SB Nation User Blog: Cornrows

Preseason Open Thread #4: Pacers vs. Mavericks

Cornrows — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:43:09 -0000

Welcome to the Eddie Jones retirement party. With EJ's former and well...former teams set to face off tonight at the Fieldhouse, Jones has agreed to a deal with the Pacers that will allow him to retire or seek other options. Mike Wells has the story here. Larry Bird sounds happy.

“He really worked with us and did us a favor,” Pacers president Larry Bird said. “Now we can go out and look to get another player for the veteran minimum if we want because of what Eddie did.”

As for the game, the Dallas Mavericks show up at the Fieldhouse with Rick Carlisle and the prodigal Shawne (Williams), so there are plenty of storylines to follow tonight, although the actual game may not be one of them. Both Carlisle and Shawne should receive a positive reaction from the crowd and I hope they do.

The Pacers will be short-handed again, with Marquis Daniels, Troy Murphy and Travis Diener out for sure. Danny Granger, Mike Dunleavy, Maceo Baston and Austin Croshere are day-to-day and may not play either.

Here are some items of interest:

Kravitz appeared kind and understanding when questioning Bird about the 2006 draft on the radio, but then took him to task in his column today.
Jeff Rabjohns takes a personal look at Jim O'Brien. Next Youtube sensation? JOB killin' the foxtrot. Somebody make it happen.
Bruno looks at the strides Roy Hibbert has taken in camp. Small strides for Roy, huge for the rest of us. Mike Wells is even impressed with Hibbert.

For a Grizz perspective, check out Mavs Moneyball. They have some sweet pre-game fodder to digest.

Feel free to leave your thoughts on the game in the comments.

The Summer of Shawne Led To Trade

Cornrows — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 03:14:02 -0000

Larry Bird was on 1070 The Fan yesterday afternoon and talked candidly about the failure of the 2006 draft and how the Shawne Williams trade developed. Despite his love for Shawne the person, Bird did not expect to pick up his contract option. Shawne wasn't real happy with his role on the team and valued his talent more than Bird and Jim O'Brien.

But is sounds like Shawne's summer preparation, or lack thereof, pushed Bird to move the player before the start of the season.

When we drafted him (Shawne) he worked really hard and was trying to improve. Then it got to the point where Shawne thought he should be playing more minutes and once that gets in the way, there's some bitterness between the coach and the player probably and I thought him and Jimmy got along real well, but I talked to Shawne quite often and he was dissatisfied with the way they were using him and his minutes and I kept telling him, you gotta get better and once you get better the coach will play you.

So you know, with all these conversations I had with him I think Shawne thought he was a lot better than what he really is at this stage. But I was very disappointed this summer that he wasn't here. He was here off and on but really the last month he wasn't here and he picked up weight. He was out of shape when he went into summer league, then when he came back to camp the first two or three days he didn't look real well, he was out of condition. Eventually he got better, but just the time that he was away from the court this summer bothered me the most.

Well, that explains the poor showing Shawne had in the summer league games in Orlando. With the way he finished the season, Shawne went into the summer on the cusp of carving out a big role on the Pacers by improving the consistency of his play. Instead, he plateaued and now we have a better understanding of why. Maybe he wasn't interested in a bigger role with the Pacers and knew if he didn't follow Bird's advice he'd be moved. That certainly makes more sense than Shawne unknowingly wasting away the opportunity to improve over the summer.

Audio link: Larry Bird interview

Also, check out Kevin Lee's report from Pacers practice this afternoon which includes solid audio with Jim O'Brien, Roy Hibbert and Mike Dunleavy. The Pacers didn't actually practice due to a lack of available players. Dunleavy worked out at full speed and hopes to play on Friday. Roy Hibbert gets it, doesn't he? He has no interest in the 17 points and 9 rebounds he put up against Memphis, but instead wants to learn from the three quick fouls he picked up in the first half.

Indiana Pacers 2008-09 Season Preview

Cornrows — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 01:00:47 -0000

Team Name: Indiana Pacers
Last Years Record: 36-46
Key Losses: Jermaine O'Neal, Shawne Williams, Ike Diogu, Kareem Rush
Key Additions: T.J. Ford, Brandon Rush, Roy Hibbert, Rasho Nesterovic, Jarrett Jack

1. What significant moves were made during the offseason?

Wow, where to begin? For starters, the Pacers broke free of Jermaine O'Neal's cap-strangling contract by trading him to Toronto for guard T.J. Ford, center Rasho Nesterovic and forward Maceo Baston (and a draft pick). The addition of Ford signaled that the Pacers were ready to go in a different direction at point guard. Another signal was when Larry Bird told Jamaal Tinsley to stay at home in Atlanta until he was traded.

Tinsley has obliged and will not suit up for the Pacers whether he's traded prior to the season tipping off or not. From his nameplate in the locker room to the jersey in the team store to the player himself, the Pacers have removed all evidence of Tinsley's existence in Indy. Well, almost all. There's still that $21 million salary for the next three years on the books. Bird continues to dangle Tins in front of point guard-desperate teams in hopes a shrewd team will realize Tinsley can still play (which he can, give him a chance...please).

OK, settle back, I'm just getting started with the roster changes since last April. Gone are Kareem Rush (Philly), Flip Murray (Atlanta), Ike Diogu (traded to Portland), Andre Owens (Europe), Jermaine O'Neal (aforementioned trade to Toronto), David Harrison (Minnesota...maybe) and Shawne Williams (traded to Dallas). Whew!

Joining Ford, Nesterovic, and Baston among the new faces for the Pacers are Brandon Rush (13th pick, part of draft night trade with Portland), Jarrett Jack (also from Portland), Roy Hibbert (17th pick, part of trade with Toronto), and local high school hero, Josh McRoberts (trade with Portland). Eddie Jones was traded to the Pacers from Dallas but has yet to report to the team and appears headed for some negotiated retirement or release. Even without Jones, program sales should be brisk at the Fieldhouse once the season starts.

2. What are the team's biggest strengths?

The Pacers biggest strengths are their ability to push the pace and score points with the solid, flexible depth at guard and small forward. At this point, T.J. Ford and Jarrett Jack will absorb all of the available point guard minutes. Travis Diener is still recovering from a foot injury and will begin the season way behind in the battle for playing time. Diener is a reliable option to have available if injuries or a favorable matchup dictates he should play.

The minutes at shooting guard and small forward are interchangeable and it appears that four players will be vying for those minutes. Mike Dunleavy and Danny Granger will play starter's minutes while Marquis Daniels and Brandon Rush will fill in the rest off the bench. Daniels has proven to be a solid utility wing off the bench with his solid defense and unorthodox offensive repertoire.

The addition of Ford and Jack improves the team speed and quickness of the back court immensely, giving Jim O'Brien's fast-paced offensive system a much-needed boost. It also gives JOB the option of playing small ball by moving Granger to power forward using Jack or Daniels at shooting guard. With the available depth, the Pacers should push the pace for 48 minutes in an effort to wear down opponents with their running game.

3. What are the team's biggest weaknesses?

Defense and post scoring are the Pacers most glaring weaknesses. Roy Hibbert has shown in camp that he may single-handedly resolve both of these weaknesses in the future, but any production the Hibbert offers this year will be gravy and certainly shouldn't be expected. Rasho Nesterovic will likely start at center for the Pacers giving them a veteran presence in the post and a guy who has the ability to pass and knock down shots. Scoring tough buckets around the rim and more importantly stopping easy buckets at the rim on defense remain big question marks in Rasho's game.

Jeff Foster may be more reliable around the hoop but he's a bit undersized at center and his offensive game is limited. Troy Murphy should eat up most of the minutes at power forward with help from Foster and Maceo Baston. Murphy will need to improve his rebounding this year to go along with his ability to step out and knock down the 3-ball.

The Pacers rely on a team defensive approach that often broke down last year at the point of attack. JOB hopes the improved back court quickness will help with on-the-ball defense making it tougher for the opposition to push the ball into the lane and find easy buckets at the rim. Defensive improvement is critical to the Pacers hopes of improving their record this year.

4. What are the goals for this team?

The Pacers just missed the playoffs last year thanks to a late surge that involved several key players that remain on the roster. Considering the talent around those key players has improved and includes players that fit the way Jim O'Brien prefers to play, earning a playoff spot has to be goal number one. Reality mucks up the initial logic though since several other Eastern Conference teams have made improvements that should make playoff berth much tougher to earn.

Aside from making the playoffs, the Pacers goals should revolve around taking care of the basketball, defending the paint, fighting for 48 minutes and bringing that effort every night. Mike Dunleavy and Danny Granger had big years last season and as Jim O'Brien put it, it is time for them to step up and show that type production on a playoff team. Also, don't tell JOB, but the future is not now. Larry Bird could give JOB five guys from the local YMCA and he'd grind all year with them, trying to make the playoffs. Hopefully, JOB looks ahead a little bit and is able to find minutes for Brandon Rush and Roy Hibbert to begin developing both into the players the organizations hopes they will be.

5. Will this Pacers team be able to re-ignite the passion of the fan base and lure more people to the Fieldhouse?

The empty green seats at the Fieldhouse spread like poison ivy last year as fed up fans refused to invest any emotion or ticket money into a short-handed team with top player who didn't appear to care. The massive roster changes by Larry Bird over the summer as well as an active PR campaign pushing a positive view of the players combined to entice the local public into giving the Pacers a fresh look.

The team's slogan this year is, "Ignite the Passion. Restore the pride." There can't be full ignition until Jamaal Tinsley is traded simply because, even though he's not with the team, he remains a story. The Pacers hope the fan base will rally around their assembled group of good guys playing basketball the right way and find a reason to keep following the team throughout the season.

Unless playing the right way produces more wins than expected, the Pacers will still struggle in attendance this year. Plus, the season begins with a brutal schedule. The first 20 games include three games with Boston, two with Cleveland, two with Orlanado, one with Detroit, LA Lakers, Houston, Dallas and Phoenix. If the Pacers win more than six of those first 20 they may be off to a good start, but the casual fan won't see much to get excited about.

Or will they? Last year, the Pacers were tons of fun to watch over the last three months of the season. Yes, they were short-handed, but they gave great effort and often outplayed their opponents. So while gathering Ws in the first 20 games will be a struggle, it doesn't mean the Pacers can't give a great effort and should they lose, go down swinging with everything they have. That type of effort will eventually capture the attention of casual fans and re-ignite that passion which is desperately seeking a spark.

Predicted Record: 40-42

IC Cold Links: Game Recaps From Memphis

Cornrows — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 10:38:16 -0000

Here are a few stories from the Pacers' loss to the Grizzlies last night:

Mike Wells focuses on the interchangeable point guards, T.J. Ford and Jarrett Jack. Both played several minutes together last night with an emphasis on played, making the designation of who was actually playing PG inconsequential. Reminds me of a comment that Mark Boyle made during the broadcast. In talking about Memphis PG, Kyle Lowry, Boyle mentioned how in past games against the Grizz, he always thought Lowry was really fast, but with Ford and Jack running up and down the court with him that was no longer the case. The Pacers could now keep up him.
Wells again with notes on Roy Hibbert and Mike Conley, Jr.'s effort to improve his shooting.
Ronald Tillery likes what he saw from O.J. Mayo.
3 Shades of Blue has a great report with observations from watching the game live.

Grizzlies 103, Pacers 95: They Played

Cornrows — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 02:43:36 -0000

The Memphis Grizzlies ambushed the Pacer in the third quarter, outscoring the P's 33-16, and held on to secure the 103-95 win in Memphis on Monday night. That pretty much sums it up.

The big news from this game was the utter lack of noteworthy items to take from the game itself. The Pacers only dressed ten players as Maceo Baston (flu), Marquis Daniels (groin), Danny Granger (elbow) joined Mike Dunleavy, Troy Murphy and Travis Diener in street clothes. None of the new injuries are considered serious; in fact I imagine the term injury is used loosely with Quisy and Danny.

All the new faces (both old and young) played plenty of minutes, but struggled most of the second half after leading at the break 53-51. Brandon Rush had a serious "meh" game, playing 32 minutes but scoring just 7 points on 3 of 11 shots. Late in the game, Slick lamented the little impact Rush had on the game, mentioning he has to bring it at a high level every night and seemed like he was out there just trying to fit in the flow of the game.

Roy Hibbert and Rasho Nesterovic held down the post quite nicely combining to score 29 points. Hibbert finished with 17 points, 9 rebounds and 3 blocked shots. Mark Boyle mentioned his surprise at how far along Roy's game is at this point, admitting he thought initially that Roy would be a 2-3 year project. I was hoping Roy would be a one year project and he probably will be, but he will contribute much more this year than I anticipated.

The Grizz were running their young roster at full strength tonight. O.J. Mayo had a huge game dropping 6 3-balls as part of his 26 points while picking up 5 steals along the way. The Grizz have a lot of nice young talent that will likely be maddeningly inconsistent, but on a night when the shots are dropping and it all comes together, they will be mighty fun to watch.

The Dallas Mavericks with Shawne Williams and Rick Carlisle visit the Fieldhouse on Wednesday for the Pacers next preseason game.

Pacers Influencing Starbury Style

Cornrows — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 02:34:23 -0000

Pacers Influencing Starbury Style

Both Teams Played Hard found some Pacers connections among Stephon Marbury's Starbury shoe styles. Personally, I like the Marquis model, although I thought Quisy was all about the Yums.

Preseason Open Game Thread #3: Pacers vs. Grizzlies

Cornrows — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 21:52:32 -0000

The Indiana Pacers are in Memphis tonight to take on the Grizzlies for theirthird preseason game. Although Mike Dunleavy practiced yesterday, he's expected to join Troy Murphy and Travis Diener in a suit coat on the bench tonight. Another shade of plaid? We can only hope.

There doesn't appear to be a television option for tonight's game but don't fret, Mark Boyle and Slick Leonard will be broadcasting their usual HD visuals via the radio broadcast. Enjoy!

For a Grizz perspective, check out 3 Shades of Blue. They have some sweet pre-game fodder to digest.

Feel free to leave your thoughts on the game in the comments.

Pacers vs. Celtics: Opening Night Ticket Discount!

Cornrows — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 01:51:08 -0000

The home opener for the Indiana Pacers on Saturday, November 1st is going to be a blast. Not only will the new look Pacers be playing for keeps for the first time in their home whites but they'll be taking on the World Champion Boston Celtics.

This is huge, people! Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen back in action with a championship ring to add to their swagger. Plus, the Colts play the Patriots the next evening on Football Night in America so you know Indy will be overrun with New England's finest sports fans.

Knowing the finest Pacer fans check in with Indy Cornrows, the Pacers are offering readers opening night tickets at a discounted group rate (essentially $3 dollars off plus no ticketmaster processing fees). Time to step up and represent for the blue and gold!

To order the discounted tickets online, click the following link:
Opening Night Tickets: Pacers vs. Celtics
Group ID: cornrows

If you have aversion to online ordering you can print out this order form and send it in by October 29th, 2008.

Many thanks to Katie Vaas with the Pacers for setting up Indy Cornrows with this great opening night opportunity!

No Eddie Jones Sighting At The Airport

Cornrows — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 02:42:08 -0000

When I arrived back home again in Indy this afternoon 3:00PM, I couldn't help wondering if Eddie Jones was in the vicinity since he was supposed to report to the Pacers by 5:00PM Sunday night.

According to Bruno's latest Caught in the Web, the Pacers have yet to hear from Jones let alone see him in person. This isn't surprising since it makes no sense for the Pacers to actually use Jones nor does it appear that Jones has any interest in playing for the Pacers. Jim O'Brien did his best to play his part of the uninformed coach just taking care of the players management sends out on the practice court.

"He was in a situation that he wasn't in Dallas' camp," said O'Brien. "We would like him in our camp and we would like him on our team unless he decides he doesn't want to play. And then that's something that Larry (Bird) and his agent are going to have to talk about. We anticipate seeing where he is and getting him up here."

Does O'Brien believe Jones could help the Pacers?

"Until I'm told differently, that's my viewpoint," said the coach. "My anticipation is that we just made a trade and we got a player in the trade and we expect any player we trade for to report. If they don't, then there's an issue. But I'm expecting him to be here and to play. That's my expectation. We expect him in here unless he decides to not be in here an then that's out of my hands and it comes down to his agent and our management."

JOB really wanted to tell us about the contractual loopholes they were covering in order to free Jones and move on, but now is just not the time. Should be interesting too see how all of these formalities are worked out. They have to be, because any minute that Eddie Jones would play for the Pacers would be a minute less for Brandon Rush and simply just hold the Pacers back in their quest to move forward.

Couple of other links:

Jeff Rabjohns reports on Eddie Jones and the possibility of Jones not reporting but instead retiring.
Mike Wells chats up Troy Murphy, Mike Dunleavy and Travis Diener and finds no concerns with their injured status during camp so far. Considering the couple of times I saw Dun and Murph after games last year they both had their knees and ankles submerged in ice, there's no sense in putting on any additional miles during preseason. Dunleavy did practice on Sunday which is good news.
Shawne Williams is officially ready for his fresh start in Dallas.

Southwest Division Blogger Previews

Cornrows — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 02:40:13 -0000

The NBA blogger previews for the Southwest Division are up. Enjoy!

Dallas Mavericks
Jake Kerr: Mavs Moneyball

Houston Rockets
grungedave and UofTOrange: The Dream Shake

Memphis Grizzlies
Joshua Coleman: 3 Shades of Blue

New Orleans Hornets
Rohan: At the Hive
ticktock6 & mW: Hornets Hype
Ryan Schwan & Ron Hitley: Hornets247.com

San Antonio Spurs
Graydon Gordian: 48 Minutes of Hell

Also see links to all the previews at CelticsBlog.com