SB Nation - Jamaal Tinsley

The Truth: Boston Celtics Edge Out Grizzlies, 110-105

djturtleface — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 05:56:13 -0000

Marc Gasol channeling his inner Darko. (AP Photo/ Mark Weber)

The Grizzlies may have lost two of their last three games, but they're still moving up my power rankings.

And while they might not be rising quite as fast as a couple weeks ago, the Memphis Grizzlies are showing a hell of a lot more resilience than anyone expected from this team. This recent run has seen the Grizzlies playing the Mavericks, Cavaliers, Thunder, Heat, and Celtics. That's quite the spread right there.

I don't want to take anything away from the Celtics, because that's not my point. It takes an enormous change in team culture for the Memphis Grizzlies that most people remember as the Memphis Grizzlies to come out on the second night of a traveling back-to-back and play a full-strength, reloaded championship squad down to the wire.

And this game wasn't just down to the wire, it was the Memphis Grizzlies making all the easy plays while the Celtics seemed to make all the hard ones. Don't call it luck, because it's clutch execution since the C's do it time and time again, but I honestly believe that the Grizzlies played better than the Celtics tonight.

A little more post-game plus a return to the awards are on the other side of the jump; CelticsBlog probably has clips of that Ray Allen three if you'd rather just face it now than in your nightmares.

Even a moral victory is a tough loss though, huh? I honestly believed the Grizzlies would pull this one out. They had great contributions from Jamaal Tinsley and Hasheem Thabeet. Sam Young scored a little bit too. In what seems to be becoming the norm here in Memphis, there were three scorers over 20 points on the night.

Everything seemed to go right. Rudy Gay was showing his new aggressiveness, shocking the Celtics by getting to the line seemingly at will in the first half. O.J. Mayo was a rock solid shooter, Zach Randolph was being Zach Randolph, which, as it turns out, isn't so detrimental to a team.

The difference in the game was that the Grizzlies couldn't hit their threes, with a hand in their face or not. Rudy blew it by shooting 0-5 from deep, and OJAM's long ball wasn't exactly splashing tonight -- he shot 1-6. The Celtics, by the way, made 10-20 of their three pointers. Difference maker? I wonder.

Rockness Monster: It's tough, because I really liked O.J.'s game and he defense on Ray Allen, but I have to give this one to Rudy. I don't know if it's Coach Hollins, him just putting it all together, or steal-master Z-Bo's sage advice, but Rudy has finally figured out how to make his agility, awesome hands, and creepily long arms work to start some serious thievery. The 3 steals against Paul Pierce, just like the one's against Prince James, were just a bit bigger than huge.

U-Turn: Hasheem Thabeet posted 8 rebounds and 4 blocks in 18 minutes. This boy's learning how to play the game of basketball.

Bitter Limon: Is plus/minus really one-hundred-percent useful in a single game. No, not really. But after several solid performances, Mike Conley looked pretty mediocre and posted a team worst -12. Jamaal Tinsley tied his 4 assists. The difference is that Ashey Larry only played a third of the minutes and was the only Grizzlies with a positive plus/minus at +7.

Sleeping With the Enemy: Maybe it's my Midwestern sensibilities, but if there's one thing I hate more than the city of Boston, it's their sports teams. Don't care about the enemy. I have nothing to say terrible about the Celtics that I haven't already said a million times about Dancing With the Stars -- they're all fake, way past their prime, and their knees will be shot by the end of the year anyhow.

Big 12 All Decade Team

Evan Pfaff — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 16:15:09 -0000

More photos » by Orlin Wagner - AP

With almost a full year yet to play, Kansas center Cole Aldrich muscled his way onto the Big12Hoops.com First Team All Big 12 Decade Team (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

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In the first full calendar decade of the Big 12 conference, one thing was apparent: there were two schools that produced a good majority of the talent. And while the best individual players may not have come from Kansas or Texas, a look at the Big12Hoops.com All Decade team reveals that a majority were either Jayhawks or Longhorns.

Don't see your favorite? The Honorable Mention list is after The Jump

First Team All Big 12

PG – Jamaal Tinsley, Iowa St
SG – Tony Allen, Oklahoma St
SF – Kevin Durant, Texas
PF – Blake Griffin, Oklahoma
C – Cole Aldrich, Kansas

Second Team All Big 12

PG – Kirk Hinrich, Kansas
SG – Acie Law, Texas A&M
SF – Michael Beasely, Kansas St
PF – Marcus Fizer, Iowa St
C – Chris Mihm, Texas

Third Team All Big 12

PG – TJ Ford, Texas
SG – Andre Emmett, Texas Tech
SF – PJ Tucker, Texas
PF – Drew Gooden, Kansas
C – Nick Collison, Kansas

[UPDATE: Lots of good suggestions and opinions in the comments section. Lemme give a little insight into how I compiled this list.

I started with a list of Big 12 Players of the Year. My rationale was that if someone was good enough to be the best in the league, even for one year, he warranted entry into this exclusive club. 9 of the 10 Big 12 Players of the Year made the top three teams. The only one who didn’t was Wayne Simien, and that is because he played a PF position that, if you look at the past decade, was just STACKED. Blake Griffin, Marcus Fizer, Drew Gooden. Really you could put Simien in there, but who gets bumped off?

As for PG, Tinsley over TJ Ford and Kirk Hinirich has also garnered a lot of attention. Tinsley’s place as the 2000-01 POY got him on the first team. But you really cant go wrong with any of them.

Lastly, there is this question on what to do with Durant and Beasley. Each only played one year, but they dominated the league (and the country). Durant was a Naismith winner as the best player in the country and Beasley was a finalist for the award. Both were league POYs. Because they didn’t play a full 4 years, they didn’t accumulate career stats that some others players did, but my list was based on selecting the best players, during their time in the Big 12, at each position.]

All Big 12 - Honorable Mention

Baylor Bears
LaceDarius Dunn
Lawrence Roberts

Colorado Buffaloes
Reggie Roby
David Harrison

Iowa St Cyclones
Craig Brackins

Kansas Jayhawks
Wayne Simien
Aaron Miles

Kansas St. Wildcats
Cartier Martin

Missouri Tigers
DeMarre Carroll
Clarence Gilbert
Arthur Johnson
Kareem Rush

Nebraska Cornhuskers
Aleks Maric

Oklahoma Sooners
Taj Gray
Hollis Price

Oklahoma St Cowboys
Byron Eaton
Joey Graham

Texas Longhorns
DJ Augustine
LaMarcus Aldridge

Texas Tech Red Raiders
Jarrius Jackson

Texas A&M Aggies
Bernard King

Game 21: Oklahoma City at Memphis

Zorgon — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 20:49:46 -0000

More photos » by Lance Murphey - AP

Ryan Bowen gawked at the fact that the Thunder lost against the Grizzlies in the Pre-Season. Kyle Weaver was concerned too, but at least he tried to do something about it.

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This also counts as an open thread, so feel free to post your thoughts during the game here.

Time: 7:00 PM Central Standard Time

Place: The Fedex Library, Memphis, Tennessee

TV: Fox Sports Oklahoma, Fox Sports Tennessee

Radio: WWLS The Sports Animal (98.1)

Enemy Blog(s): 3 Shades of Blue, Straight Outta Vancouver

Backstory: Just another game, or just another surprise?

Okay, so there's not a whole lot to marvel over or write about when concerning the Memphis Grizzlies.But, contrary to popular belief, they are doing relatively well. Sure, they're only on pace to win 30 some games, but they've won their last 3 games against Minnesota, Dallas, and Cleveland. And the team is showing no signs of slowing down. The starting lineup has had the talent there, but they haven't yet had the teamwork in place in order to win. Until now, at least. With a lean, mean mix of veterans and young'uns in their starting lineup that Garry St. Jean could only dream of, this team is poised and in position to upset the Thunder tonight.

Meanwhile, the Thunder got their anger out when they played the lowly and depleted Warriors, and they're well rested going into tonight's game. They straight up dominated the Grizzlies last season, and history would say that the Thunder could easily be the team to end the Grizzlies win streak.

Below: Matchups, Prediction

Matchups:

Center: Nenad Krstic vs. Marc Gasol

Pau Gasol lite may not be as good as his brother, but he's definitely much better inside than Nenad Krstic. Expect limited minutes and less than 10 points for Krstic, while the majority of the game is spent with battles between Gasol, Collison, and Thomas, with Gasol winning most of them.

Power Forward: Jeff Green vs. Zach Randolph

The story of Jeff Green's season has been his struggles against bigger power forwards, but luckily for Jeff, Zach Randolph is much of a defender. Expect both of these guys to score bucket after bucket upon each other, and for each of them to get their fair share of rebounds.

Small Forward: Kevin Durant vs. Rudy Gay

Rudy Gay is quite the dunker, but history says that Kevin Durant will win this matchup every time.

Shooting Guard: Thabo Sefolosha vs. O.J. Mayo

O.J. Mayo is a solid overall shooting guard, and history has dictated that he usually performs above-average against the Thunder. But with Thabo Sefolosha guarding him now, who knows what will happen?

Point Guard: Russell Westbrook vs. Mike Conley

Mike Conley is a solid point guard, but not the best player on the Grizzlies by any stretch of the imagination. He'll provide scoring for them in the pinch, but Westbrook will have a better game.

Battle of the Benches:

For how good their starting lineup is, the Grizzlies bench is extremely thin. A lot of guys will play, and one will occasionally step up and be an X-Factor, but in general, they're all pretty ineffective. The only real notables are this years 2nd Pick in Hasheem Thabeet, and former Pacers PG Jamaal Tinsley. In any case, our bench has this thing covered.

Coaching and Intangibles:

The Grizzlies are at home, but that doesn't make that much of a difference, as it's a pretty quiet arena, and it's where we got our much-heralded 2nd win last year. Both teams are well rested, so all in all, it makes a pretty even intangibles matchup on the floor tonight.

Bottom Line:

I know things have been going well for the Grizzlies lately, but I'm still not convinced. This is a team we beat 3 times last year, and a team without any bench help. They could win, but they'd need everything to go right with all of their starters, and they'd need to put up a good defensive effort. That being said, this team can be dangerous, and they will be able to compete. But, in the end, I'll just chalk this one up as another Thunder win.

Prediction: Thunder 103, Grizzlies 97

Let's rock the library!

How do you think the game will go? Vote in the Poll!

And, again, feel free to drop any comments you might have during, before, or after the game below. I might be by during the game to drop my thoughts as well. Go Thunder!

Poll

Who's going to win tonight?

You're Twenty Deep: Analyzing Marcus Williams

djturtleface — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 21:15:25 -0000

More photos » by Sam Forencich - NBAE/Getty Images

Lets take a look at the new kids on the block.

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So the next game against Cleveland might be on NBATV, but its like 25 days away, so I got to thinking that maybe now would be a good time to fit in some of that analysis everybody likes so much.

I came up with this nice little gimmick. Let's check in with all the Grizzlies new players this season, I'm talking about the ones that managed to stay in Memphis for more than three games, and see how they're adjusting.

The order is going to be Marcus Williams, DeMarre Carroll, Sam Young, Hasheem Thabeet, and Zach Randolph. I think this is probably in order of preseason buzz. Maybe I'll include Marc Gasol too, since he's basically a brand new freaking person after losing 150 lbs., mostly hair, in the offseason.

Anyhow, without further ado, here's how Marcus "Who's Laptop" Williams has performed this year -- advanced stats included!

Marcus, you're not Kenny Rogers, you can't gamble every possession.

I'm not sure I've ever seen Marcus Williams pickpocket another point at the top of the key. That means he's probably close to 0 out of 1189, because the dude has no concept of defense. If he was balling in Rucker, alright maybe, but this is the NBA Slick Willy, you got to respect the handles.

Outside of that little frustration -- and by little frustration, I mean frustration big enough to get banished to riding the thinnest pine in the Association -- Williams has done his part. He has proved that he can pass when he's looking to pass, and he has proved he can score when he's looking to score.

Problem here is that you can always tell what he wants to do. It's so obvious. Maybe it's something about how he dribbles or something, but I can tell if he's looking to get his own shot or pass basically every time he touches the ball. I'm pretty sure the defense can tell too, and predictability isn't quite as desirable as consistency, which is another trait that Williams doesn't have.

According to 82games.com, 35% of Marcus Williams's shots come with the 0-10 seconds off the shot clock. On these quick shots he is shooting a blistering 39.3% effective field goal percentage. That's terrible, and while I'm not ready to do background research, I'm going to say that forcing low-percentage shots early in the clock isn't a desirable quality in a point guard.

And yet somehow Marcus Williams is managing to make his Grizzlies teammates one hell of a lot better. Again from 82games.com, all but two of the top ten (top ten not in terms of performance, but minutes played) 5-man units that include Marcus Williams have positive plus-minuses.

Again it doesn't make much sense how Marcus Williams could possibly help the team this much, because when you look at the Grizzlies's offensive, defensive efficiency splits with Marcus Williams on and off the court, they're not exactly fantastic. When Williams is in the Grizzlies score almost 7 points less per 100 possessions, which is a huge difference, though they do make up for that by giving up about 2 point less per 100 possessions.

Why? Probably because the Grizzlies shoot 2% worse with Marcus Williams in despite having far more assists, but mostly because they average a staggering -4 in turnover differential per 48 minutes. Basically, with Marcus Williams in instead of Mike Conley and, to a lesser extent Jamaal Tinsley, the Grizzlies turn the ball over 2 times extra and get 2 less turnovers. So much for all that gambling.

So somehow in 20 games Marcus Williams has managed to play pretty horribly by nearly every personal metric, yet the units he has played in appear to be winners. Does it make any sense? No, it doesn't.

But neither does trying to steal the ball at half-court every play, does it?

Traveler's Tales: Grizzlies lose to Clippers 98-88

djturtleface — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:55:44 -0000

by Gus Ruelas - AP

17 days ago: Memphis Grizzlies guard O.J. Mayo, center, attempts to get by Los Angeles Clippers forward Craig Smith, left, and guard Eric Gordon, right, in the second half of an NBA basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 29, 2009, in Los Angeles. The Clippers won 98-88. (AP Photo/Gus Ruelas)

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If there's something more painful than watching your team put up one of the worst 4th quarters in basketball, it has to be getting on a plane with your team up 16 points, then seeing that they've lost by 10 when you land. I didn't believe it at first; it had to be a mistake by ESPN. But after booting up my League Pass and watching the game, it was clear that I wasn't the only tired traveler.

The Grizzlies just fell apart in the fourth. O.J. Mayo couldn't even come close to guarding his less-heralded arch rival Eric Gordon, and Al Thornton also stepped up to make some big shots. They turned the ball over, couldn't execute anything, and it showed as forced shot after forced shot kept clanking.

Head over to Clips Nation to give them their due, bang your head against a wall, and get some rest, because we go back at it tomorrow against the Utah Jazz. Awards and, as per usual, your insights are over the jump.

Rockness Monster: Is Marc Gasol ever going to give this spot up? The Spaniard is, arguably, outplaying his brother Pau Gasol during his stay in Memphis. I mean, seriously, Zach Randolph wasn't exactly reaping vengeance out there and Marc just carried the post with 26 points, 5 boards, 6 assists, 3 steals, and 3 blocks.

U-Turn: The Grizzlies had an uncharacteristically poor rebounding night tonight, largely due to Z-Bo's inability to make much happen out there. Marc started seeing double-teams from Chris Kaman and Marcus Camby, both defensive stalwarts, and it led to a tough night. The runner-up was Z-Bo dishing 4 assists after recognizing that he probably should avoid shooting -- big ups, big man.

Bitter Limon: Mike Conley is still starting over Jamaal Tinsley, which isn't how things should be. Tinsley deserved and got the lion's share of the minutes, but Lionel Hollins needs to set the ship right before there are any locker room tiffs.

Sleeping With the Enemy: I would rather have Eric Gordon than O.J. Mayo. Really. No, really. In his second or third game back, Gordon looked special. Even Old Man Camby had this to say about kid:

"Eric's a phenomenal player," Camby said. "I think he has the potential to be a special player like the LeBrons, the Kobes and the Carmelos. You'll be mentioning Eric Gordon's name for a long time."

Now that might be taking it a little bit far, but Eric Gordon and Blake Griffin are going to be a terrible two-some in the upcoming years.

Poll

You must choose.

Eric Gordon

58 votes

O.J. Mayo

23 votes

81 votes | Poll has closed

Sometimes the Best Gifts: Memphis beats Portland 106-96

djturtleface — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 06:25:12 -0000

More photos » by Don Ryan - AP

19 days ago: Portland Trail Blazers forward LaMarcus Aldridge, left, looks to pass against Memphis Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph during the first half of their NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore., Friday, Nov. 27, 2009. (AP Photo/Don Ryan)

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Forget the final score, this game was a beat-down led by a 21-0 run by Memphis in the first half. And even after that, the Grizzlies kept rolling to a 31-2 streak. By the time the Blazers had pulled within striking distance even Hasheem Thabeet had managed to score 9 points.

Hop over the jump for a short reaction and a few thoughts; I didn't watch the whole thing, so the real opinion comes tomorrow. That means no awards show tonight, but also be sure to get on over to Blazersedge for what I'm sure will be a rant and rave session.

The Grizzlies were anchored by Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph banging down below. The two combined for 40 points and 24 rebounds, and they did so in a relatively dominant fashion, shooting well and limiting the impact of LaMarcus Aldridge.

O.J. Mayo also showed that long lost spark, taking over ball-handling duties while playing with Mike Conley and distributing 6 assists, while scoring when Jamaal Tinsley played alongside him. He went 9-14 for 19 points, and his jumper was what really opened things up for the Grizzlies.

Speaking of Conley and Tinsley, the point guard battle hardly seems like a battle. The Grizzlies play like a real team with Tinsley in the game. He is the addition that Iverson wasn't for Memphis, sadly he won't sell quite as many tickets even though he's the better player right now.

The Memphis Grizzlies still have a lot to prove before I'll bless this core as a team worth holding together, but in the past few weeks they're starting to look closer than I've seen in a long time.

You Got a Friend: Grizzlies beat 76ers 102-97

djturtleface — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 02:45:22 -0000

by Matt Slocum - AP

26 days ago: Memphis Grizzlies' Rudy Gay, right, dunks the ball as Philadelphia 76ers' Samuel Dalembert defends in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Nov. 20, 2009, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

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Keeping the ball rolling, the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Philadelphia 76ers 102 to 97 tonight in Philly. The Grizzlies took the lead in the 3rd quarter and never looked back. Rudy Gay dropped 33 points and double-doubled it by adding 10 boards. Zach Randolph also doubled-down with 21 points and 11 boards, albeit off a somewhat ugly and inefficient 19 shots.

Marc Gasol dominated early, pressuring the 76ers bigs by getting to the line for 10 free throws. He looked like Dwight Howard at times, being wrapped up as soon as the ball entered the low post. In the second half Rudy took over while Iguodala covered O.J. Mayo, who has a down night scoring, as Gay flashed all his mid-range moves.

On defense Andre Iguodala shut down whoever he covered, besides on one late-game dagger by Rudy, but he struggled to find his own shot on offense tonight. Louis Williams carried the 76ers by shooting 12-16 from the field for 31 points. Neither Marcus Williams nor Mike Conley could check him at all.

Speaking on the point guard controversy, both guards did some things well. Conley's probing drew out the 76ers bigs, which allowed the Grizzlies to get all over the offensive boards, but Marcus Williams ran the team a little better in the traditional sense. New veteran Jamaal Tinsley seemed to still be getting his legs under him.

Even Hasheem Thabeet put in some good minutes, making a nice impact to get Gasol some rest, and both DeMarre Carroll and Sam Young filled in well also. Carroll finished out the game at power forward, and he grabbed two offensive boards that prolonged a couple bad Grizzlies possessions to seal the game despite a push by Philly at the end.

More coverage coming in time, again check Liberty Ballers out, and be sure to drop your thoughts on the nice win.

Tinsley Is Back In The NBA, Signs With Grizzlies

spstevenson — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 15:46:51 -0000

More photos » by Rocky Widner - NBAE/Getty Images

Jamaal Tinsley is back in the NBA after signing with the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday.

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Jamaal Tinsley would do this.

On the day when all I wanted to do was bask in the Indiana Pacers glory of beating one of the top teams in the NBA, the ex-Pacers point guard had to finally sign with a team. Now I've got to write about him. Fan-freakin'-tastic.

After being waived by the Pacers in July and spending nearly four months trying to coax teams into giving him a place to play, T insley landed with the Grizzlies after signing a deal on Saturday . Taking advantage of the indefinite departure of disgruntled point guard Allen Iverson, although GM Chris Wallace denies any correlation, the Grizzlies needed another guard to back-up Michael Conley and Tinsley answered the call.

Terms of the contract were undisclosed. More after the jump.

Tinsley has not played in the NBA since the middle of the 07-08 season and was bought out of his contract by Indiana in July after being banned from the team last season. According to The Commercial Appeal of Memphis, Tinsley also worked out for the Cavaliers on Friday before auditioning with the Grizz on Saturday. Tinsley did not play in the Grizzlies' win over the Timberwolves on Saturday night. He is expected to begin practicing with the team on Monday.

Wallace told ESPN's Chris Sheridan the following quote:

"This signing had nothing to do with the Iverson situation. We had an open roster spot and felt Jamaal was the best player we could sign. He is an experienced, proven playmaker who can help us once in game shape. His current weight is close to 20 pounds less than when he last played in Indiana. He wants to be back [in the league]."

The signing actually means that Tinsley is going back to where his NBA career began...sort of. The Grizzlies drafted Tinsley with the 27th pick in the 2001 draft before dealing the pick to the Hawks, which later that night gave up the rights to Tinsley for a future draft pick.

The Pacers will get their first look at the new and improved Tinsley with two games, their only meetings, in December. Indiana visits Memphis on Dec. 18, while the Griz play at Conseco "Reggie Miller" Fieldhouse on Dec. 30.

Here is the take on the signing from SB Nation's Straight Outta Vancouver.

Land War, Asia: Grizzlies Sign Jamaal Tinsley

djturtleface — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 20:46:21 -0000

This is wrong on so many levels; according to multiple outlets the Memphis Grizzlies have signed Jamaal Tinsley to a one year deal. The negotiations were completed prior to tonight's game, as the veteran guard, oftentimes considered to be more than a bit cancerous, was actually on the roster but inactive during the win against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Tinsley should practice with the team starting tomorrow.

Signing Tinsley will likely be perceived both as an admission that former superstar Allen Iverson isn't returning to the team in the near future -- if Tinsley signs it would almost certainly indicate that retirement is on A.I.'s mind -- and an indictment of young point guard Mike Conley. Conley has not run the offense efficiently this season, and signing Tinsley could kick him from his starting role.

Get over the jump for an evaluation of the move.

Jamaal Tinsley is a pass-first point guard of the truest sort. Even when feuding with teammates and coaches he routinely drops double-doubles. His passing and ball-handling are skills that the Grizzlies definitely require. In addition he was a better defender than either Conley or Marcus Williams; whether he has lost a step or not, a la Jason Kidd, is yet to be seen. The Tinsley Pacer's fans used to hate fits in this Grizzlies unit better than Mike Conley, and Conley probably fits nicely commanding the second unit where he could shoulder the scoring load.

But at the end of the day, we're still talking about the Jamaal Tinsley who was hated by the Pacers organization for his off the court behavior and demeanor. "Mel Mel Tha Abuser" was so incorrigible that he was eventually banned from all team activities while in the last season of his contract in Indiana. Though teams early in his career have been successful, he is often considered a "cancerous" player -- not unlike Zach Randolph.

Honestly this signing probably won't end too well, though there is room for hope. Expectations need to be held low, unike with Iverson, because Tinsley's skills almost certainly aren't what they used to be. That being said I've been very critical of the Grizzlies roster and especially their guard play, so it's hard to openly decry the signing. His command of the role of a "true point" will definitely help keep the offense from breaking down into a free-for-all like it has in recent blowouts.

Are there better options out there then Tinsley? Yes. Are there easier options, or options in free agency? No. The Grizzlies have to do something, and it might as well be Jamaal Tinsley. It seems risky, but there's nothing to risk if you have nothing to lose.

Just, please, keep Zach and him away from the strip-clubs.

IC Cold Links: Calling All Injured Pacers Players, We Need You Now

spstevenson — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:11:22 -0000

More photos » by Darron Cummings - AP

That can't feel good. Although Wade took a bad hit here from Pacers star Danny Granger, the Heat got the last laugh in their win in Indiana.

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Mike Dunleavy, consider this your wake-up call. The Indiana Pacers need you. We need you. I need you.

The shouting from the hilltops for the perennially wounded veteran to stand up, return to the lineup and take charge of this fallen team has already begun. After two losses to start the season, including a 96-83 loss to Heat at Conseco "Reggie Miller" Fieldhouse on Friday, it's apparent that something noticeable is lacking on this team, and the Indianapolis Star's Mike Wells knows the answer -- Dunleavy.

In his Pacers Insider blog post last evening, Wells cites the Dunleavy's ability to create offense by not having the ball, while also acting as a constant fluid movement through the post, perimeter and driving lanes which create havoc on the opposition. Wells writes,

"There's not one healthy player on the Pacers' roster that does that well. Right now, the Pacers have a group of players not playing in their element. There are guys trying to create off the dribble. That's not going to work."

I thought that was spot-on. Unfortunately, until the Pacers nab an early-season win, we're going to dismantle everything the team does because we haven't seen them do anything very well. The shooting has been off-the-mark, defense sporadic at best, post play invisible, a starting backcourt (T.J. Ford and Brandon Rush) that has been one of the worst in the league, the free-throw differential has been amazingly one-sided (in the wrong direction), and former Pacers franchise players are reincarnating themselves into blue and gold destroying machines. Seriously, Jermaine O'Neal scoring 22 points along with 12 rebounds was a sweet kick to the junk for Pacers fans. Thank goodness Jamaal Tinsley never found a team this offseason. He'd make Ford look like, well, T.J. Ford. Hmm, this is not good.

Well, we've got until Tuesday to soak in the first two losses. To help with the soaking process, after the jump are an abundance of links covering last night's game. Enjoy.

The IndyStar examines the Pacers faltering the home opener, while falling at the hands of Dwyane Wade and his reformed sidekick, JO. Looking for some hope? Wells quoted Dahntay Jones as saying, "In the fourth quarter, we could have broken the game open. We had segments where we played really good defense. It's unfortunate we have to come from behind and fight that battle." See, there is some hope there. Just some though.
Bob Kravitz tells Pacers fans to not get too worked up about the first two losses.
The Star also profiled the return of JO to the city of Indianapolis. Jeff Rabjohns caught the following exchange after the game between former Pacer Austin Croshere and O'Neal."You look athletic, man," Croshere told O'Neal after the game. "I worked hard as hell," O'Neal said.
Box score
AP story
As usual, Bruno has a top-notch postgame report over at NBA.com, along with his live blog from last night's game. Danny Granger, who was 6-for-20 from the field, gave Bruno the following quote:

"We're disappointed for ourselves as well as the fans that showed up tonight. They deserved better. You don't get behind early to a good team like this and come back to win. We have got to work harder. Four-of-23 from the three point line won't beat anybody. We've got to go back to the drawing board and get ready for the next game. I thing we're all disappointed in the game tonight."-- Granger

John Oehser of the Indiana Pacers Examiner noticed the Pacers did accomplish two things Friday night -- play better defense and limit their turnovers. There is some good news to take from this game.
Always Miller Time recaps the contest, and Eight Points, Nine Seconds shows a revamped Pacers logo that resembles a question mark. Definitely fits this team, doesn't it?
The Indy Channel reports on the Pacers organization trying to win back fans, while also reaching out to a new fan base.
For the Heat take on the game, here is SB Nation's Peninsula Is Mightier's game report, along with their live chat during the contest.
The Miami Herald reports on Wade's breakthrough of finally winning in Indy.
Finally, for some other news in the NBA this weekend, check out the Weekend Dime on ESPN.