SB Nation - Dale Davis

Could The Pacers Use More Decorative Banners In The Rafters?

spstevenson — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 05:25:33 -0000

They are the symbol of a franchise. The past stuffed into a single number. The history crammed into the rafters of an arena.

Banners of retired jersey numbers act as bodiless tombstones hung high above the present bundle of front office staff, coaches and players. They wave in the cross-hairs of high altitutude to represent the past keeping an eye on the present. They're making sure that no one forgets.

On Friday, the Indiana Pacers added another name and banner to the rafters of the Fieldhouse. The man who, along with his brother Herb, helped save the franchise from relocation was honored with his own banner. Now, Mel Simon's marker keeps watch over the blue and gold along with Mel Daniels, Roger Brown, Georgie McGinnis, Reggie Miller and coach Bobby "Slick" Leonard. The pantheon of Pacers pride.

But should the Pacers reserve the Jersey Legends just for the Mount Rushmore of Pacers royalty, or is it time to begin opening the door for a grander overview of the franchise, thus allowing a new society of notoriety and knighthood to grow? The reason it popped into my mind was because of that big, awkward-looking 7-foot-4 dude sitting courtside during Friday's game. I think he's a famous BMX rider.

The decision to either put Rik Smits' name in lights or keep him off guest list is near the borderline for how the Pacers handle jersey ceremonies in the future. When we look up at the rafters 15 years from now, will Smits, Dale Davis, Mark Jackson and others be added to the list, or will it be just Danny Granger (fingers crossed) as the only one joining the hallowed ranks? The rest of the NBA doesn't offer a clear choice...

Each NBA team has its own way of honoring those who have served the team.

Some teams honor only the best. The Lakers have seven franchise players who changed the course of team history during the 60's, 70's and 80's. Compared to the Celtics, the Lakers have one of the stingiest and exclusive banner hanging clubs around. The Celts, the only team that can aptly be considered more successful than the Lakers in NBA history, have 23 numbers and more swaying in their home.

Some teams honor fallen heroes (Timberwolves - Malik Sealy, Hornets - Bobby Phillis), while other teams honor other team's heroes (Heat - Michael Jordan and Dan Marino). Some teams honor franchise stalwarts (Jazz - Mark Eaton), while other teams honor even just the minimal time spent with greatness (Nets - Julius Erving, Suns - Charles Barkley).

There is no blueprint. Each team does it differently. But if you compare teams based on retired jerseys for players who played the majority of their careers from 1980-present, the Pacers rank near the bottom of the league. With only one player from 80's and 90's generation (Uncle Reg), Indiana is right on par with a team like the Knicks, which also has only honored one member from those big time 90's squads (Patrick Ewing). Other teams that had successful runs in the 80's and 90's have been much more lenient in their presentations.

The Suns lead the pack with seven members added in the modern era. The Celtics and Jazz have added six each, and most of the other squads pack three or more additions of players who played in the 80's and beyond. The Pacers are in the "one and done" club with the Knicks, Timberwolves and Hornets.

So there's the spectrum. I can see the benefits of both sides. Keep the list low and reserved for the toppermost of the poppermost and you've distinguished your Roll of Fame for the very best that ever was that wore your jersey. The exclusivity keeps you from becoming like the Jazz, which even considered raising a banner for Lewis Scott from Celtic Pride.

But opening the door to more players who allowed this franchise to stay in Indiana, rise to the top of the NBA ranks for nearly two full decades and also to build one of the best arenas in the league could use a little lovin' too. Hey, and maybe you boost Rik Smits retro jersey sales while you're at it. Everybody wins.

Whichever side of the fence you reside on, here's an opportunity to rank which other players would go first in the jersey line, and where you would draw the line on who makes the cut. I guess I'd go with Smits and Jackson as the next batch of people. If you were running the Pacers, how would you handle the jersey conundrum?

Conseco Fieldhouse: Ten Years Later

Tom Lewis — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:50:24 -0000

[Conseco Fieldhouse opened ten years ago toay, so Tony Laurenzana aka duke dynamite aka Pacers superfan sent me his thoughts on those ten years to post here today, which follows. Thanks, Tony! - TL]

In the 1980's, Indiana University was the best it got. The Hoosiers won two NCAA Championships within that decade and they became the focal point in the state for good basketball.

There was an entirely different story unfolding just up Highway 37. Unfortunately, the Pacers were struggling making it through an entire season. They were a perpetual stepping-stone for Larry Bird's led Boston Celtics. Magic Johnson's LA Lakers.

Real estate moguls Herb and Melvin Simon took over the team in 1983 and tried to inject new life into a once-proud franchise. Before the decade came to a close, there were questionable draft picks, a couple of odd trades, new front office leadership and a handful of coaches later, the team somehow became...better?

The Pacers made a run for a conference title or two in the early 1990's, led by Coach Larry Brown and players like Reggie Miller, Rik Smits, Dale Davis and Byron Scott.

In 1996, it wasn't as pretty. The Pacers failed to make the playoffs for the first time since 1989.

Within the dilapidated confines of Market Square Arena, the Pacers were going through their renaissance and showing the nation what kind of a team they were. Hoosier Legend Larry Bird was leading the team towards a Conference Title three years straight. He won the NBA Coach of the Year award in 1998.

July 22, 1997. It almost seems like an eternity ago when the franchise and city broke ground on the cathedral of basketball arenas. This new state-of-the-art arena would not only showcase the Pacers, but local college and high school basketball games and historical mementos as well. Think of it as a museum with a basketball court inside it.

Conseco Fieldhouse opened on November 6, 1999 where 18,000-plus fans jammed the "House that Bird Built" with Indiana Basketball Hysteria. The Pacers went onto beating the Boston Celtics that night, and it ushered in a new era of Indiana Basketball.

We all know that the game of basketball wasn't invented in Indiana, heck, it wasn't even conceived by an American-born citizen. But all that doesn't matter, because the game has adopted this state as it's home, and not the other way around.

During that inaugural season, the Pacers sold out every home game and made it to the NBA Finals for the first time. They even won 25-straight games at Conseco Fieldhouse. Then, it was our turn to show the world why Indiana is the basketball capital of the world. They gave it their best shot, but lost to the Lakers four games to two.

After that year, Larry Bird retired from coaching. Some of the great players that were on the team either retired, signed with other teams, or were traded for younger talent. This surely wasn't the end of this renaissance was it? It kind of signaled an end. But there was a new beginning over the horizon...

The Pacers made it to the playoffs each year they've been in the Fieldhouse up until the 2006-2007 season. They even made another Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 2004 where they lost to the eventual NBA Champion Detroit Pistons.

Just like a roller coaster, there is usually an apex and a long, steep drop with this franchise. On November 19, 2004, one of the worst displays of sportsmanship tainted the history of the team. Similarly, it's like getting an expulsion put on your elementary school permanent record. It sticks with you pretty much forever.

This also marked the final year for Pacers' Legend, Reggie Miller, who played all 18 of his seasons with the team. The team was without defensive standout Ron Artest for the remainder of the season, Reggie's successor, Stephen Jackson was out for a few games and powerhouse Jermaine O'Neal due to a suspension and injuries.

Looking back, the Pacers had a shot to repeat an Eastern Conference Finals appearance that season, but they came up short against the Pistons, again.

Since then, ties have been cut with most of those players involved, and a new batch of promising young talent has got a chance to wear the blue and gold. The team has lucked into drafting a now All-Star player, Danny Granger.

With the past few years being marred by off-the-court incidents, injuries and three draft lottery appearances, things haven't really gone the Pacers' way.

Things obviously have changed within the past 10 years. The once-great Pacers were a team on the brink of contention for an NBA title for three years straight, including twice within the building's first year of operation. From a couple of promising seasons to now a consistent lottery team. From thousands of empty seats and cheaper ticket prices, the Pacers have really lost what it meant to have the privilege to play in the basketball's rendition of The Vatican.

Hopefully, the next ten years can be proud ones, and a new renaissance can emerge.

Around the Association: 2009-2010 Portland Trail Blazers - The Fire Keeps Burning

R Dizzle — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:51:00 -0000

Can't read their, can't read their, no, you can't read their Poker Face!

I must say, the Portland Trail Blazers might go down as my second favorite team. Why? They went through some troubled times a few years ago, broke down their team, brought in a new mentality, drafted really well, and now they're succeeding.

Sounds like a pretty ideal situation right? Realize your mistakes and then do something about it. Like make trades. Search for great young talent in the draft and then build upon them. Make it to the playoffs. Win a series and get into round 2. Sure, you might lose there, but you take a look back at your season and understand that your roster has plenty of room to grow unlike the team that just beat you. The old only get older. So you keep your roster and don't make too many drastic changes because you know that it'll soon be your time.

Why does that sound waaayyy too familiar as a Warriors fan? Hmm...maybe someone can answer that for me.

Whateves..R Dizzle will make you, jump jump!

The Old - "The Jail Blazers"

Instead of looking back at the 08-09 season, I thought it might be fun to take a gander at what i considered to be the funniest team ever assemblied. Not "ha-ha" funny but "OMG-this-is-terrible-I-hope-Dave-Chappelle-eventually-makes-a-skit-about-it-to-lighten-the-situation" funny.

From the years of mid-90's to the mid-00's, the Blazers saw...

Jermaine O'Neal (on his way to his prime) being traded for Dale Davis (way out of his prime)
The addition of Shawn Kemp (Twinkie-sized)
Addition of Rod Strickland leading to a first round exit first round of the 2001 playoffs
The hiring (and firing) of Mike Dunleavy Sr. (good move with the firing)
Added a registered sex offender - Ruben Patterson
Qyntel Woods pleaded guilty for staging dog fights in his house
Rasheed Wallace suspended for 7 games for threatening a referee
Zach Randolph sucker punched a teammate in practice (some things never change!)
Isiah Rider's arrest for marijuana possession
Rasheed Wallace's arrest for marijuana possession
Damon Stoudamire's arrest for marijuana possession
Qyntel Wood's arrest for marijuana possession

Guess the grass DOES grow differently in Oregon...

The Now - "They on Fire"

Just out of curiosity, have any of you guys had a look at the Blazers' roster lately?

Let's just say it's a bit stacked...

You've really go to be kidding yourself if you think this team isn't going to end in the top 4 of the Western Conference. Hate all you want on former #1 pick Greg Oden, but HE'S ONLY HAD ONE SEASON IN THE NBA. Plenty of room to improve. He was a beast in college and he WILL BE a beast in the NBA. Of course, who knows how long that will last since all 40 year old NBA players tend to be injury prone.

But hey, just for the heck of it, let's go down the list.

PG - Steve Black with free agent aquisition Andre Miller and Jerryd Bayless coming off the bench? Check.

SG - All-Star Brandon Roy with Rudy Fernandez coming off the bench? Check.

SF - Nicolas Batum with Travis Outlaw? Check.

PF - LaMarcus Aldridge and rookie Dante Cunningham.

C - Greg Oden followed by Joel Pryzbilla

Um...excuse you...this is young developing talent at its finest (forget that they're all on rookie contracts and the combination of guys won't last that long). This team is going to contend. I predict they'll end #3 in the West (Lakers, Spurs, then Blazers) and they'll make it to the Western Conference Finals..to get beat by the Fakers. I'm excited to watch them play and destroy the lower-end Western teams.

Ya ya, there was that whole Hedo Turkoglu thing..but I don't want to talk about that. Go to our RaptorsHQ if you want some science on that.

Want some proof?

Brandon Roy Mix (2008-2009) (via frederlk)

Like I said, this just goes to show what happens when a team

Realizes its mistakes
Does something about such as making trades
Searches for great talent in the draft
Builds upon them
Gets into the playoffs
Wins a series
Loses, but then takes a second to look back and realize that there is plenty of room to grow.
Does not break up their team
REALIZES THAT IT IS ALMOST THEIR TIME.

If only some other team could follow that philosophy...

For more coverage on the Portland Trail Blazers, hit up Blazersedge!

2009-2010 Around the Association

Introduction
Atlanta Hawks: Sorry, Mrs. Jackson. The Hawks are for real.
Boston Celtics: Sheed in Green + Another Answer
Charlotte Bobcats: They Do Exist
Chicago Bulls: Ring Around the Rose-y
Cleveland Cavaliers: Now or Never
Dallas Mavericks: The Curse of the Dampier
Denver Nuggets: If it ain't broke...
Detroit Pistons: The Return of the Bay Boys
Houston Rockets: Yao-ch!, that's gotta hurt
Indiana Pacers: A One Man Show
Los Angeles Clippers: Warriors South No More
Los Angeles Lakers: Big Brother, Little Brother
Memphis Grizzlies: Going Back to Vancouver
Miami Heat: Need to get the point
Milwaukee Bucks: Saving a few buck$
Minnesota Timberwolves: Donde esta Senor Rubio?
New Jersey Nets: The Year of the Yi
New Orleans Hornets: Two first names, one great point guard
New York Knicks: Is it summatime yet?
Oklahoma City Thunder
Orlando Magic: Are they Vinsane? You be the judge
Philadelphia 76ers: Are they (Elton) Brand New?
Phoenix Suns: Who knows?
Portland TrailBlazers
Sacramento Kings
San Antonio Spurs
Toronto Raptors
Utah Jazz
Washington Wizards
Rewind

Poll

How far do you think the Blazers are going to go this year?

Lottery

41 votes

First Round of the Playoffs

147 votes

Second Round of the Playoffs

300 votes

Western Conference Finals

236 votes

NBA Finals

96 votes

820 votes | Poll has closed

Good Lockin' Out?

Bent — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 11:43:35 -0000

More photos » by Elise Amendola - AP

Doc has an eye prescription for this ref.

Browse more photos »

This is a pivotal season for NBA referees. Having made it through the heavy scrutiny of last season, following the Tim Donaghy betting scandal revelations, the NBA is coming off a postseason in which never-before-seen levels of controversy drew the spotlight away from some otherwise compelling games and series. Every night, it seemed somebody new was in danger of being suspended, whether it be Rafer Alston slapping Eddie House upside the head or Rajon Rondo inadvertently catching Brad Miller in the face while swiping for the ball. Each decision to suspend or not suspend a player had a huge effect upon the next game.

The NBA obviously needs to sort out that situation so that everybody is clear, once and for all, what constitutes a flagrant 1, flagrant 2 or just an old-fashioned personal foul and what the relevant suspension should be. Postseason suspensions could be served during the following regular season, for example.

Perhaps more importantly, this is the year where the NBA is set to introduce more-relaxed traveling rules and how they handle that could make the NBA's most unstoppable players ever more unstoppable. Or, alternatively, could narrow the gap between those who used to get away with such violations anyway and the rest of the field. This could theoretically affect careers and define legacies. Can they afford to have replacements in place during this crucial transition period?

Last week, the NBA officially announced that they were going to lockout the referees, in light of their ongoing contract negotiations with the league. Referee training camp began on Sunday with replacement referees. Inevitably, this has fans, players, coaches and the media concerned about the standard of officiating in the upcoming season.

What can we expect to see from these replacement referees, which will be taken from a pool of D-League and WNBA officials? In particular, how is this likely to affect the Celtics? I decided to investigate further.

Reaction around the league to this has been mixed. Chris Paul isn't worried. Shaquille O'Neal supports the current NBA refs and says this needs to happen. Derek Fisher, on the other hand, says that not having NBA referees on the floor at the start of the season would be "unacceptable".

Doom mongers have pointed to the fact that officials were also locked out in 1995, which is widely remembered as a debacle and not without good reason. A shoving match between Dale Davis and Michael Smith that the replacement officials were unable to split up, escalated into a full scale brawl, which saw a then-record 16 Kings and Pacers players suspended. Chris Webber was injured in another fight. O'Neal himself was injured by Matt Geiger during a particularly physical preseason game and missed the start of the year. Finally, many people spoke out about the standard of officiating. Dennis Scott, by no means the sole dissenting voice, labeled the replacements "horrible" in an interview with the Orlando Sentinel.

In theory, it shouldn't be as bad this time though. They used to have just two officials back then, with no instant replay for three pointers or buzzer beaters. The small arc takes away a lot of ambiguity about charging fouls. Additionally, he replacement officials came from college ball and the CBA last time, so weren't "in the system" and used to refereeing to NBA rules.

I decided to go back and watch a few games from the time of the original lockout and I have to say that the officiating didn't seem all that bad. Of course it would have differed from crew to crew, but the number of protested calls by players, coaches and even Tommy Heinsohn were no higher than any other game, whether it be 1995 or 2008. With that said, there were a few things that stood out:

Apparently, they had just introduced stricter rules about disrespecting officials and being called for technical fouls. I don't know if this was done to counter the fact that the league was anticipating the players not having much respect for the replacements.
One of the games was refereed by a college crew, who called a few travels on the perimeter which, although correct, would never normally be called in an NBA game (although perhaps they should be.)
The CBA refs seemed a little better, although there were maybe more offensive foul calls on screens or down low and fewer what I would call "ticky-tack fouls". These are probably a closer representation of the replacement referees this time round than the college crews because they were used to dealing with pro players and NBA rules.
The TNT announcers made reference to a game in Chicago which did almost descend into farce because there were an inordinate number of three second violations. Again, these were probably the right calls, but usually overlooked in the NBA, although it is a non-call which was - and remains - one of Tommy's biggest bugbears.

So were these referees all that awful, or did they just call everything by the book and ignore the NBA's unwritten rules? This would explain why they drew the ire of a player like Scott.

Here's what I saw from Dennis Scott in one of the games I went back and watched, though: He backed down his man in the low post and was called for an offensive foul when he shoved his man off his spot with a forearm to the chest. It was probably a foul that nine times out of ten would not be called, but on this occasion, it was. His reaction? He disrespectfully fired the ball back at the official, hitting him in the shins as he signalled to the scorer's table.

Was a technical foul called, though? Nope. And did Scott get hit with that call again? Of course not. He continued to back down the smaller guards and went to the line for 6 shots, all of which he made en route to a game-high 30 points.

Clearly, although they weren't refereeing "the NBA way", the officials were still susceptible to being intimidated, which I would suggest is probably more down to human nature than any unwritten rules the NBA might have whispered to their referees.

Another example I saw was Dino Radja being called for a travel on a low post move, another thing that NBA players usually get away with (perhaps even moreso today.) However, when Charles Barkley made an identical move, there was no whistle, much to Tommy's chagrin. Intimidation factor again? Probably.

In 1995, the lockout was over within just over a month, although they may have fast-tracked their way to a solution in view of the bad press that was being received. If this season begins and the negotiations have yet to be resolved, what can we expect from our replacement refs?

As Celtics fans, you can't help but monitor these things closely. Bennett Salvatore seems to have an agenda against Paul Pierce. Bill Kennedy was fined after goading Doc Rivers into a technical foul. Kendrick Perkins and Rasheed Wallace are among the league leaders in being "T'd up". Then you have all the incidents from last year's postseason and the additional concern that some of their main rivals have players that receive suspected "preferential treatment" from officials.

There was even that hullabaloo after game two of the 2008 finals when people complained about the one-sided officiating and they were absolutely right. I still don't know how the Celtics only shot 28 more free throws than the Lakers on a night when they went to the hoop on almost every possession, but the Lakers kept jacking threes. It should have been 38.

That's before you even get into the last two minutes, where the officials (a) ignored Kobe bumping Paul Pierce on a lay-up, (b) allowed Kobe to score despite him hooking Pierce AND travelling on the same play, (c) ignored Derek Fisher bullying Pierce off the ball, (d) allowed Vladimir Radmanovic to shove James Posey off a loose ball and then take FIVE steps on a dunk shot and (e) called a ticky-tack foul on Pierce to send Kobe to the line. My point - and there is one, other than just blind homerism - is that refereeing is never easy because close to 50% of the people watching will think you got any close calls wrong. Add in the intimidation factor (so masterfully played by Phil Jackson after this particular example) and it's hard not to worry that replacement referees will find it hard in the NBA.

Many people have joked that, "It can't be any worse," and it is interesting to consider. If the main problems in 1995 were because the replacements called it by the book and didn't overlook certain violations, then it would be very interesting if that happened again this time. Very, very interesting.

If O'Neal is called for a charge every time he barrels a post-up defender out of the way, he's going to have to resort to beating them with speed, which could get very ugly.

If every time Dwyane Wade makes a jab step move in the lane, while on the move, without dribbling the ball, he gets called for a travel, that will affect his ability to get to the hoop and make him less dangerous.

If LeBron James gets called for a travel every time he comes off a pick at the top of the key and takes three steps before taking off for a big dunk - or if he decides to add another step to his now-legal "Crab Dribble" and starts calling it a "Lobster Dribble" or something, but the officials refuse to allow it, then he'll be calling the officiating "horrible" too. Maybe that's how it would be remembered in fifteen years, too, but the rest of us would find it a refreshing change.

With the NBA's star-making agenda and - while I would stop short of suggesting they would try and engineer this - the perceived benefits they seem to expect from a LeBron-Kobe finals matchup (personally, I would find this tedious beyond belief, but that's beside the point), I doubt this would ever happen, especially with the fact that the WNBA/D-League refs will take less time to "get with the program". In fact, with the still prevalent intimidation factor, it could actually go the other way, leading to even more "superstar calls".

However, if it did play out that the superstars were receiving fewers calls, I think many of us would actually be dreading the lockout resolution and a return to the old ways. The truth is, though, that this will soon be forgotten once the original referees return, whether that is before the season, one week into it or half way through. At that time we can expect the problems associated with the current officials to return too.

Everybody Was A Rookie, Even Reggie Miller

spstevenson — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 19:51:10 -0000

Dick Harter, this is your life.

If you tuned into NBA TV at any time on Monday, then you got a brief history on current Indiana Pacers assistant coach Dick Harter. You saw the longtime NBA bench coach as an assistant for Jack Ramsey in Indiana during the late-80's. You saw him assist Pat Riley on the bench of the New York Knicks during the mid-90's, and you saw him again as the defensive specialist for Larry Bird's late-90's Pacers teams. Yes, Monday is Dick Harter Day on NBA TV.

Of course, others see it a little differently. Today also happens to be the day when Reggie Miller turns 44 years old. As Bruno writes in his blog, NBA TV is celebrating his birthday with classic games from the Pacers past. I guess Harter will have to wait until his 79th birthday on Oct. 14 to get his full recognition.

So until then, we got a firsthand look at the career of Miller, which on NBA TV spanned from his first game until the 2002 playoffs. I gave a rundown of each game that was broadcast in this post, and if you own the Pacers Greatest Hits DVD, then you know three of these games (the 25-point fourth quarter, eight points in nine seconds, Reggie beats the Bulls) better than the floorboards of Market Square Arena.

During Monday's marathon, my main goal was to catch the Orlando-Indiana Memorial Day Miracle in its entirety for the first time since I watched it live. But, really, the most interesting game in the NBA TV lineup was Reggie Miller's first professional appearance against the Philadelphia 76ers. I had never seen it. I'm not sure if I have seen a replay or highlight from it. It is like finding lost video of the Beatles playing in Hamburg.

This is when Reggie was a blank slate. In today's world, we watch rookies, such as Roy Hibbert and Brandon Rush last season, by critiquing their every move as we want immediacy in declaring them a bust or future All-Star. Now here's a chance to watch a rookie when we already know the answer.

So for those who didn't catch the 6 a.m. wake-up call (or weren't up late enough for the 10:30 p.m. night cap) replay of Reggie's debut, here are some notes taken while I viewed the game from a distance of 22 years after it was played. Fasten your seat belt into your nearest DeLorean and travel back to Nov. 6, 1987.

76ers (36-46) vs. Pacers (38-44)

The starters for your 1987-88 Indiana Pacers include: Vern Fleming, John Long, Herb Williams, Chuck Person and Steve Stipanovich. I am already regretting my decision to watch this game. Not the best starting lineup in Pacers history.
Seriously, if you thought Conseco "Reggie Miller" Fieldhouse was empty last year, check out the Spectrum in 1987. That place is a ghost town. If they didn't count Charles Barkley as the equivalence of 50 people, the attendance figure would be a negative number. I guess Reggie wasn't a big draw at the time.
Stipanovich starts the game with an offensive foul. I'll give him credit for the stache' however. It's already apparent that the best move he makes all year is not to shave that off.
The television broadcast team has decided that viewers don't need to know the time on the clock at any point in the game. That's great news for people writing down game notes 22 years later. Let's try thinking ahead next time.
Fortunately for the Pacers, Barkley doesn't seem too interested in playing. Unfortunately for the Pacers, reigning rookie of the year Chuck Person decides to change that by shoving his fellow Auburn-alum all over the court, resulting in Barkley throwing his entire body and right elbow into Person's head as they jog back down court. Now Barkley is interested. Not good news for the Pacers.
The late, great Wayman Tisdale enters the game as the Pacers sixth man. The play-by-play man notes that, "Tisdale has a poor assist-ratio. He doesn't like to pass."
The Legend enters! With the Pacers down 17-11 in the first quarter, scrawny Reggie Miller enters into the game. The rookie looks like he just slammed a case of the 1987 version of Red Bull as he's in three places at once on the court. On offense, however, the excitement is causing spacing issues as Reggie crowds the lane causing a cluster of blue and gold jerseys to thwart Vern Fleming's attempt at driving the lane. In nine seconds of playing time, Reggie does not score eight points. I guess that just comes with experience.
On his first few possessions, Reggie stands near the post and doesn't come out to the wing. He looks like he's waiting for a Dale Davis screen. Just another four years Reggie. Hang in there.
Tisdale's stat line so far: 6 points, 0 passes. Literally. I thought the announcer was being a little harsh, but Tisdale will not pass the ball. Person and Tisdale will combine for 36 shots in this game. These two should not be on the court at the same time.
End of first quarter: Sixers up 29-16.
Scott Skiles starts the second quarter at the point. I'll assume the white powder on his nose is just from a donut on press row.
Reggie gets his first highlight. After settling down on defense, Reggie blocks the turnaround jumper, runs the length of the court and ends up wide-open under the right side of the basket for the easy lay-up. Only 25,277 more to go. The announcer notes, "Miller had that reputation as a great outside shooter in college, but the Pacers have been impressed with his all-around play."
With the Sixers up 31-20, Reggie receives the ball at the top of the key, dribbles twice and launches a long-distance jumper. The ball swishes through the net, but both feet are on the line. So close to being that elusive first 3-pointer.
As Reggie stands waiting for the ball wide-open on the left wing, Stipanovich decides to keep it himself and launches a contested brick like it's his job. Pacers fans rejoice on the next possession. Tisdale passed the ball! It even resulted in a Chuck Person 3-pointer. The announcer quips, "Hey, there's a Tisdale pass." The sarcasm drenches my TV screen.
Halftime: Sixers 51, Pacers 42
Reggie sits on the bench throughout the duration of the third quarter. Pacers can't keep it close. End of the 3rd: Sixers 83, Pacers 67.
At the start of the fourth quarter, Reggie throws down a two-handed dunk despite getting fouled. Reggie sinks his first NBA free throw for his first three-point play. Only 6,236 free throws more to go.
On the next possession, Reggie forgets he's playing in the Spectrum and thinks its Madison Square Garden, circa 1994. Reggie launches what the announcer deems a "5-point shot" from way beyond the left wing that just glances off the front of the rim. Let's throw it back to the announcer for this one. "He played here in Philadelphia last year and shot it from outside of the gym. He'll really shoot it from anywhere." The man is a prophet.
As Barkley and Person continue to throw each other to the ground in the post, Reggie figures out something that will serve him well. He begins running back-and-forth along the baseline to break free from his defender. This is halfway through the fourth quarter of his first game. That really didn't take too long to figure out.
Tisdale passes to himself off the backboard for the easy layup. It's gone from annoying to being extremely impressive. He has it down to a science.
Even the announcers realize the importance of the next event as they finally give the time. With 1:52 remaining in the game and the Pacers down 11 points, Reggie escapes the defense to get open on the right wing. After calling for the ball, Reggie launches the second of 6,486 attempts from beyond-the-arc and it tickles the twine to become the first of 2,560 career 3-pointers made. It's like watching Edison create his first invention or Einstein solve his first equation. The rest is history.
Despite Reggie's 3-ball, the Pacers collapse and they open the season with a 108-95 loss. Reggie finishes with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting. He also tallies three steals and two assists. Person leads the team with 21 points, but Barkley gets an easy 29 on 10-of-13 shooting.

Two things that I want to say after watching this game. 1) What is it going to take to get somebody to release Volume 2 of the Pacers Greatest Games? If you don't own Volume 1, you should. It came in handy 46 times last season. Demoralized after the Pacers give up a double-digit lead? Put in the DVD and rejoice after Reggie destroys the Knicks again, again and again. But I need more games, including rare artifacts like Reggie's 57-point game at Charlotte (does tape exist of this?). Also, these "special edition" DVD's should be equipped with a feature that allows you to watch the game synched with Mark and Slick's original radio broadcast. I'm hoping this can be done within the next 25 years.

The second interesting note is watching the 87-88 Pacers and realizing that this team won two more games that season than the 08-09 Pacers. It's interesting because it makes you wonder where the 09-10 Pacers are in the evolution of team history. The 87-88 team missed the playoffs, and they would miss them again the next year before a string of four straight first-round exits. Only Miller and Fleming would be around for the 93-94 ECF surge. So where are the 09-10 Pacers? The core is Danny Granger, Hibbert, Rush and Tyler Hansbrough, so will any of the other role players be around when the core is finally ready for the playoffs?

I keep comparing the early-Danny Granger years to the early-Reggie Miller years because they seem somewhat similar. The Pacers were/are building from nothing. The Pacers were/are needing a low-post scoring option. The Pacers were/are trying to improve their defense and intensity. The Pacers were/are trying to fill the pieces of the puzzle around a core of a couple of players. The Pacers were/are looking for leadership from someone who was never really expected to give it when they were drafted.

Hopefully, on a wonderful April 20th day in twenty years, NBA TV will run a gauntlet of legendary playoff games celebrating the career of Danny Granger. And when they replay the team's nail biting win over the Cavs in 2009, we'll see the seeds of the future, while making jokes about player's mustaches as well as T.J. Ford's inability to pass the ball.

And if Dick Harter is still on the sideline in every game highlighted that day, well, that's just icing on the cake.

BREAKING NEWS: Calbert Cheaney makes comeback with Warriors

Atma Brother ONE — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 20:18:30 -0000

After a sitting out the past 3 seasons, the stalwart of the pre-Boom Dizzle for Speedy and Dale era of GSW hoops Calbert Cheaney is making a comeback! Move over Brett Farve, it's Calbert's comeback day today!

Calbert played great intimidating help D to cover for some Charmin soft former Warriors.

via imgs.sfgate.com

Jump for the all the details and more!

Okay Calbert won't be bringing his high hoops IQ and steady jumpshot to the actual hardwood next year, but he will be bringing his mentorship skills to the sideline. See Warriors Name Calbert Cheaney Special Assistant [Warriors.com]. Here's what Warriors GM Larry RIley had to say about the comeback:

"We're really fortunate to have an individual the caliber of Calbert Cheaney return to our organization as a member of our basketball operations staff," said Riley. "Throughout his NBA career, Calbert was regarded as a consummate professional and one of the classiest individuals in the game. We look forward to his contributions and the positive impact he will have on our players and our organization overall."

If only Calbert mentored Monta on moped driving too.

(photo: Rocky Widner/NBAE/Getty)

And from the man himself:

"I'm very grateful for this opportunity to return to the Warriors' organization, and look forward to contributing on many different levels," said the 13-year NBA veteran. "My family and I had a great experience during my playing days in the Bay Area and we're very excited about our return. I've always envisioned rejoining the NBA in some capacity following my playing career, and this is the perfect situation. The Warriors are a great organization with tremendous fan support, and an extremely talented young team. I look forward to playing a role in our continued growth, both on and off the court."

Even 4 Rockets couldn't guard him!

via i.pbase.com

From Calbert Cheaney's last report card with us (1/27/06):

Calbert Cheaney: C-
This former flop (#6 overall pick) brings some needed veteran leadership, but he should NEVER be playing (1.8ppg in 10.4minutes per game). Warriors Nation doesn't call him "the towel" for nothing. Still, his teammates seems to appreciate his influence.

Don't forget to flip back for more C-Double-ness via Golden State Warriors BLOG

CC was such a good guy he even rooted for Derek Fisher when he was sucking the life out of the Arena with his Kobe impersonations and complete inability to run the simplest fast break.

via farm1.static.flickr.com

All jokes aside this is a nice move by the Dubs. After Calbert Cheaney's standout career at Indiana the Washington Bullets took him with the 6th pick in the 1993 NBA Draft. He was somewhat of a bust in the NBA and went on to have 13 remarkably unremarkable seasons (see his career numbers- NBA.com | Basketball Reference). However, by all accounts he was the consummate professional. I do remember Jason Richardson even giving Calbert some major props and crediting him for his breakout 2005-2006 campaign, which won him a spot on the Slam Top 50.

Welcome back Coach Calbert!

Poll

Who should be the next former player from the Musselman - Monty era of Golden State Warriors basketball that the Warriors hire as an assistant coach?

Popeye Jones

96 votes

Speedy Claxton

125 votes

Sean Lampley

39 votes

Cherokee Parks

74 votes

Clifford Robinson aka Uncle Cliffy

652 votes

Nick Van Exel

340 votes

Zarko Cabarkapa

146 votes

Dale Davis

137 votes

Nikoloz Tskitishvili

41 votes

Rodney White

17 votes

Chris Taft

46 votes

Other (specify in comments)

52 votes

1765 votes | Poll has closed

A.C. Law & Order

Atma Brother ONE — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:00:25 -0000

We interrupt your regularly scheduled Amare Stoudemire to the Warriors and Masala Curry madness to take a look at the Warriors new young point guard who has been on the squad for less than a week.

Kids don't try this at home!

Jump for everything you ever wanted to know about Acie Law and more.

Acie Law looks forward to playing for Warriors [Bay Area News Group]

"Atlanta didn't work out the way I wanted it to," said Law, who was at the Warriors' downtown facility taking his physical to complete the trade that brought him and Speedy Claxton to Oakland for guard Jamal Crawford. "I think this is a fresh start. I think this style of play suits my game."

One small problem. Golden State already has four guys on the roster who can or will serve as point guards.

Monta Ellis is penciled in as the starter, with rookie Stephen Curry as the backup. C.J. Watson is a restricted free agent, meaning the Warriors have the right to match any offer he receives. General Manager Larry Riley is a big fan of Watson and said before the draft that whoever was brought in would have to beat him out. And Marco Belinelli played his best basketball last season at point guard before getting hurt.

So, on paper, it seems Law has walked into an even worse situation. (Not to mention rumors that Claxton will try to make a comeback.)

I will be SHOCKED if Law makes the rotation next season. I will be equally SHOCKED if Law stays on the Warriors for more than one season.

Also Speedy's making a comeback? Can Dale Davis make a comeback too?

Pretty please!

Warriors bring in Law [SFGate]

General manager Larry Riley and coach Don Nelson saw quite a bit of Law when he was at Texas A&M, and they liked his ability. Law was the No. 11 overall pick - the first senior chosen - in 2007, but he consistently sat behind Mike Bibby and then Flip Murray in two seasons with Atlanta.

"I'm excited about the fresh start," Law said. "Atlanta didn't work out the way I wanted it to, and I think this style of play suits my game."

Is it a style of play issue? Hey, it could be (although I doubt it). Hawks Coach Mike Woodson stressed a slowdown defensive oriented game which is in stark contrast to good ol' Nellieball.

Speaking of Law's game...

Acie Law's Hollinger Player Profile - ESPN

2007-08 season: Here's one Law that doesn't have long arms -- he didn't block a shot all season and had the fifth-worst rebound rate in basketball. What vexed the Hawks more was his inability to score. Law shot only 40.1 percent, made just seven 3-pointers the entire season, and had a below-average free-throw rate; in addition he was almost as bad on long 2-pointers (31.5 percent) as he was on 3s. All told he was 65th among the league's 71 point guards in TS%. That's particularly damning in his case because he was drafted more as a scorer than a passer. Law's pure point rating was in the bottom quarter of point guards and his turnover ratio in particular was way too high for a secondary player. Take it all together and he had the third-worst PER at his position -- not the kind of impact the Hawks were hoping to get from a 22-year-old rookie who, theoretically, should have been in position to contribute more quickly than other first-rounders. To add insult to injury, he was selected one spot ahead of Thaddeus Young and four ahead of Rodney Stuckey -- a final sendoff to Hawks fans from departed GM Billy Knight.

Scouting report: While Law's rookie year was disastrous, he does have some tools. He's 6-3 and fairly quick for his size, though not a leaper or finisher. Right now his biggest weakness is a reluctance to pull the trigger when he's left open on the perimeter -- something that happened often last year. He shot decently from outside in college, and if he can become a credible pro shooter that should open more driving lanes and allow his offensive game to flourish. Defensively, I've seen worse. Law isn't a great athlete and as a rookie took his lumps on occasion, but he has good size for the point and decent quickness, and in time he should be decent at that end.

I'm not expecting much, but you know the saying- no one expected the unexpected.

Acie Law [Wikipedia]

Acie Law IV (born January 25, 1985) is an American basketball player at point guard who currently plays for the NBA's Golden State Warriors. In his four seasons at Texas A&M University, Law scored 1,653 points and was credited with 540 assists. Nicknamed "Captain Clutch" for his ability to take over the game late, Law is well known among Aggie basketball fans for "The Shot," his buzzer-beating 3-pointer to beat the arch-rival Texas Longhorns at Reed Arena on March 1, 2006,[1] as well as for his play in the Aggies' stunning 69-66 upset win against Kansas (the only Big 12 South team to win at Allen Fieldhouse) on February 3, 2007. Due to his contributions to Texas A&M, the Texas A&M athletic department decided to hang Law's No. 1 jersey on the rafters in Reed Arena.[2] He became the first Aggie in any sport to have the honor.[3]

Not the 1st, 2nd, or even the 3rd. The 4th!

ACIE LAW | Official Website

2008-09 Season Review: Acie Law IV [Hoopinion]

I don't have a strong opinion about Law's potential beyond believing that it's in his best interest to play for another team, another coach rather than remaining stuck in Atlanta as the last example of the dysfunctional relationship between Mike Woodson and Billy Knight. He's played but 1425 minutes across two seasons. That's 12.8 minutes per game, many of them spent playing out of position or running out garbage time. It can't be ignored he hasn't played especially well, but, despite the utter lack of confidence shown in him last season there were some tangible improvements, some reasons to believe beyond the shared anecdotal belief that were Law just to make a higher percentage of shots at and around the basket* he'd approach, at minimum, league-average bench production.

Acie Law Player Profile [NBADraft.net]

NBA Comparison: Chauncey Billups

Billups was pretty awful his first few seasons in the league, so this is a good comparison in that respect.

Acie Law - 2009 NBA Draft Prospects [ESPN]

Positives: Scoring point guard that has improved in just about every facet of his game. Has an excellent basketball IQ. He's got great size and strength for the position. He's a good floor general who puts his teammates in a position to score and keeps turnovers to a minimum. He's a good slasher to the basket, has an excellent midrange jump shot and has shocked scouts with his improvement from three-point range this year. He's by no means a pure shooter and his mechanics are a little funky, but the ball goes in the basket. His biggest asset is that he's fearless and not afraid to take clutch shots at the end of the game.

Negatives: Law doesn't excel at any one thing. He's a good, but not great, athlete. He's quick, but not super explosive. His ability to get to the basket is based more on a knowledge of angles than on sheer quickness. His jump shot is serviceable, but no one is going to call him a pure shooter. His defense is acceptable, but doesn't stand out.

Oh no. Big red flag. You simply have to excel at something to be a player at this level.

DraftExpressProfile: Acie Law, Stats, Comparisons, and Outlook

Best Case: Sam Cassell Worst Case: Lynn Greer

Some info via our brother site Peachtree Hoops:

Peachtree Hoops Sizes Up "An opposing team's scout sizes up the Hawks" [Peachtree Hoops]

Backup point guard is another issue. Acie Law didn't produce like they would want as a high draft pick last season. But there were games where he did enough. He beat his man shooting off the dribble, he was good in all kinds of pick-and-roll situations, he got into the paint and he had late-game ability. But Woodson is more of a half-court guy who likes to call every play, and that works against Law, who is a good but not great shooter from the three-point line. Again, I don't see the complication here (and didn't last year, either). Mike Woodson (in my opinion, mistakenly) wants the Hawks to play half-court basketball. He wants to call plays. Acie Law, in a fairly comprehensively disappointing rookie season, showed some ability, despite inconsistent health and playing time, to run the pick-and-roll effectively. I know the Hawks have pick-and-roll sets in the half-court. I've seen them run them. Why is this not a significant part of the offense when Acie Law is on the court leading the second unit? In a couple of weeks, I fear we'll learn that the answer, this year, has a lot to do with Flip Murray dribbling.

The Acie Law Poll [Peachtree Hoops]

What does Acie Law IV need to add to become a serviceable starting point guard?

State of the Hawks point guard [Peachtree Hoops]

Acie Law played really well against the Hornets one game. He gave Chris Paul a good game on the butt in the middle of the second quarter. The one game I remember him starting, the Hawks lost to the Clippers by about 62 points. In the end, he played in one less game this year compared to his rookie season and averaged a full five minutes less on the court per game. He showed a glimmer of hope in his three point shooting, but in the end, Acie barely ever got time with the first team and played a majority of his minutes in mop up duty. At this point, I have no idea if Acie could be a starter in the league, a serviceable back up, or a complete bust. Let's just hope some of those answers come in practice because they certainly were not answered during the 82 game season.

First impressions on the Jamal Crawford trade [Peachtree Hoops]

My initial reaction to this trade was positive. The Hawks traded their junk and got back a legitimate NBA player.

Even on the other coast hoops fans know that Golden State = the NBA's junkyard.

Crawford coming to Hawks [Peachtree Hoops]

Finally, it may not have been possible, but Acie and Speedy appear to be headed into a team who might be more dysfunctional than their previous one.

Nice work Cohan and Rowell!

I'll leave you with this...

acie-law.info

Many people claim that Acie Law IV seems to play more like a shooting guard rather than a real point guard. However, Acie himself has been focused on proving them wrong. He wants to improve as an individual player and he wishes to elevate the Hawks' skills as a team. In fact, Acie is both a PG and a SG. Acie Law has great speed and a fantastic body control, which allows him to change movement direction rapidly. He's able to figure out a perfect shooting opportunity for himself or for his teammates who are wide open and wait for his assists. When it comes to controlling the game, he seems to have some kind of a sixth sense. He is a very good perimeter player and he can shoot with his right as well as left hand, surprising players guarding against him. Acie Law handles the ball extremely skillfully * he's a good dribbler and he has managed to reduce the number of turnovers per game. He knows what to do in the key moments of the game and he's willing to take over as a team leader when the team's be or not to be is at stake. He's proven that he's able to raise to the occasion and shoot the winning points when his team needs him most. Most importantly, he's been constantly developing his defensive skills.

via ottawainvestmentadvisor.files.wordpress.com

Unfortunately I think I just spent more time assembling this article than Law will spend on the hardwood actually playing next season for the Warriors.

Poll

Will Acie Law crack Nellie's rotation in 2009-2010?

YES: He'll at least be a nice backup

896 votes

NO: Say hello to Rob Kurz's replacement

924 votes

1820 votes | Poll has closed

OPEN THREAD III: 2009 NBA Draft Recap + Round 2

Atma Brother ONE — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 02:25:14 -0000

Pre-2009 NBA Draft + NBA 2k9 Draft Picks 8-30: The 1st round of the 2009 NBA Draft has come to a close.

With the 7th pick in the 2009 NBA Draft the Golden State Warriors select (ed)... STEPHEN CURRY! and GSoMers are luvin' it.

Hopefully Naan 'n' Curry gets a booth at the Roaracle now! [Photo: Warriors.com]

In case you missed it yesterday the Warriors sent Jamal Crawford to the Atlanta Hawks in what amounts to mostly a salary dump for Acie Law and Speedy Claxton.

Where's Dale Davis when you need him? [Photo: Warriors.com]

BREAKING NEWS: Warriors and Hawks closing in on Jamal Crawford for Acie Law and Speedy Claxton swap

Exploring the rumored Crawford for Claxton and Law Trade: CBA and salary implications

What can be bigger than that? Well, the possibility of this...

See RUMOR: Warriors inquired about Suns' Amare Stoudemire and offered Andris Biedrins

Use the comments section in this article to continue the discussion about all of these topics plus the 2nd Round of the 2009 NBA Draft. The Warriors don't hold a pick in this round, but that doesn't mean that something interesting can't go down...

Poll

Do you think the Warriors will pull off a trade for Amare Stoudemire by the start of the 2009-2010 NBA season?

YES: Amare to the Bay!

1181 votes

NO: The Warriors won't pull it off

757 votes

1938 votes | Poll has closed