Comments on: As Indiana Dominates Lob City, Many Questions Emerge. But There’s Only One Path to Success

By: Joe B

Joe B — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:59:48 +0000

I have mentioned before that the Pacers are one well-above average to near great point guard away from being a true contender. What the Pacers get with Barbosa, Hill, and Collison is a mix of the skills that normally come in one elite point guard. Now, depending on situation, Vogel can use these three pieces almost interchangeably. Barbosa isn’t a great assist man, to make an understatement, but he can pass well at times (the Jones play). If DC and Hill can improve their passing game and defense in Vogel’s system as we move to the playoffs, Barbosa might just be enough to make up for cold streaks both go through…

By: little B

little B — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 16:15:27 +0000

@ Wade
You pretty much pinpoint everything right on. It took about 6 Pacers that played great to good to whoop on a pretty good team last night. So I wouldn’t say the Pacers need 6 guys to do well, maybe 5. That is alot to ask for though, but I think it just shows this team will be good for a long period of time. Easier to fill in pieces when one is removed. Also with Indiana being a small market team, it will probably always have to go about it this way. Find alot of good players, not a few amazing players. I am not knocking on these Pacers, I love them. They remind me of the early 2000′s teams, and the mid-late 90′s teams. Remind me of the Pistons who were dominate but yet had no real superstar on their team. They had a TEAM. You never knew who was going to come out blazing. Which I think makes them hard to play against and matchup against. Look at the bulls right now. Alot of good players, playing amazing, then when they put DROSE in and they are level above. This year’s Pacer team is good, but next year’s team can be great, and I don’t think they need to do anything to it. Just need a little more time together and possibly(probably) a change at point. Could they be better? yes, every team can.

By: little B

little B — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 16:02:47 +0000

@Chase Sterling
Good points:
1. about Collison still starting for now, give Hill a few more games with the second string and see it if continues and also give him some practice time with the starters
2. about Hill dribbling a little too long, but to his defense that was more when the starters were in and he probably wasn’t as sure how they move around (which they really don’t). But the good thing is he can create his own shot alot easier than collison. I love when collison brings the ball up really quick and fires a jumper, and usually drills it, like he did last night. But he doesnt do it often enough and he also doesnt move the ball quick enough when setting up plays. Hill wings passes around and creates great shots for players. How often do you say that about Collison.
But for the Pacers to get to the next Level, they do need alot better point play(which Hill might be the one that has to get them there), and maybe(hopefully) that will be enough to make them an elite team in the league.

By: Chase Sterling

Chase Sterling — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 03:40:39 +0000

I don’t agree with Hill starting at point guard yet. A majority of his points came from him dribbling to long and then making a great shot before the buzzer. Collison should still be the point for the near future. I am a big Hill fan but he looks great dominating teams off the bench. Lets keep him there for now.

By: Post-Game Grades: Pacers Wax the Clippers | Eight Points, Nine Seconds

Post-Game Grades: Pacers Wax the Clippers | Eight Points, Nine Seconds — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 03:36:23 +0000

[...] The bench carried the day, Danny Granger was excellent and Roy Hibbert did as much as he needed to as the Pacers smacked around the Clippers en route to a 102-89 win. I already wrote everything I had to say about it in this post-game reaction. [...]

By: Jason

Jason — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 03:35:37 +0000

“There is no big three. There isn’t even a big four. Like the 76ers and the Nuggets, this team can only beat the league’s best teams when nearly everyone does their job. It’s an uncommon road to success that is entirely dependent upon the whole being better than the sum of the part.

And that won’t change no matter what parts play where and when.

This team’s depth must be a weapon no matter what.”

Perfectly put. Having no playing time for a guy like AJ – who was playing pretty solid – is definitely a good “problem.” Whatever the combination is starters/bench each night doesn’t matter so much when the ten guys playing are each playing for the other. We’ve seen these guys played great, fluid, unselfish ball with strong D. We know they have the talent. The ups and downs are the signs of a team putting it together, slowly but surely. A championship this year is highly unlikely. Any rational person who really knows the game knows that. However, that doesn’t mean we may not be watching the gelling of a core that can, in the next couple of years, compete at that level. Tonight was another good night showing that. Hopefully they keep it up and make that March 26th matchup with Miami a W!

By: NoLookPass

NoLookPass — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 03:33:13 +0000

Hill looked sharp at PG for sure, seemed like half his assist found someone to knock down a big shot at the end of a shot clock.

The bench looked great but them getting so much burn and West’s foul issue seemed to mask a major upcoming issue of where are all the shots going to come from? Worked out great tonight but not every night is going to see just a +3 FGA advantage for the starters with Danny taking almost half of their total.

We need Lou or Foster if he ever gets back to only take sure open shots and D Jones to play under control to make sure our 3 big bench scorers get their touches. Tyler getting 1 second half shot and the fact most all of his damage came with 3 starters on the floor has me worried about them stepping on each other toes out there leading to some selfishness down the road.

I know that I sweat the small things but we need to get some sort of set roles before the playoffs and find a way to keep our guys happy and with 8 legit scorers that’s going to be a hard task.