SB Nation - Travis Diener

Hansbrough Listed Day-To-Day With Bruised Knee, MRI Results Negative

spstevenson — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 14:39:21 -0000

There was no surprise, no astonishment, and no shock at the sight of Tyler Hansbrough heading to the locker room during Friday's loss to the Mavericks. For Indiana Pacers fans, an injury during that game was inevitable.

With Mike Dunleavy finally returning to the lineup for the first time in many months and the roster at full strength (with the exception of Travis Diener), it was only a matter of wondering "which player" and "when" a Pacers player would be hit by a lightning bolt. Hansbrough took the fall, literally.

After plummeting to the hardwood floor like a bird shot in mid-flight, Hansbrough limped off to the locker room on the next possession. It was destined to happen. But, luckily, the Pacers caught a break this time and it appears the "full strength" roster might actually continue, at least until the next game and the next injury.

The Indianapolis Star's Jeff Rabjohns reported from practice yesterday that Hansbrough, who sat out Saturday, had X-ray's after the game and a precautionary MRI that were negative. No hidden injuries within the knee were revealed and Hansbrough is set to return to the lineup at some point during the team's Western road trip this week. "The knee feels fine. It's just a bruise," Hansbrough told Rabjohns. "We're taking it easy."

So the Pacers got off easy this time. Rabjohns also reported in his notebook that Danny Granger doesn't expect to miss any more games to rest his knee and that Mike Dunleavy fell right back into his routine Saturday without any problems with his knee after playing 16 minutes Friday. All good news for the Pacers who desperately need a full team to play together as much as possible to begin gaining confidence and trust in one another in order to get this team back on track.

The Pacers have lost five of their last six games, and they need everybody they can get. More links after the jump.

Rabjohns' notebook also briefly mentions that coach Jim O'Brien might be considering some lineup changes...again. This time, Brandon Rush and Dahntay Jones are the focal points. Jones needs to start. With each loss, it becomes more apparent that Jones and Granger need to be complimenting each other on the court for most of the game. Those two need to be the catalyst for the team's offense and defense. O'Brien has to make this move. Hopefully, it's sooner rather than later. O'Brien said the following:

"Our rotation is being thought about. For me to tell you that I am comfortable with the rotation right now, that would be inaccurate. It's a combination of guys coming from the inactive to the active list.'' -- Jim O'Brien

Here are some links to more recaps about Friday's games: Always Miller Time, Pacers Pulse, Examiner, and Eight Points, Nine Seconds.
Jones was named one of the Sports Illustrated's Surprise Fantasy Studs last week.
This was a really eye opening post on Pacers Digest by Peck. Any supporter and fan of Roy Hibbert will find Hibbert's attitude (or lack thereof) in Friday's game disheartening and sad. Hibbert is always the first guy off the bench to congratulate teammates, the loudest supporter on the bench and, basically, a towel-waving freak when the Pacers are rallying, winning and even losing. But, as Peck noted, Hibbert was in a depressed state on Friday and he sat with his warm-up jacket over his head for most of the game, looking very disinterested in the state of his team. Not sure of the reason, but hopefully he isn't getting down about his role with the team and this was just a one time thing. It's bad enough that O'Brien is cutting Hibbert's minutes and keeping him on the bench, but it's really going to infuriate me if this kills Hibbert's mojo on the bench as well. Of course, if the team keeps losing, this could be the start of O'Brien "losing" this team. Stay tuned.
Outside of the Pacers' world, the Nets are set to fire their coach and the Sixers are considering adding retired Allen Iverson to the roster.

IC Cold Links: Injured Pacers Begin Returning To The Lineup

spstevenson — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:43:27 -0000

More photos » by Darron Cummings - AP

Dahntay Jones somehow gets a shot off against superhero LeBron James during the Pacers loss in Indy.

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Here come the walking wounded. Or, hopefully, here come the reinforcements.

The injured Indiana Pacers are finally returning to the lineup, allowing the Pacers to play with a near-full roster for the first time since Mark Jackson was doing the shimmy down Meridian. With Troy Murphy posting a comeback (a solid 12-point, 10-rebound debut) during last night's 105-95 loss to the Cavaliers after a six-game absence, the other White Ambulance Brigade members are planning their comebacks as well.

IndyStar reporter Mike Wells notes that Jeff Foster is set to play in Sunday's game at Charlotte. Mike Dunleavy could see limited minutes in Wednesday's game against Washington. Only Travis Diener announced bad news regarding his nasty toe injury -- the point guard is out 4-6 weeks after having surgery on his left big toe.

Foster and Dunleavy's return will obviously be not only important for their on-court presence, but their off-the-court manner and leadership could do wonders to keep this team aloft during the fourth quarter and in practice. Instead of seeing Danny Granger slumped over on the bench during a late-game collapse, Foster and Dunleavy will hopefully help start a resurgence for the team psyche in their jerseys rather than in their stylish suits.

So if you're down in the dumps after the Pacers slumped over and played opossum in the fourth quarter for the second straight loss, well, there's hopefully some veterans who can help remedy that problem. I mean, we're bringing back guys who know how to squander leads in the third quarter, but who also have a history of fun comebacks in the final period. Combine them with guys who know how to dominate third quarters, but can't do anything in the fourth and, well, you've got a second-half team my friend.

While you're waiting for these guys to return to action, check out the jump for links to reports on last night's loss, LeBron's domination, and Jamaal Tinsley's debut week in Memphis.

Box Score
AP Story
Photo Gallery, featuring Pete Rose and the Sign Guy
Bruno's Live Blog
Bruno's Postgame Report gives Player of the Game honors to Brandon Rush (16 points, 6-of-10 shooting), while also noting the casual and quiet double-double posted by Troy Murphy (12 pts., 10 rebounds) after returning from a six-game absence. Stat of the night: "In the fourth quarters of their last two games, both losses, the Pacers shot 8-of-35 from the field (.228), committed 10 turnovers and totaled 30 points." Ouch.
The IndyStar's Mike Wells writes his recap on the game, while also wondering if the Pacers should propose that the NBA switch to three-quarter games, instead of four in his Pacers Insider blog.
Also from the Star, columnist Bob Kravitz attended the game and writes about the current team while referring back to the Brawl. He also praises team president Larry Bird for the Tyler Hansbrough draft pick and the Dahntay Jones pickup. Also mentions Shawne Williams. I think it's in his contract to mention him in every article.
John Oehser recapped the game for NBA.com, and his Examiner page here, and came up with the following quote from Cavs coach Mike Brown about LeBron James:

"He had a big night -- his will and ability to attack . . . when he does that he makes us good. It not only makes us good offensively, but it gives us energy defensively. The shots he takes, there aren't many guys who can take and make those. People ask me every once in a while, 'You think LeBron's taking bad shots?' You have to be careful when you have a player like that. If he wasn't taking and making those shots, we wouldn't win a lot of games. . . . Sometimes the best coaching is to get out his way." -- Mike Brown

Rcaps on the game from Always Miller Time and Pacers Pulse. Also a game preview from Eight Points, Nine Seconds.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that the Cavs returned to their former selves -- winners -- in their matchup in Indy. Also, here is the game thread from SB Nation's Fear The Sword.
ESPN's Weekend Dime has a one-on-one interview with former Pacers point guard Jarrett Jack about his start with the Raptors.
Another update on an ex-Pacer. Jamaal Tinsley has now played 11 minutes in two games since signing with the Grizzlies last week. He's totaled two rebounds, zero points and zero assists.

IC Cold Links: Injuries Force Cancellation Of Practice; Murphy Set To Return

spstevenson — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:55:20 -0000

More photos » by AJ Mast - AP

Bring the keg, it's a block party: Danny Granger defends the basket as he leads the Pacers with 31 points en route to a 108-94 win.

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Swine flu has nothing on the Indiana Pacers.

The team's injury epidemic continued during last night's 108-94 win against the Warriors as starting point guard T.J. Ford went down five minutes into the first quarter with back spasms. He didn't return and he's questionable for Saturday's game against Eastern Conference powerhouse Boston Celtics.

Ford's injury joins a long list of the wounded on the blue and gold's roster: Troy Murphy (back), Danny Granger (heel), Mike Dunleavy (knee), Luther Head (foot), Brandon Rush (ankle), Travis Diener (toe) and Jeff Foster (ankle). The plethora of injuries forced coach Jim O'Brien to call off practice today. "Frankly, we wouldn't be able to field enough guys to practice with," O'Brien told Bruno. "That's how banged-up we are right now."

Rush and Head both played last night, with Rush putting up a very quiet 11 points in 34 minutes. Both should be able to play on Saturday, along with (fingers crossed) Ford and the return of Murphy. So, while the Pacers rest of up for the opportunity to win four straight for the first time in two years, here are some links to keep you occupied. More after the jump.

AP Story
Box Score
Photo Gallery
Bruno gives us his postgame report where he notes that the Pacers had more free-throw attempts (34-24) for the third time this season, all of which were wins. Here's coach Jim O'Brien on the game:

"We did some positive things tonight. Earl really stepped up and led us. You don't like T.J. (Ford) to go down, but it's nice to know you've got somebody like Earl to come in and play the way he played. He's been a breath of fresh air. Danny played within himself. I think he moved well and he passed well, especially in the first half. He scored, distributed and rebounded. He played a very solid brand of basketball." -- Jim O'Brien

Here is also link to Bruno's live blog from the Pacers win.
John Oehser pulled double-duty again as he wrote this story for the front page of NBA.com, while also recapping the game for his Examiner.com page.
Mike Wells produced three separate stories to recap how the Pacers dismantled the Warriors. The game recap captures the moment of the Pacers winning three straight for the first time in one year. If the Pacers win against Boston on Saturday, it will be the first time the team has won four in a row since the end of the 07-08 season. Wells also comments about Earl Watson's standout job filling in for the injured T.J. Ford, while also giving Pacers fans their update on ex-Pacer Stephen Jackson.
Here's the game recap from Pacers blog Always Miller Time.
Eight Points, Nine Seconds previewed the game with some more in-depth statistical analysis.
SB Nation's Golden State of Mind is in a depressing mood after watching things unfold in Indiana. So glad Jackson is the Warriors' problem and not the Pacers' issue. I wish I could feel empathy for you, but I just can't do it.
The San Francisco Chronicle tackles Jackson's mysterious injury that he doesn't know about, yet apparently coach Don Nelson diagnosed early in the game, thus sitting the disgruntled player for most of the game. Needless to say, Jackson was not happy again. Nelson said that he sat Jackson because he had a "sore back or hip or something." Jackson disagreed. "I'm fine," Jackson said postgame at the arena where he played 2004-07. "I've got a scratch. That's all it is. My back is not sore at all. Regardless of where I'm at, I want to play. I have no control over that, but I want to play, regardless of if I'm in Africa or wherever. I know I could have done more than I did." Jackson doesn't realize, of course, that even the Kenyan National Team wouldn't touch his contract at this point.
Granger earned top honors from ESPN's Daily Dime for his performance last night. Rookie Tyler Hansbrough also received some recognition for his good play in little playing time, but it paled in comparison to fellow rookie Brandon Jennings last night. The Bucks' rook dropped 32 points to help the team down the Nuggets.

Pacers 101, Knicks 89: Ford Becomes Unlikely Hero As Pacers Earn First Win

spstevenson — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:46:43 -0000

More photos » by Frank Franklin II - AP

Al Harrington's game-high 22 points weren't enough to keep the Pacers from picking up their first win of the season as Danny Granger and company nabbed the victory, 101-89.

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Everything is just fine. Order is restored. Let the road to the playoffs begin. Or something like that.

After dropping the first three games of the season in ugly fashion, the Knicks allowed the Indiana Pacers to regroup, recharge and reignite that burning flame that leads to something we like to call...winning. Despite losing Danny Granger to the bench with fouls in the final minutes, it was the team's defense and strong offensive possessions from T.J. Ford (no need to check your eyes, that does read correctly) that sealed the Pacers 101-89 win.

After trailing by six at halftime, the Pacers (1-3) shook off their usual third-quarter blues by clamping down defensively and holding the shot-happy Knicks to only 33 second-half points. The Pacers took charge of the game after Granger fouled out with the team up four points with three minutes to play. Dahntay Jones, who was an offensive and defensive force from the onset Wednesday night, hounded the Knicks post play despite being undersized against the likes of Al Harrington and David Lee. Then an unlikely hero rose from the ashes of the season. Ford, who had struggled mightily in the team's first three losses, made eight of Indiana's final 10 points to put the game out of reach.

The game featured many season "firsts" for the blue and gold. Brandon Rush attempted his first free throw, while also draining his first 3-pointer. Roy Hibbert fouled no one. Granger made big plays. The defense actually put a stop-gap in the middle of the lane. And the Pacers had more free-throw attempts, more rebounds and, most importantly, more points than the Knicks.

Still, these were the Knicks, which along with the Pacers have only one win apiece in the infancy of the 09-10 season. Maybe the Knicks were too distracted by the World Series, but something must be said for seeing, for the first time, some semblance of what the Pacers looked like in games last year. Hey, it's a start. Or something like that.

Other notes:

Another slow start for the blue and gold gang. The offense was stagnant yet again in the first quarter but, luckily, the opponent was the Knicks. The Pacers posted seven turnovers in the first six minutes of the game, along with a staggering amount of misguided passes, blind dribbling into traffic and a blatant disregard for knowing where their teammates were on the court. Then, things immediately shifted for the better when the second unit, consisting of Earl Watson, Solomon Jones and Luther Head, came into the game late into the first quarter. They picked up the game speed and it replaced the lull that shrouded the opening minutes.
Without Troy Murphy available due to injury, coach Jim O'Brien cut the playing rotation down to only eight players. Travis Diener, A.J. Price and Josh McRoberts sat dressed in their uni's on the bench tonight.
Free-throw differential. For the longest time tonight, the Pacers actually dominated in this stat category for the first time since 1971. Midway through the fourth quarter, Indiana had 22 attempts from the charity stripe compared to a paltry four shots by the Knicks. But thanks to a Danny Granger-led fouling spree to finish the game, the Knicks cut that differential pretty quickly, yet the team still compiled a 28-18 advantage at the end of regulation. But hey, at least we know it's possible for the Pacers to dominate the free-throw disparity. Possible.
Roy Hibbert fouled...NOBODY! It's a miracle! Very good night for the big man on offense and defense. I've written a billion times, but the guy needs the ball in the post much more often than he's been getting it. Too many times, Hibbert is being given the ball beyond the perimeter to act as a passing mechanism to further the Pacers' non-existent ball movement skills. He needs the ball in the post people! It may never be pretty what he does in there, but he gets things done.
Granger didn't look right early and often on the offensive end. The heel must still be bothering him pretty badly as his elevation on the jump shot is just not where it needs to be. Still, he came up big in the second half and recovered his box score to garner a team-high 21 points on 7-of-18 shooting. We talking on the boards that this upcoming schedule might be a good time for Granger to sit down and let that heel rest. The Pacers play only game between now and next Wednesday (Friday's contest against the Wizards). Maybe the time off could get him back to Superman status.
Brandon Rush, welcome to the 2009-10 season. He was one of three players to compile double-doubles (Rush had 12 points and 10 rebounds), and his two 3-pointers in the first half kept the Pacers in striking distance for the big second-half run. Jones and Hibbert nabbed double-doubles as well with Jones getting 19 points, 12 rebounds and Hibbert overpowering the small-ball Knicks lineup for 15 points and 14 rebounds.
Lastly, the offense still looked terrible quite often, the shooters still shot a paltry 5-of-21 from beyond-the-arc, the defense allowed David Lee to run wild for 20 points and 19 rebounds, and the Pacers dominated in turnovers again with a healthy 21 total. Still lots of problems. But it sure felt good to get that win. Check out the Knicks point-of-view on the game over at Posting and Toasting.

IC Cold Links: NBA Opening Night Is Here; Pacers Health Improves

Tom Lewis — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:38:46 -0000

The NBA is back!

In just a few short hours the NBA season will tip off in Cleveland where LeBron Jamesand the Cavs will host the reloaded Boston Celtics. Not a bad way to start things off. Other games tonight include Washington at Dallas, Houston at Portland and the L.A. Clippers at L.A. Lakers. Yep, that should get the hoop juices fully flowin'.

The Pacers are set to go to Atlanta for tomorrow night's opener against the Hawks. Mike Wells reports a mixed bag of injury news from practice yesterday. Danny Grangersat out with a bone bruise on his heel. No, it doesn't sound good but all involved insist the injury isn't serious and DG33 will be amped and ready to go tomoorrow.

Also, T.J. Ford, Travis Diener and Luther Head went at it for the full practice and are also set for the opener.

Jeff Foster will join the team in Atlanta but his availability is up in the air and considering he went to Boston for treatment it doesn't appear that he'll be available in to play in Atlanta and in fact, JOB is making that assumption while preparing for the opener.

After the jump, several more links of interest:

PACERS: Hibbert, Rush give cause for optimism
Bruno's latest report focuses on second-year players, Roy Hibbert and Brandon Rush shouldering an important role on the team. Also, Tyler Hansbrough made it through day three of his half-court workouts continuing down the right path toward a full return.
Rest of NBA chasing Kobe and the Lakers
Jeff Rabjohns previews the NBA with a few points of local interest to keep an eye on throughout the season.
Two Hawks starters are on injury watch
Mike Bibby and Al Horfordboth nursed injuries at the end of Sunday's practice, leaving a gaping question mark in the middle and at the point for the Hawks. Sekou Smith has the details.
Pacers-Hawks Preview
Matt Beardmore previews the Pacers-Hawks opener set for Wednesday in Atlanta.
8p9s/Pacers Season Preview
Jared Wade offers up a thorough preview for the True Hoop Network.
The Summer Losses: Rasho Nesterovic
Jared Wade looks at the impact of not having Rasho Nesterovic on the roster this season.
Los Angeles Clippers' Blake Griffin has broken kneecap, out weeks
Clippers rookie Blake Griffin has a broken kneecap and could miss six weeks. Of course he does. Clippers catch yet another bad break.

Magic 117, Pacers 87: Short-Handed Pacers Trounced By Magic

Tom Lewis — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 02:31:38 -0000

More photos » by Phelan M. Ebenhack - AP

Dwight Howard and the Magic made Roy Hibbert and the Pacers feel three feet tall on Wednesday night.

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Well, Roy Hibbert had 20 points and 5 blocked shots. That's pretty good, right?

Let's see, what else went well...yeah, I guess that's about it.

The Indiana Pacers simply had one of those nights and to make matters worse it was one of those preseason nights with a short-handed roster, as the Orlando Magic ran away and hid in the second half handing the Pacers a 117-87 loss.

At full strength, the Pacers have a talent deficit against the Magic, thus having to play harder and make shots to give themselves a chance. Tonight the Pacers had no chance. A second quarter dry spell by the Magic kept the Pacers in the game, but once the Magic got it going again, the Pacers had nothing for them.

Regardless of how the Pacers rate on the effort meter, the shots simply weren't falling, especially from 3-land where the Pacers were just 2-23 from behind the arc. Simple formula: When the Pacers make threes they're dangerous, when they don't they're road kill. Screeeeeeetch...thud.

Afer the jump, a few more thoughts on what we heard from Orlando.

T.J. Ford and Luther Head joined Mike Dunleavy, Tyler Hansbrough and Travis Diener in street clothes. Jeff Foster was also out of uniform resting his back, but he put on the headset and played the role of analyst for Mark Boyle's play-by-play call.
Danny Granger is back in preseason form, struggling to make shots. After his 3-12 effort tonight, Granger is a balky has made just 12 of 35 shots in the last two games. In his defense, Granger's minutes were sporadic in Orlando especially in the first half and he wasn't looking for his shot finishing the first half with one point. We saw how easily he scored earlier in the preseason, so there's no reason to think he won't be ready to fire on all cylinders once the bright lights come on for the regular season.
The Pacers poor shooting wasn't just from behind the arc. They also struggled from behind the charity stripe, making just 14 of 23 freebies. Meanwhile, the Magic didn't shoot much better but with 26 more FTAs the ended the game outscoring the Pacers by 20 from the line.
All of those foul shots were compliments of 32 Indiana fouls. Solo Jones and Granger fouled out while Murph and Hibbert finished with 5 fouls each, most of which were on Vince Carter and Dwight Howard as they attacked the Pacers' soft interior.
Brandon Rush came out with a strong effort at the offensive end. At one point in the first half, Rush and Hibbert were 9-17 from the field while the rest of the team was 5-23. A poor shooting night on the perimeter kept Rush's numbers in check though.
Not a big fan of point guard Earl Watson nearly matching the rebound total of Hibbert and Solo Jones combined. Watson had six rebounds compared to three for Hibby and four for Solo. Foster blamed the lack of boards on a lot of long misses, but that's a bit too easy on the big boys. There were plenty of rebounds of all types. Just another problem area the Pacers couldn't overcome.
Foster had a tough time loosening up in his role as radio analyst, but improved through the second half. His monotone delivery is great for subtle digs, but at first he was just repeating the play that Boyle had called. He found his voice in the second half though and never shied away from pointing out the Pacers' problems. He did have a good line early when he observed that Magic reserve point guard Jason Williams must've spent his year off last year getting arm tattoos.

Pacers Preseason: Getting That Old Uneasy Feeling

spstevenson — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 22:00:58 -0000

More photos » by Patrick Semansky - AP

The Pacers are hoping new players, such as Dahntay Jones, will change the team for the better this season.

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Cue Whitesnake. Put on OK Go. Here it goes again.

Although I swear that my spectacular Indiana Pacers wallet calendar insists that we're heading into the 09-10 NBA season, the players, mediocrity and drama from last year is back. I thought the summer was supposed to wash the stink of another non-playoff season off this franchise. But after five preseason games, nothing much has happened to suggest a recharging, reawakening or revival within the soul of a team that's dog paddling in circles around the drain.

Win one game. Lose one game. Blow out a good team. Get blown out by a bad team. It's all too familiar. Teeter-totter and back-and-forth. The Pacers are sitting 2-3 in this preseason, with each win followed by a loss and vice versa.

If you find the preseason at least gives a slight nudge in the direction of how a season might go, then the Pacers are headed for another 35-40 win season, just like the pundits across the web predicted.

This year's preseason has actually already shifted the great teams to the top of the standings and the bottom feeders to the depths. Take a look at them here. Boston, Orlando, Atlanta top the East, while Dallas, San Antonio and the Lakers top the West. Only Cleveland looks out of place with its 3-3 record without leader LeBron James in action.

As of now, the Pacers sit uncomfortably at the No. 11 spot in the East. It's right where you would expect the same wishy-washy blue and gold squads from the past two years to be, but I was hoping this year would be a little different. But has there been anything that should get everybody revved up for the season opener at Conseco "Reggie Miller" Fieldhouse?

Things we've learned this preseason: Danny Granger will again shoot the lights out, while still struggling to push the defensive intensity from the opening minute to the final buzzer; Brandon Rush is still shaky; T.J. Ford finally has ownership of the starting guard, but that's really a statement on the players behind him and not on his overall improvement; the ineptness of the team's training staff continues to keep players on the bench for elongated stretches of time (Why is Travis Diener missing the entire preseason over a sore toe?); the team struggles mightily without Granger in the lineup; the third quarter continues to be the kiss of death and Achilles's Heel against good and bad teams.

I wrote before the Taiwan trip that I was hoping the few weeks spent together would gel this group together in a montage-movie moment, where they might even visit a monk and find "the answer" thus spurning an unbelievable season and a trip to the Finals. Bruno never showed a video of a trip to a monk. Unfortunate. But, really, I thought the trip might bring the team together to find a common goal, get to know each other and want to win for one another.

But I forgot that this team is totally opposite of the tumultous players of the past Pacers teams of this decade. Although those teams were filled with talented lunatics, at least they had a fire to win. This team showed the eye of the tiger, if you will, in wins over the Lakers, Celtics and Cavs last year and then...well, the fire went out in a flash. Remember that after each of those amazing three wins, the Pacers came out limp in the next games and lost by a combined 40 points to the Suns, Celtics and Bucks, each being double-digit losses. After watching (listening) to five preseason games, doesn't it feel like this team is headed down the same road this year? One game they look like they could take out the Lakers, and the next game they're giving up by the third quarter to a team like the Grizzlies.

We know this team doesn't have the talent to be a title contender. We know it barely has the talent to be considered in the running for a No. 8 seed. So it's going to take a little fire, a little edge and a little controlled lunacy to get this team headed in the right direction.

Pop in Hoosiers. Put on Rocky. Show Rudy. Get something to get this team going before each game. Maybe a couple of the "unknowns" heading into the season actually turn out positive and help kick start the team (i.e. Tyler Hansbrough, Mike Dunleavy, Diener's toe). Anything would be helpful.

Like any other ticket-buying customer, I'm still holding out hope with lots of optimism that the preseason is just that -- the dumb preseason -- and it means nothing in the long haul. But would it kill the team to end the dang thing with two straight wins, two great performances and some momentum heading into the opener at Atlanta?

Sounds like its time for a montage. Let's get the eye of the tiger, Pacers. Eye of the tiger.

Hansbrough Working His Way Back On The Court For Pacers

Tom Lewis — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 02:00:15 -0000

More photos » by Darron Cummings - AP

Tyler Hansbrough may join his teammates on the court tomorrow.

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Tyler Hansbrough returned to the court a couple of weeks ago and has been going through individual workouts, putting his shin to the test in hopes of joining his teammates on the court as soon as tomorrow, albeit in in a limited capacity.

Bruno offers this nuggets along with plenty of other interesting tidbits in his latest report from training camp. According to Jim O'Brien, Hansbrough could being playing with the team in the halfcourt on Tuesday.

"They want to see how he does after they've upped his workouts," said O'Brien. "I think (Tuesday) if he has responded well, then maybe they'll get him in the halfcourt but he has to prove his shin can handle what he's been doing."

Nice to hear some good news regarding Hansbrough's status. Seems like it's been a year since we saw him playing some solid summer league ball in the high post. The frustrating mystery surrounding the shin injury has certainly bottomed out any expectations I had for his rookie season, so I'll temper my enthusiasm until I see the whites of his shin in action. Of course, the Hansbrough news isn't all of the injury news from this report.

T.J. Ford and Jeff Foster will join Hansbrough, Mike Dunleavy and Travis Diener in street clothes for the Pacers game at Orlando on Wednesday. Foster continues to take it easy on his back while Ford is nursing a strained hamstring that isn't considered serious. Just being cautious in the preseason.

Plenty of other good information and reaction from Jim O'Brien and Danny Granger including their thoughts on Vecsey's article about Larry Bird (ain't buyin' it). The lead story is about the Pacers looking to establish some consistency after varying between good, bad and ugly thus far in the preseason.

"You can attribute it to a few things," said Danny Granger. "We're not all on the same page yet. Sometimes we are, sometimes we're not. We just have to get there."

O'Brien pointed out the starting lineup is largely intact from last year, which provides a good base.

"As long as you have a core group, then you should be able to get going at a pretty fair pace," he said. "We'll try to play to win the basketball games and play the rotations that you would have. We're going to have 10 healthy bodies against Orlando so all 10 of those guys have got to play in the rotation. You hope to build some consistency at both ends of the floor in both games."

So far this team has a remarkably similar feel to last year's team. Whenever I get frustrated by that thought I have to remind myself of how many tight games the team played in last year and maybe that experience will help swing more of those games in the Pacers favor.

Time For Plan B: O'Brien Considers Rotation Changes For Pacers

spstevenson — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:05:57 -0000

Maybe playing 83 percent of your roster every game isn't such a good idea, at least that's the word coming out of the Indiana Pacers camp today.

Halfway through the NBA preseason and coach Jim O'Brien is changing his mind about pledging to institute a 10-man playing rotation this season. O'Brien told the Indianapolis Star that he is still tinkering with his roster, and slicing his rotation down to eight might be a good idea. O'Brien said if the Pacers opened the season today, the squad wouldn't have the option to go 10-deep, and that he's hoping to see some players "prove" their spots on the team.

Sounds like O'Brien is trying to get the younger guys on the bench to step it up in practice. It's been apparent in the preseason games that when the Pacers filled the floor with guys from the end of the bench, things weren't clicking. Defensive assignments slacked, the offense stalled regularly and the new players showed they hadn't gelled yet with their new teammates. For myself, the argument always seemed simple. If you're on a good team, then you're bottom four guys are probably better than most and you can institute a bigger rotation. On a lesser team, as in the Pacers in the past three seasons, maybe you need to put the rotation under the guillotine and keep the bench guys in their seats.

But thanks to a timely column by Tim Donahue of Eight Points, Nine Seconds, we get the real stats and stories behind what it means to have an 8-man or 10-guy rotation. It's obviously much more complicated than my dumb take on it. This is a must-read as it highlights how the Pacers fit in with the rest of the league last year, while also showing O'Brien's trends over his career. As we find out, he's never really been a deep-bench guy in the first place.

Check out the jump for more links.

Mike Wells wrote about Troy Murphy's dedication to improving his game in Wednesday's edition of the Star.
In a personal favorite topic, Pacers Place takes on the enviable task of linking Pacers players to WWE stars. I might have stuck Travis Diener in the Hornswoggle spot, but the list is solid and a great idea. Sidenote: Monday Night RAW in Conseco "Reggie Miller" Fieldhouse on Monday was fantastic. Not only was the arena rocking a screaming, packed house, but seeing that event live, and for free, for the first time was thrilling.
Eight Points, Nine Seconds also takes a look at the rookie contract extension deadline set for Oct. 31. Brandon Rush and Roy Hibbert will both be ready for the Pacers to activate the team option for another season with the team.
Stephen Jackson is nearly out of control. The former Pacer is now shouting from the hills that he's on par with Kobe Bryant, while bashing teammates for not having his back. Remember the last time your teammates followed you and your friends?

2009-10 NBA Blog Previews: Indiana Pacers

Tom Lewis — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 04:16:23 -0000

Once again, Indy Cornrows is pleased to participate in the 2009-10 NBA blogger previews orgainzed by Jeff Clark at Celtics Blog.

Team Name: Indiana Pacers

Last Years Record: 36-46

Key Losses: Jarrett Jack, Marquis Daniels, Rasho Nesterovic

Key Additions: Tyler Hansbrough, Dahntay Jones, Earl Watson, Solomon Jones, Luther Head, A.J. Price

1.What significant moves were made during the offseason?

Get your programs, people.

After the 2007-08 season, the Indiana Pacers used the draft and a couple of trades to bring in seven new players and begin overhauling the roster in the post-Jermaine O'Neal contract era. Beggars can't be choosers, so the moves two summers ago were more about the players leaving the roster than the players joining the roster. But those moves made the salary cap more manageable and allowed Larry Bird and David Morway to make a few more moves this past summer to address the team's defensive deficiencies.

Since the salary cap remains an issue for at least two more years, the Pacers' decisions weren't solely based on basketball but more on the bottom line. The team let Marquis Daniels and his $7.5 million team option go and were unable to match Toronto's free agent offer for Jarrett Jack. The Pacers also preferred to use Rasho Nesterovic's expiring contract space instead of spending the money re-sign the veteran big man. Sparsely used free agents, Stephen Graham and Maceo Baston were also let go to find another team.

With six open slots on the roster, the Pacers went bargain shopping to fill specific needs without taking the team's cap number over the lowered luxury tax threshhold. To bolster the team's perimeter defense and backcourt options the Pacers signed Dahntay Jones to a four-year contract and agreed to a couple of one-year deals with Earl Watson and Luther Head. To fill a frontcourt need, center Solomon Jones signed a two-year free agent deal with the Pacers. Jones was seldom used in Atlanta but is a young player who has shown plenty of upside in early preseason action.

The Pacers used the draft to select Tyler Hansbrough fresh off a national championship at North Carolina. Hansbrough performed well in summer league games but a shin injury has kept him from testing his game against an NBA lineup. He is not expected to return to action until the end of October.

In the second round, the Pacers took UConn point guard, A.J. Price who had a successful college career but came out of the draft with questions about his shooting ability and athleticism. So far, he's shown plenty of NBA ability and looks real comfortable on the floor for a rookie. The Pacers don't expect much from Price this year and instead look to him as a point guard for the future, but he appears ready to go should the opportunity present itself in his rookie year.

2. What are the team's biggest strengths?

The Pacers biggest strenghts remain their ability to push the pace and score lots of points. Last season they beat every top team in the league thanks to their ability to run, knock down threes and score in bunches. When things are clicking the Pacers can wear down an opponent, any opponent, and give themselves a chance win.

Consistent offensive output from Danny Granger and Troy Murphy are the basis for any offensive success the Pacers achieve. When supplemented by some combination of T.J. Ford, Brandon Rush and Roy Hibbert, the Pacers will have enough points to win any game this year. The more consistent production they can get from these three players the more W's they'll accrue. Hibbert's development is especially important since he's shown the ability to score in the low post if he can just avoid foul trouble and stay on the court long enough to get the requisite touches.

The Pacers depth could be a surprise strength this year if Mike Dunleavy and Tyler Hansbrough can return healthy and ready to play. With Earl Watson, Dhantay Jones and Jeff Foster in the mix, Jim O'Brien has ten players capable of contributing minutes with a variety of skill sets to allow the coach the flexibility to match up better with other teams. It also gives the Pacers a chance to keep fresh bodies on the floor to keep the pace fast and help wear down opposing lineups.

3. What are the team's biggest weaknesses?

Defense and backcourt consistency are two weaknesses the Pacers hope to improve on this year. Earl Watson, Dahntay Jones and Solomon Jones have already shown they will bolster the defensive end which should show vast improvement from last year.

Still, mixing and matching all of the new faces and integrating them into a team defensive scheme could take some time to see positive results. Increased ball pressure is the goal, but until we see this team consistently prove they can make a positive impact at the defensive end it will remain a weakness. Foul and free throw attempt differentials were a glaring problem in losses last year and improving the defense is the only way to turn those numbers around.

As for the backcourt, T.J. Ford will begin the season running the team at point guard, with Earl Watson and Travis Diener coming off the bench. Watson has played some two guard in the preseason, ala Jarrett Jack which will likely happen during the season when JOB goes with a small lineup. These guys have to tighten up the decision-making and turnovers which may be wishful thinking.

Jim O'Brien prefers passing to dribbling which was a shock to Ford's system last year. He did finish last season well coming off the bench and appeared to be moving in the right direction. If he improves in one area let that be the blind pass for a turnover. Often times, Ford takes the ball in the lane knowing Murphy, Rush and/or Granger are set up behind the arc should the defense rotate to stop him. Unfortunately, he'll jump to turn around and kick the ball out, but if a defender has the shooter covered the ball goes the other way. Regardless of the team's desired pace, there are times Ford would be better served to slow down his game a notch to remain in control, not to mention in possession of the ball.

4. What are the goals for this team?

After back-to-back 36 win seasons, the Pacers are looking to make the playoffs in the Eastern Conference. That's the goal this team talks about at every opportunity and when you look at all of the close games the team dropped last year it doesn't take long to find a few more wins which would've put them in the playoffs.

Only problem is that there are several more teams in the mix in the Eastern Conference this year. Once you skim the cream off the top you could make the case that every team in the EC could make the playoffs if they stay healthy and play well. That alone exposes a mediocre middle of the conference, but the opportunity is there. Some teams don't necessarily have to stay healthy nor play exceedingly well, but the Pacers are one of the teams that will indeed need good health and must come together to play better than the sum of their parts in order to make the playoffs.

5. Can the Pacers stay healthy enough to give themselves a chance this year?

Mike Dunleavy hopes to return to the court after fixing a knee that kept him out for the bulk of last season. Just when he returns and how long before he's playing at full throttle remain up in the air. The season will play out quite differently if Dunleavy can play even 50 games.

Tyler Hansbrough isn't expected to have a big role on the team this year as he works his way through his rookie season, but he definitely needs to play. Considering a shin injury has him on the shelf until the season starts, it's reasonable to assume Hansbrough won't be playing much if at all over the first few weeks of the season.

These are two known injury issues that, if they improve, will be a boon for the Pacers. But there are always other injuries throughout a season and dealing with those injuries will make or break the Pacers this year. T.J. Ford is always considered an injury risk because of past neck issues. The neck wasn't a problem last year and he appears healthy and ready to roll this year, but with a slight build, taking his share of hits while racing into the lane keeps him on the injury watch list.

Finally, Danny Granger had a minor knee issue over the summer and missed a few games last year, so any game DG misses is tough for the Pacers to overcome. At full strength, this team has the right combinations to make a run at the playoffs, but the margin of error is slight so maintaining their health is critical. Hopefully, the team can avoid the "flu-like symptoms" that wiped out nearly everyone for a few games last season.

Predicted Record: Easy to speculate on a broad range for the Pacers' win total. If the team stays healthy and the defense improves even a little, a win total in the mid-40s is possible. On the other hand, if injuries and familiarity prove to be too much to overcome the wins could easily dip into the lower 30s. Taking these scenarios into account, I'll split the difference: 40-42