never claimed to be an expert of the NBA.

My prediction for the Bulls is unfortunately looking good, as well as my Heat prediction, but those two were the easy ones. I am legitimately shocked at how the Knicks did not win ONE game. I only watched one game of the series, which was game 4, and the Knicks looked like a high school team out there. They let Celtics point guard Rajon Rando have free reign to do whatever he wanted. Pass it off, lay it up, jump shot, 3-pointer, if he wanted to do it, he had no resistance.

Who would’ve though the Magic would just flop down like they have? How about the Spurs? Man they’re killing me. I haven’t watched one game of that series because I’ve figured the Spurs would just be dominating. Lakers, Mavericks, and Thunder pick are still looking good.

                               

Pacers Playoffs

Finally, The Indiana Pacers will be playing in the postseason. The Pacers recently clinched the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference for the 2011 NBA Finals. This is the first time in five years that the Blue and Gold will be in the postseason. Unfortunately for us fans, the Pacers reward is the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls are the number one seed in the East, and many consider them the best in the League. They have racked up the best record in the League with 62 wins, including two against the Miami Heat, one win against the Lakers, and a 3-1 record vs. the Pacers. Although Derrick Rose, point guard for Chicago, is considered by most to be the front runner of the Leagues’ MVP award, Chicago has many outstanding supporting players, including Joakim Noah and newly added Carlos Boozer.

The Pacers go into the Playoffs with a LOSING record of 37-45. The Pacers have looked mediocre all season, and are in the Playoffs due partly to the fact that other teams in contention have failed to win games. Head coach Frank Vogel took over in late January after Jim O’ Brien was fired. During the month of February Vogel and the Pacers went 8-5, with 2 of those losses coming in overtime. Indiana looked competitive and it seemed as if they were a shoo-in for the Playoffs.  This idea soon disappeared when in March the Pacers lost six straight and went 8-10. In April though, the Pacers won enough games to ensure they will play in the postseason, and will

The team went on a winning streak during the first several games under new coach Frank Vogel, but the team started to come unglued when Mike Dunleavy was injured. But the team, including starters and bench players, are starting to mesh back together and have strung together a 4-3 record with wins over Boston and Atlanta (who always seems to have Indiana’s number) since the end of March.

My heart is telling me the Pacers will win this series in seven games, but my brain is telling me no way. The Pacers should win at least one home game, but this seems to be a year of destiny for the Bulls.  Their team has come together and has looked unstoppable at times in the regular season, led by Derrick Rose (who I called as the second-coming of Michael Jordon, we’ll wait to see how that plays out) and I think will beat the Pacers in 5 games.

My other predictions for the first round of the Playoffs:

(2)Heat over (7)76ers in 7

(6)Knicks over (3) Celtics in 7

(4)Magic over (5) Hawks in 6

(1) Spurs over (8) Grizzlies in 4

(2) Lakers over (7) Hornets in 6

(3) Dallas over (6) Trailblazers in 7

(4) Thunder over (5) Nuggets in 5

Spurs beat Heat in 6 for NBA Championship