Pacers07-08: Dynasty Cancelled - Live07 deleted

[Clutch]

great team breakdown man! jones is the shiz - solid but not ridiculous; he'll need a flashy nickname soon

[kbryant24]

whats PJ browns overal rating? he looks like he would be a good fit for my team (backup PF to haslem maybe)

u should post a pic of ur player rotation

[Its_asdf]

Great read. I love hearing insight on how players are doing so far during the season.

Also pretty interesting idea to get a recap of games being played by other teams. It's rare to see effort being spent on showing whats happening around the league. Good stuff.

[TheMC5]

Thanks, everyone, the feedback is great.

kbryant24, I believe PJ is a 70 overall, with like 85 def. awareness. Also, I guess I'll throw up a rotation pic soon, but I was specifically waiting for the first 2 weeks to be over to do that, as I play my 5 best guys the most in that span, and then re-evaluate and settle on a rotation after that time.


Also, I hate re-reading these and noticing places where I left out words that totally messed up the sentences.

[TheMC5]

AROUND THE NBA: INJURY UPDATE


Guard Tony Allen - backs spasm 11/4/07 - out 2 weeks
Forward Brian Scalabrine - bruised rib 11/11/07 - out 13 days


Center Andris Biedrins - strained Achilles tendon 11/7/07 - out 12 days


Guard Mike James - broken fibula 11/8/07 - out 10 weeks


Forward Desmond Mason - hyper-extended knee 11/8/07 - out 4 weeks


Center Tyson Chandler - sprained thumb 11/10/07 - out 7 days


Guard Nate Robinson - dislocated shoulder 11/1/07 - out 8 weeks




Note: Only injuries serious enough to sideline a player are listed. Playable injurues are not.

[McDwyane]

TheMC5, what is leandro's 3 point percentage?

[TheMC5]

TheMC5, what is leandro's 3 point percentage?

Not good, man, not good. First comprehensive stats update will be up later today.


EDIT: OK, maybe not later today, but soon!

[Its_asdf]

Since you did it in my thread, I might as well do it in yours.

I'm rooting for Marquis Daniels to get more playing time.

Marquis Daniels for president!

[Clutch]

I actually like Daniels too even though he's a punk sometimes - I second the motion!

[McDwyane]

EDIT: OK, maybe not later today, but soon!

Ok dude.

[TheMC5]

WEEK 3 RECAP

NOV. 12: McGRADY SCORES 39 IN WIN OVER MIAMI

HOUSTON 110 - MIAMI 100
MEMPHIS 88 - LA LAKERS 116
DENVER 100 - CHARLOTTE 112
T-Mac led the Rockets in win over Miami, a win which tied Houston for 2nd in the Southwest division, scoring 39 points and handing out 7 assists. Yao played surprisingly aggressive defense on Shaq, holding the Big Diesel to 8 points on 3-10 field goals and 2-4 from the line. Elsewhere, Kobe brought the Lakers back up to .500 with a 36 point, 6 assist, 3 steal effort. Kobe has now scored 30+ points in all but 1 game this season. In Charlotte, Jason Richardson enjoyed his best game as a Bobcat so far, scoring 23 points on 9-13 shooting, with 6 assists, and 5 rebounds, propelling the Bobcats to the victory over Denver. Carmelo Anthony hit the 40 point mark for the first time this season, but the Nuggets still fell short. Former Pacer Mike Dunleavy also scored 17 in the loss.


NOV. 13: KING JAMES REIGNS SUPREME

CLEVELAND 111 - NEW YORK 92
ORLANDO 78 - BOSTON 119
Only 2 games to report on. In Cleveland, LeBron dominated the Knicks to the tune of 35 points, 9 boards, 6 assists, and 4 steals. New York dropped to 2-6 with the loss, and the Zach Randolph experiment is not looking very successful. In the other game, Boston's big 3 again led the way in a blowout over the Magic in Orlando. Chris Webber, signed as a free agent by Boston in the off-season, scored in double-digits for just the 1st time in his 7 games as a Celtic.


NOV. 14: BRAND COMES UP BIG AS CLIPS BEAT JAZZ

SAN ANTONIO 113 - HOUSTON 92
CHICAGO 101 - DALLAS 98
LA CLIPPERS 86 - UTAH 85
CHARLOTTE 81 - NEW ORLEANS 83
The Spurs just keep winning, this time easily disposing of T-Mac, Yao and the Rockets. Tony Parker scored a season high 39 points in the win. The night also saw three incredible, fairly improbable, game winning shots. In Los Angeles, the Clippers were down by 1 with 3.2 seconds left following a bucket by Deron Williams. The inbounds pass was deflected, and ended up in the hands of Elton Brand, who spun around Boozer, and launched a leaning, one-handed 18 footer that hit high glass and bounced around the rim, before eventually falling as the buzzer sounded. The play capped an extraordinary night for EB, who finished with 22 points, 18 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 3 blocks. In Chicago, Kirk Hinrich stole an entry pass into the post with under 10 seconds to play and the game tied. He launched the ball up court to a streaking Ben Gordon, who surprisingly pulled up for the 3 on the break. Scott Skiles was visibly irate with the decision, until the shot dropped, putting Chicago up by 3 with 5 seconds to play. Nowitzki missed a potential game-tying 3 at the buzzer. Finally, in Charlotte a surprising hero emerged. Little used backup center Marc Jackson, filling in for the injured Tyson Chandler, tipped in a Chris Paul miss at the buzzer to give the visiting Hornets the win. The tip was part of Jackson's team-high tying 15 points, though it was also the only rebound he was credited with all game. For Charlotte, J-Rich looks like he's finally feeling comfortable in a Bobcat uniform, following his best game this year with an even more impressive 29 point, 5 assist, 3 steal performance.


NOV. 15: BOSTON'S BIG 3 TOO MUCH FOR PACERS


INDIANA 116 - BOSTON 119
Despite a late 3rd quarter Pacers run which made things interesting, the outcome of this game was never really in doubt. Boston, perhaps the top team in the East, stormed out to a 38-29 1st quarter lead, and never looked back. Though the score remained close throughout the 4th quarter, the Pacers were never able to pick up much momentum, with Boston matching them bucket for bucket, run for run. Ray Allen's clutch shooting down the stretch sealed the victory for the C's. Leandro Barbosa lead Indiana, scoring a season high 34 in 35 minutes off the bench. July Jones chipped in with 21 points, while Nene dropped 24 on a hapless Chris Webber.
Player of the Game: Paul Pierce (29 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds)

DENVER 103 - ORLANDO 85
CHARLOTTE 90 - SAN ANTONIO 129
MEMPHIS 110 - SACRAMENTO 100
MILWAUKEE 94 - NEW JERSEY 91
PORTLAND 93 - CLEVELAND 110
PHOENIX 117 - SEATTLE 101
Denver used a complete team game to topple Orlando, with 6 players scoring in double figures, lead by Carmelo Anthony's 26. In Charlotte, Tim Duncan scored a season-high 43 points in the Spurs blowout of the Bobcats. Memphis rode Mike Miller to victory over the Kings. Miller posted 37 points on 15-29 shooting, hitting 6-13 from beyond the arc. Ron Artest countered with 36 points of his own, but it wasn't enough. New Jersey had their 3 game winning streak snapped by the under-achieving Bucks. Michael Redd carried the load for Milwaukee, scoring 37 points, 14 of those in the 4th quarter. In Portland, LeBron continued his dominance, scoring 30 points, grabbing 8 rebounds, and blocking 2 shots. Drew Gooden finished with a season-high 17 rebounds, and Earl Boykins enjoyed his best game as a Cavalier, getting 19 points and 9 assists. Phoenix also continued their dominance, cruising to a 117-101 victory over Seattle. Steve Nash continued to show he might be the best shooter in the league, scoring 29 points on 12-15 field goals. Rookie Kevin Durant played an efficient though understated offensive game, hitting on 7-11 shots for 16 points.


NOV. 16: BARON DAVIS EXPLODES IN WIN OVER SACRAMENTO

SACRAMENTO 96 - GOLDEN STATE 106
CHICAGO 80 - HOUSTON 89
Baron Davis paced the short-handed Warriors to the win over Sacramento. Still without starting center Andris Biedrins, Don Nelson started second year player Patrick O'Bryant, who grabbed a career-high 10 rebounds. Baron Davis, however, was the player of the game, dropping 36 points and handing out 11 assists. In Chicago, Tracy McGrady scored 30+ points for the 5th time this season, finishing with 39 points, 6 assists, and 2 steals.


NOV. 17: VINCE'S 33 POINTS LEAD NETS OVER PACERS


NEW JERSEY 103 - INDIANA 99
New Jersey's back court duo of Vince Carter and Jason Kidd proved to be too much for the over matched Pacers guards, as the two combined for 62 points. The Nets lead the whole way until 2 minutes into the 4th quarter. With both Jason Kidd and Vince Carter on the bench, the Pacers went on a 12-4 run to take a 3 point lead. Both Kidd and Carter promptly re-entered the game, to propel the Nets to victory. Carter scored 13 points in the fourth, and hit all 3 of 3-point attempts. For the Pacers, Nene continued his strong play of late, scoring 17 points and pulling down 16 boards. Barbosa and Diaw both had strong games well, but the rest of the team struggled, highlighted by Danny Granger's woeful 0-7 shooting performance.
Player of the Game: Jason Kidd (29 points, 11 assists, 3 rebounds, 2 steals)

PHILADELPHIA 97 - PHOENIX 113
ATLANTA 79 - CLEVELAND 92
PORTLAND 86 - BOSTON 128
WASHINGTON 97 - DETROIT 90
CHICAGO 80 - SAN ANTONIO 89
TORONTO 106 - LA LAKERS 67
Shawn Marion established a new career-high in points, dropping 45 and beating his old personal best by only 1 point. His offensive outburst came on 19-26 shooting, 6-9 from downtown. He also finished with 6 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 3 steals. Jermaine O'Neal failed to score in double digits for the first time as a Sun, manging just 7 on 3-11 shooting. Cleveland continued to roll, and LeBron continued to do what he does, scoring 39 points, 8 assists, and 3 steals in the win over the Hawks. The Cletics big 3 went absolutely crazy against the stumbling Blazers. KG went off for 22 points, 15 boards, 6 assists, 5 steals, and 2 blocks, shooting 75% from the floor. Paul Pierce and Ray Allen each scored 30 or more points, finishing with 38 and 30, respectively. The two also combined for 7 steals, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. Gilbert Arenas also posted a new career-high, although in assists not points, dishing out 17 to beat his old record by 2, leading Washing over the Pistons. Rasheed Wallace scored 28 points in defeat for Detroit. In Chicago, the injured Ben Wallace was replaced by Michael Olowokandi in the starting lineup, who filled in quite nicely, scoring 13 points and 11 rebounds. The Bulls, however, missed Big Ben's defensive presence, as they lost the game. In Toronto, the Raptors held the Lakers to the lowest score by any team this season, limiting them to measly 67. Surprisingly, it was not Chris Bosh, or TJ Ford, or even Andrea Bargnani who lead the way for the Raps, but little used reserve shooting guard Juan Dixon, who scored 25 points in 25 minutes off the bench. Kobe Bryant finally cooled off, relatively speaking, scoring a respectable but unspectacular 23 points.


NOV. 18: PACERS LOSING STREAK INCREASES TO 4 GAMES

GAME PHOTOS NOT AVAILABLE

INDIANI 88 - MILWAUKEE 104
July Jones established a new career-high in points, scoring 27 on 9-12 field goals, but received little support in the loss to the Bucks, who won consecutive games for the first time this season. Outside of Jones, the Pacers struggled to produce any offense at all. In fact, all other Pacers who played at least 20 minutes in the game combined for an anemic 34% shooting, with only Granger and Diogu beating the 50% mark, and Diogu only took 1 shot. In the post game press conference, coach Jim O'Briend was asked if he was concerned with the team's losing streak, which went up 4 games with tonight's loss.

"No, not really," he said. "I mean, we lost to some damn good teams, you know. Chicago and Boston are both great teams, and we put a good fight against both of them, never giving up, and showing some resiliency, I thought. Same thing with the loss to New Jersey. We played hard, we've just been up against some good teams, and we're still a young team, we haven't been together for too long, and it takes some time to develop the on-court chemistry you need to beat teams like that. So no, I'm not concerned about the losing streak, but what I am concerned with is tonight's loss. Milwaukee is a team we can beat, we just need to play hard. And that's what was lacking in our performance tonight, nobody outside of July played hard and with pride. And that is not a good sign, when a rookie is the only guy on your team with enough pride a confidence to go right at the opposition, regardless of what the score is. It's great that he wants to win every game, but that's the type of attitude you need from your veteran leaders, and I didn't see any of that PJ, or Boris, or Nene. So that's something we'll need to rectify heading into next game."
Player of the Game: July Jones (27 points, 9-12 field goals, 2-3 3 pointers, 7-10 free throws, 3 assists, 2 steals, 1 block)

MIAMI 113 - ATLANTA 112
PORTLAND 93 - NEW JERSEY 107
MEMPHIS 105 - DALLAS 104
HOUSTON 98 - DETROIT 83
CLEVELAND 99 - WASHINGTON 60
TORONTO 111 - DENVER 82
Dwyane Wade and Joe Johnson staged an epic battle in Miami's overtime win against the Hawks. Wade scored 43 points, while picking up 10 assists and 3 steals. Joe Johnson finished with 38 points, 5 assists, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals, and hit contested 20 footer at the end of regulation to send the game to OT, where Wade took over, scoring 11 points in the extra frame. New Jersey's back court duo of Kidd and Carter continued their dominance with Richard Jefferson out of the lineup, combining for 71 points in the Nets win over Portland. Memphis and Dallas also went to overtime, where Mike Miller drilled 2 3 pointers in the last 20 seconds to seal the win for Memphis. The Grizzlies were lead by Damon Stoudemire's 30 points and 13 assists, filling in for the injured Mike Conley. Dirk Nowitzki tallied 35 in a losing effort. In Houston, T-Mac and Steve Francis lead the charge over the Pistons. Franchise came within 1 assist of a triple-double, finishing the game with 22 points, 11 rebounds, 9 assists, and 5 steals, while McGrady tallied 34 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds. Washington established a new record for offensive futility this year, scoring an NBA season-low 60 points, including only 6 in the 3rd quarter. King James recorded 33 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 steals in the win. Toronto easily dispatched the Nuggets, paced by TJ Ford's 30 points and 8 assists. Jason Kapono added 20 off the bench for the Raps.


Thus concludes the week 3 recap. The Pacers went 0-3, and it looks like reality may have caught up with the young team.

PACER OF THE WEEK: July Jones
Jones grabs his second Pacer of the Week honors on the strength of 20.7 points, 50% field goals, 77.8% from the line, 4 assists, 1.34 steals, and 0.67 blocks per game over 3 games.

PIC OF THE WEEK
July Jones Rises for Another Nasty Slam

[TheMC5]

WEEK 4 RECAP

NOV. 19: KINGS DEFEAT SPURS AS 2/3 OF BIG 3 STRUGGLE

CHICAGO 106 - LA LAKERS 110
SAN ANTONIO 82 - SACRAMENTO 107
The Lakers and Bulls collided in Chicago, with Olowokandi continuing to fill in admirably for the injured Ben Wallace, scoring 15 points on 6-9 shooting and blocking 4 shots. Ben Gordon and Kirk Hinrich chipped in 24 and 20 points, respectively, but were outdone by Kobe Bryant's game-high 45. It was Lamar Odom, not Kobe, who secured the victory for the Lakers with a late 4th quarter sequence in which he blocked Hinrich on a drive to the basket, came up with the loose ball, grabbed the offensive rebound off Kobe's missed 3 on the other end, stuffed it home while drawing the foul and hitting the free throw. It made what would have been a 7 point game with under 1 minute and 30 seconds to go into a 2 point affair, and gave the Lakers the momentum they needed to come up with the win. San Antonio lost their first game at home, being outclassed by the visiting Kings, who saw all 5 starters score in double figures, lead by Kevin Martin's 23. Tim Duncan played a solid game for the Spurs, but Ginobili and Parker struggled, scoring a combined 32 points on 12-39 shooting.


NOV. 20: ODEN + BLAZERS HAND DUNCAN + SPURS 2ND CONSECUTIVE LOSS

ORLANDO 108 - MEMPHIS 85
HOUSTON 106 - NEW YORK 114
TORONTO 79 - UTAH 106
SAN ANTONIO 80 - PORTLAND 99
Orlando rode a couple of unlikely heroes to victory over the visiting Grizzlies. Mike Sweetney played an all around fantastic game, scoring 19 points on 9-11 field goals, 9 rebounds, 4 blocks, 2assists, and 2 steals, while Hedo Turkoglu scored a team-high 20 points. For Memphis, Kyle Lowry scored a season-high 18 points in 17 minutes off the bench, only one less than interim starter Damon Stoudemire. Zach Randolph enjoyed his best game as a Knick, scoring 33 points and leading New York to an upset of the heavyweight Houston Rockets. Toronto had their 3 game winning streak snapped decisively by the Jazz, who were lead by Deron Williams 37 points. Chris Bosh scored 18 and grabbed 16 rebounds in the loss. In San Antonio, Brandon Roy scorched the Spurs for 30 points, while Darius Miles scored 27 and grabbed 12 boards, as the Trailblazers rolled over the Spurs. Rookie Greg Oden narrowly missed a double-double, finishing with 12 points and 9 rebounds.


NOV. 21: PACERS LOSE AGAIN IN REMATCH AGAINST BUCKS

GAME PHOTOS NOT AVAILABLE

MILWAUKEE 102 - INDIANA 87
Jim O'Brien inserted Ike Diogu into the starting lineup for PJ Brown, hoping to change the Pacers fortunes of late. Instead, Milwaukee again took advantage of a lackadaisical Pacers team, extending Indiana's losing streak to 5 games. The Pacers hit on only 38% of their shots, while allowing the Bucks to connect on 47%. Jones, Nene, and Barbosa all played decently, but again a lack of total team effort was the Pacers downfall, along with the inability to contain Michael Redd and Charlie V, who fouled out with 2 minutes left in the game when the outcome was no longer in doubt.
Player of the Game: Charlie Villanueva (21 PTS, 8-12 FG, 15 REB, 4 AST, 3 BLK)

MEMPHIS 78 - CLEVELAND 94
CHICAGO 106 - DENVER 98
LA CLIPPERS 84 - LA LAKERS 115
WASHINGTON 84 - DALLAS 115
Damon Stoudemire continued to impress while filling in for the injured Mike Conley. Despite losing to Cleveland, Stoudemire tallied 32 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, and 4 steals. Larry Hughes was the spark for the Cavaliers, scoring a team-high 23 points to go along with 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 7 steals. In Chicago, the Nuggets forced overtime when Iverson threw an alley-oop to Carmelo with 2 seconds left to play, before bowing out in the extra frame. Luol Deng took control in overtime, scoring 10 of Chicago's 14 points, part of his 31 points, 6 rebound, 4 assist, 3 block performance. In the battle of Los Angeles, the Lakers easily emerged with the win, outscoring the Clippers by 31. Kobe again topped 30, pouring in 36 points on the night, and Luke Walton had his best game of the season, scoring 22 points, 7 assists, and 4 rebounds. Dirk Nowitzki played the type of game he is not renowned for playing, banging down low and fighting for rebounds, while leading Dallas to victory of the stumbling Wizards, who have now lost 4 straight. Nowitzki finished with 27 points, 17 rebounds (6 offensive), 6 assists, 4 steals, and 1 block.


NOV. 22: NENE BESTS HOWARD AS PACERS SNAP SKID

GAME PHOTOS NOT AVAILABLE

INDIANA 88 - ORLANDO 77
Indiana finally snapped their 5 game losing streak, beating the Magic at home. Nene outplayed Dwight Howard at both ends of the floor, recording 20 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 blocks, while holding Howard to 8 points on 4-10 shooting. Diaw and Granger both played strong defense on Rashars Lewis, limiting him to 16 points on 5-20 shooting. Granger played a great all around game, coming off the bench for 11 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals. In addition to Nene and Granger, Jones, Barbosa, and Tinsley all scored in double figures.
Player of the Game: Nene (20 PTS, 11 REB, 3 BLK)

SEATTLE 94 - LA CLIPPERS 86
NEW ORLEANS 109 - PHOENIX 111
BOSTON 100 - CHARLOTTE 109
MIAMI 107 - SAN ANTONIO 101
ATLANTA 80 - DETROIT 117
WASHINGTON 94 - HOUSTON 124
NEW JERSEY 74 - PORTLAND 78
Kevin Durant lead the Sonics to a win over the Clippers, scoring 25 points despite fouling out in the 4th. He also came away with 6 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks. Elton Brand continued his efforts to carry to Clippers, registering 25 points, 13 rebounds (8 offensive), 6 assist, 3 steals, and 7 blocks. Grant Hill got his first start as a Sun, replacing Raja Bell at SG. He played a very strong game, finishing with 18 points on 6-12 shooting, 8 rebounds (7 offensive), 6 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block, helping the Suns beat the Hornets, who were lead by Bobby Jackson's 25 points off the bench. Charlotte upset the heavily favored hometown Celtics, with Raymond Felton scoring 27 points and 8 assists. Chris Webber had his most impressive outing as a Celtic thus far, getting 17 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks. In Miami, the Heat handed the Spurs their 3rd consecutive loss, lead by Wade's 30 point, 8 assist performance. Dikembe Mutumbo's return to the lineup sparked the Pistons to a blowout over Atlanta, with Rasheed Wallace pouring in a career-high 46 points. T-Mac lead the visiting Rockets to a win over Washington, scoring a season-high 51 points. Finally, in New Jersey, the Blazers came up with the win over the short-handed Nets, who were forced to start Boki Nachbar at small forward with the injuries to Jefferson and Posey. Jarrett Jack scored a team-high 26 points for the Blazers, and Greg Oden struggled, hitting on only 1-11 field goals.


NOV. 23: NO GAMES PLAYED TODAY


NOV. 24: PACERS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF INJURY TO LEBRON, BEAT CAVS


CLEVELAND 101 - INDIANA 107
July Jones once again lead the way on offense for the Pacers, scoring 23 points, giving him 6 games of 20+ points so far this season. Nene, as usual, grabbed a double-double, with 15 points and 12 rebounds. LeBron James, who strained his calf in the Cleveland's previous game, played only 14 minutes off the bench, and failed to register a shot or a point. Ruben Patterson replaced LeBron in the starting lineup, and finished the game with a very LeBron-esque 26 points, 10 assists, and 6 rebounds. The game was close the whole way, and simply came down to execution in the final minutes. Without James to facilitate the offense in the dying minutes, the Cavs seemed lost offensively, unable to buy a bucket. For Indiana, July Jones nailed 3 of his 4 3 pointers in the last 5 minutes of the game, while harassing Larry Hughes into 0-5 shooting over the same stretch. Earl Boykins contributed 25 points in the loss, as well.
Player of the Game: Ruben Patterson (26 PTS, 12-24 FG, 10 AST, 6 REB, 2 STL, 2 BLK)

NEW JERSEY 98 - PHOENIX 103
CHICAGO 111 - PHILADELPHIA 82
DALLAS 105 - SAN ANTONIO 111
LA LAKERS 92 - UTAH 110
Grant Hill's second game as a starter in Phoenix was another smashing success. This time out he scored 22 points on 9-14 shooting, while also amassing 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 2 rebounds, to help the Suns to a victory over the still short-handed New Jersey Nets. In Chicago, Luol Deng set a new career-high in points, scoring 39, beating his old record by 1. Ben Gordon also scored 28 for Chicago, who are still without Ben Wallace. San Antonio snapped their 3 game losing streak, beating Dirk and the Mavs in Dallas. Tim Duncan scored a game-high 39 points in the win, while holding Nowitzki to 9-21 shooting. The Mavs were lead by Jason Terry's 31 point effort. Carlos Boozer set a season-high in points, dropping 30 on the Lakers, on 15-23 from the floor. Kobe Bryant was again had a superb offensive night, scoring 30 points, while Lamar Odom's offensive game continued to struggle, as he hit on only 1-6 shots.


NOV. 25: MIGHTY MOUSE AND MIKE MILLER COMBINE FOR 82 POINTS IN WIN OVER HOUSTON

BOSTON 97 - MILWAUKEE 89
NEW ORLEANS 115 - DALLAS 116
MEMPHIS 112 - HOUSTON 109
DETROIT 88 - WASHINGTON 120
PORTLAND 100 - SACRAMENTO 89
Ray Allen enjoyed a fantastic shooting night as the Celtics beat Milwaukee in Boston. Allen hit on 15-24 field goals, for a game high 40 points. In New Orleans, the Mavericks escaped with a 1 point victory of the Hornets. Dallas was up by 11 with under 2 minutes to play, but the Hornets went on a 12-2 run, almost completing the comeback, but Morris Peterson's desperation shot from half-court has time expired drew air. Dirk finished with 37 points, as well as 6 rebounds and 6 assists. Memphis upset Houston, with Mike Miller scoring 40 and Stoudemire scoring 42, the first time this season 2 teammates have each scored 40+ points. Stoudemire also handed out 18 assists, one short of his career high. He has now averaged almost 28 points per game since Mike Conley went down with injury. In Detroit, Arenas and Butler combined for 66 points, 35 and 31 respectively, while handily beating the Pistons. Agent 0 also narrowly missed tying his career mark in assists, finishing 1 shy with 14 dimes. The Trailblazers continued their strong play of late, winning 3 in a row and 4 of their last 5. Darius Miles lead the way with 31 points, followed closely by Brandon Roy's 27, as the Blazers ran over the Kings.


With week 4 in the books, the Pacers are only 1 game back of .500, which can only be seen as an unexpected surprise at this point. Hopefully they can keep it up, and maybe even finish the month with a winning record.

PACER OF THE WEEK: Nene
Nene also nabbed his second Pacer of the week honors, leading the team in rebounding and blocked shots, and placing 2nd in points per game. His defense against Dwight Howard on Nov. 22 was nasty, and hopefully a sign of things to come. He averaged 17.3 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 2.33 blocks over the course of the week.

PIC OF THE WEEK:
Danny Granger Rejects Donyell Marshall



Up Next: Bi-weekly coach's report, around the league injury update.
Stats and power ranking updates to come at the end of the month.

[alexboom]

Nice Dynasty, if you're using Andrew's roster, you should have another look at Shawne Williams, who has interesting inside moves

[Marquis]

Yes, nice and very consistent dynasty

Although I'm not a fan of a lot of trades, but I think you had pretty good deals. 1st deal making Pacers contenders for the 1st pick and Diaw will be great in the future. In the 2nd deal I'm happy that you got Linas Kleiza The 3rd deal is not my favourite one, because you truly raped Philly's cap space, but as you said, you just got younger.

Looking forward for more games, and of course Go Daniels!

[kbryant24]

whos the guy on the left of july jones? looks like pj brown

sweet block by granger

[TheMC5]

Thanks, alexboom and Marquis. Of course I'd love to play both Shawne Williams and Kleiza, but unfortunately there are only so many minutes to go around. They're both probably going to have to wait for an injury to get an opportunity to play significant minutes.

kbryant24, in which pic?

[TheMC5]

AROUND THE NBA: INJURY UPDATE


Forward Sean May - bone spur in right foot 11/18/07 - out 11 days


Center Ben Wallace - broken nose 11/16/07 - out 3 weeks


Guard Chauncey Billups - strained calf muscle 11/15/07 - out 13 days
Center Dikembe Mutumbo - sprained wrist 11/21/07 - out 7 days


Guard Mike James - broken fibula 11/08/07 - out 10 weeks


Center Pau Gasol - broken wrist 11/25/07 - out 6 weeks
Guard Mike Conley - broken toe 11/17/07 - out 5 weeks


Guard Jason Williams - bruised knee 11/25/07 - out 7 days
Forward Dorrell Wright - broken tibia 11/14/07 - out 5 weeks


Forward Desmond Mason - hyper-extended knee 11/08/07 - 4 weeks


Forward James Posey - broken finger 11/20/07 - 2 weeks


Center Tyson Chandler - sprained elbow 11/24/07 - 6 days


Forward Quentin Richardson - broken toe 11/15/07 - 3 weeks
Guard Nate Robinson - dislocated shoulder 11/01/07 - 8 weeks


Guard Marcus Banks - back spasm 11/17/07 - 2 weeks


Center Mehmet Okur - sprained knee 11/22/07 - 3 weeks

[TheMC5]

JIM O'BRIEN'S ON-COURT OBSERVATIONS - POST PLAYS



Well, here we are at the second installment of my "Observations". As promised in last week's column, this week we will be delving into the post plays we run for our bigs, specifically Nene and Diaw, as well as what we expect from the rest of the guys in those offensive sets.

HIGH POST
As I said last week, Boris Diaw is really the key to our success in the half-court. We run a lot of plays through Boris in the high post, not due to his scoring prowess, but because of his play making ability, and it shows in his assist numbers (currently 1st on the team with 4.5 per game). Our most heavily used play involving Boris is a very versatile play designed free up a good shot from anywhere on the floor. Basically, once Diaw established position at the elbow, one of our guards passes him the ball and curls off Diaw, using him a screen, and ending up at the top of the 3-point line. At the same time, Granger will set a screen for Nene on the weak side along the baseline, allowing either a favorable mismatch down low for Nene, or an open 15-18 foot jumper for Granger should the defense collapse on Nene. Meanwhile, we still have 1 guard stationed at the top of the key and one in the corner for open three's should their man leave them to help on the inside. Once Diaw makes the pass, he moves away from the ball, so if he kicks it out for a 3 point attempt, he'll crash the boards. If he sends the ball inside to either Granger or Nene, Diaw will either step out to 18-20 foot range, as he will have a clean look in case he receives a return pass, or he'll set a screen for one of the guards on the 3-point line, allowing one of them to get open for a pass. Here's a diagram:

Black lines indicate player movement
Blue lines indicate possible ball movement


Hopefully that is legible.

LOW POST
Nene is our go-to guy in the low post, so it is integral that we implement plays that take advantage of his inside presence. With no deadly shooters on the roster, a simple pick and roll play won't really cut it. Defenses would simply dare our guys to hit jumpers, and while many have the ability to do so, falling in love with the jump shot is not a recipe for success. You have to work the ball inside, and go from there. However, our low post plays still do not require the same level of sophistication as our high post plays. Essentially we run some variation of a double-screen for Nene, again with our guards camped out at the 3-point line, one in the strong side corner, and one up top, with Danny Granger sliding to the high post after setting his pick, and Diaw manning the weak side. The reason we station Granger at the high post when Nene is working down low is that Granger has more options from there in our low post sets, and once the ball ends up there we should have a good look at the basket. He can drive to the whole more effectively than Diaw if he has the lane, and can also step back to hit the 3 if the defense is sagging off him.

So we like employ lots of ball movement more so than excessive player movement. The idea in our offense is to get guys where they feel comfortable, and draw the defense away from them with decoys and threats in other areas of the floor. Too much player movement can result in haphazard play, and guys catching the ball in spots they aren't comfortable. So we just try to take what the defense gives us, rarely forcing the issue, unless need be.

Unfortunately, we've run out of time, so the Q&A I promised will have to wait until next weeks column.


P.S. Anyone reading this can feel free to post Pacers-related questions, and they will be answered in the next edition of "Observations".

[TheMC5]

great team breakdown man! jones is the shiz - solid but not ridiculous; he'll need a flashy nickname soon

I've been thinking a little about this lately, and I think you're right, Jones needs a nickname. So I am hereby calling on anyone who reads this to submit nickname proposals for Jones, and once we have a few (4 or 5 maybe) good ones, I'll throw up a poll, and we'll have a vote on July Jones nickname.

So, start those submissions, as well as any questions for coach O'Brien.

[Its_asdf]

I guess I have a few questions to ask.

Who would you consider the Pacers' go-to guy at the moment? Who would you like to see some improvement out of?

[TheMC5]

I guess I have a few questions to ask.

Who would you consider the Pacers' go-to guy at the moment? Who would you like to see some improvement out of?

Thanks, It's_asdf, questions noted, and will be answered in the next coach's report.

[Clutch]

hey does July Jones have a big time 'Fro ala Dr J? nice; never noticed before

obviously the only nickname that can really fit is.............. INDIANA JONES!

was that intentional on your part?

[TheMC5]

hey does July Jones have a big time 'Fro ala Dr J? nice; never noticed before

obviously the only nickname that can really fit is.............. INDIANA JONES!

was that intentional on your part?

Indeed, Jones rocks the 'fro hardcore styles.

And in all honesty, I didn't even think of Indiana Jones as a nickname. How retarded am I?

So, obviously it wasn't intentional. I picked the name July Jones because I just happened to be listening to a song by the New Pornographers called July Jones, and I figured it would make a sweet name for an afro sportin', slam dunkin', mad ballin' MF. That's why i picked it.

[TheMC5]

WEEK 5 RECAP

NOV. 26: PACERS THROTTLE RAPTORS

GAME PHOTOS NOT AVAILABLE

INDIANA 129 - TORONTO 83
The Pacers used a 38 point 3rd quarter to cruise to victory over the Toronton Raptors. Nene once again lead the way for Indiana, scoring a game-high 26 points on 11-15 shooting. He overpowered sophomore Andrea Bargnani every time he caught the ball down low, forcing Toronto to double-team, leaving open players on the perimeter, and those players were knocking down their shots. The Pacers shot a season-high 57.5% from the floor, and 50% (7-14) from downtown. The bench players in particular came up big in this one, scoring a combined 48 points on 73% shooting. The Raptors, who were unable to create any momentum in the game, were carried by Anthony Parker and TJ Ford, who scored 22 points apiece.
Player of the Game: Nene (26 PTS, 11-15 FG, 9 REB, 4 AST, 1 BLK, 1 STL)

NEW JERSEY 115 - LA LAKERS 101
SAN ANTONIO 140 - SEATTLE 74
The Nets, still without 6th man James Posey, convincingly dismantled the Lakers. Leading by 25 points heading into the 4th, the Nets rested their starters, who all scored in double figures, for the whole quarter, and yet the final score was as close as LA got. San Antonio absolutely demolished the Sonics, spoiling PJ Carlesimo's return. Manu Ginobili scored 42 points hitting on 14-19 shots. Bruce Bowen visibly intimidated rookie Kevin Durant, forcing him into very erratic and hesitant play and 5-13 shooting.


NOV. 27: D-WADE BUZZER BEATER PUSHES HEAT OVER 76ERS

SAN ANTONIO 100 - GOLDEN STATE 75
PHILADELPHIA 105 - MIAMI 106
ORLANDO 103 - UTAH 98
The Spurs emerged with another convincing victory, this time downing Baron Davis and the Warriors. Tim Duncan had a monstrous game, amassing 31 points, 16 rebounds, 5 blocks and 4 assists, while shooting 13-18 from the field. In Philadelphia, the Heat staged a miraculous 4th quarter comeback, capped by Dwyane Wade's dramatic buzzer-beating jumper. Down by 8 late in the fourth, Shaq scored 7 straight points, part of his game high 34, to bring Miami within one with just under 10 seconds remaining. The Heat got the ball to Wade, who was promptly doubled. Wade rifled a pass to Smush Parker, who drove the lane. As the defense collapsed, Parker kicked it back out to Wade, who took two dribble forward, and with Igoudala draped all over him, pulled up for leaning 15 footer, which found nothing but net as time expired. Igoudala, still searching for his first triple-double of the season, narrowly missed it, with 21 points, 10 assists, and 8 rebounds. In Orlando, Rashard Lewis finished with his second double-double of the year, pulling in 28 points and 12 boards, and leading the Magic in a win over Utah.


NOV. 28: ODEN NO MATCH FOR NENE AS PACERS CONTINUE TO ROLL


INDIANA 115 - PORTLAND 104
July Jones played probably his worst 3 quarters of basketball in NBA, followed by perhaps his best. Having scored just 2 points off free throws and missed all 5 of his shots through the first 3 quarters of play, July Jones stepped up big time in the 4th, scoring 15 points on 7-8 field goals. With Indiana holding a 6 point lead early in the 4th, Brandon Roy and Jarrett Jack started to heat up, and it looked like Portland would make a strong push. But every time the Blazers grabbed some momentum, July Jones cam right back and hit a big shot, or found an open teammate, and single-handedly carried the Pacers to victory in the 4th quarter. Though both Barbosa and Tinsley outscored Jones in the game, it was Jones' late game heroics that captured the win. Strangely, Ike Diogu lead the Pacers in assists with a career-high 7 dimes. Roy and Jack both scored 28 in the game to lead the Trailblazers.
Player of the Game: July Jones (17 PTS, 7-13 FG, 6 AST, 5 REB, 2 STL)

MILWAUKEE 109 - LA LAKERS 110
MEMPHIS 115 - DENVER 94
NEW YORK 122 - CHICAGO 102
Kobe Bryant once again put the Lakers on his back and carried them to victory, scoring 41 points, already his 5th 40+ this season, in an overtime win against Milwaukee. The next highest scoring Laker was Derek Fisher with 18. Kobe also finished with 5 steals and 2 blocks. The Grizzlies duo of Mike Miller and Damon Stoudemire continues to defy expectations and terrorize the opposition, combining for 70 points in the win over Denver. No other Grizzly scored in double figures. Chicago appears to finally be feeling the loss of Ben Wallace to a broken nose, losing 3 or their last 4, and being blown out by New York. Jamal Crawford scored a season-high 31 points, to along with 9 assists, in leading the Knicks to victory. Stephon Marbury also poured in 31 and 9, and Z-Bo contributed 27 points of his own.


NOV. 29: PACERS WINNING STREAK HALTED AT 4 GAMES

GAME PHOTOS NOT AVAILABLE

INDIANA 87 - GOLDEN STATE 90
Despite an admirable 4th quarter comeback, in which the Pacers outscored the Warriors 24-13, Indiana's season best winning streak was stopped at 4 games. Every Warrior scored in the game, with the bench accounting for 27 points on 75% shooting. Tinsley and Jones both played exceptional defense on Baron Davis, combining to limit him to 9 points, though he collect 10 assists and 4 steals. The biggest reason the Pacers lost tis game was their inability to hit shots from downtown. Indiana went 4-17 on 3-point attempts, a mere 23.5% success rate. Considering that the game was won by only 3 points, some consistency from beyond the arc likely would have propelled the Pacers, who were lead by Nene's 19 points, to victory. Golden State by no means played an incredible game, they were simply fortunate that the Pacers were missing wide open looks all night long. Stephen Jackson lead all scorers with 22 points.
Player of the Game: Nene (19 PTS, 4 REB, 4 STL, 3 AST, 3 BLK)

SAN ANTONIO 101 - UTAH 87
NEW YORK 76 - CLEVELAND 95
HOUSTON 91 - PHOENIX 80
NEW JERSEY 112 - BOSTON 70
The Spurs seem to be back to their winning ways, following up their 3 game losing streak with 3 consecutive victories. Tim Duncan again posted a monstrous stat line, finishing the game with 42 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks, and 2 steals. He also shot an incredible 20-30 from the floor. Cleveland took full advantage of the shorthanded Knicks squad, who were playing without starters Quentin Richardson and Zach Randolph, as well as Renaldo Balkman, Nate Robinson, and Randolph Morris. Both LeBron and Larry Hughes cam close to a triple-double, with LeBron scoring 21 points, 8 assists, and 8 rebounds, while Hughes posted 17 points, 7 assists, and 7 steals (his second game of 7 steals this year). Phoenix lost, on the road, for the first time with Grant Hill in the starting lineup. McGrady poured in 33 points and 9 assists, leading all players in both categories. In New Jersey, the Nets demolished the powerhouse Celtics, thanks to an amazing performance from Vince Carter. Carter finished with a season-high 47 points, 9 assists, and 6 rebounds, but he was not without help. All 5 starters for the Nets scored in double figures. For Boston, it was the first game this year in which Garnett, Pierce, and Allen all failed to register 20 points.


NOV. 30: JAZZ OVERCOME 35 POINTS FROM KOBE TO DOWN LAKERS

UTAH 95 - LA LAKERS 89
DETROIT 68 - MIAMI 86
Only 2 games on schedule tonight. Utah snapped a 3 game losing streak, thanks in large part to Carlos Boozer. He scored 13 of his team-high 26 points in the 4th quarter, effectively killing any Laker comeback. Kobe, as has become his routine, again topped the 30 point plateau, leading all scorers with 35. In Detroit, the Pistons had their worst offensive showing of the young season, shooting an abysmal 26.8% from the floor on their way to a mere 68 total points. Dwyane Wade lead Miami with 33 points.


DEC. 1: DURANT SHINES AS SONICS SURPASS PACERS

GAME PHOTOS NOT AVAILABLE

INDIANA 96 - SEATTLE 98
It took Kevin Durant's best game as a pro, along with Ridnour's best game of the season, for the Sonics to beat the Pacers, and that's exactly what they got. Seattle squeaked out a 2 point victory, riding Durant and Ridnour all the way. Durant dropped 26 points, 9 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 2 steals in what was not only his best offensive game in the NBA, but also his best all around game as well. Ridnour lead all scorers with 31 points, including the game clinching shot with 15 seconds left to play, while adding 7 assists, and 5 rebounds. Nene just kept on beasting for the Pacers, recording his 9th double-double of the year with 16 points and 14 rebounds. Barbosa poured in a team-high 20 points in the loss, but he missed 2 key free throws in the final minute which would have tied the game. The 3-point line was once again the Pacers Achilles heel, shooting 4-16 for 25% from downtown.
Player of the Game: Luke Ridnour (31 PTS, 7 AST, 5 REB, 2 STL, 1 BLK)

ORLANDO 97 - PORTLAND 111
CHARLOTTE 98 - BOSTON 89
MILWAUKEE 84 - PHOENIX 103
Rookie Greg Oden finally showed why he was drafted #1 overall by the Blazers this past summer. Coming into the game, Oden was shooting a horrendous 31.3% from the floor, and he seemed like he was in over his head more often than not. But matched up against Dwight Howard, a likely rival for years to come, Oden did not disappoint. He scored a career-high 25 points, on 11-16 field goals, while grabbing 9 rebounds, and blocking 3 shots. Jarrett Jack also had a career-night, recording a personal best 15 assists, 4 better than his previous record. Charlotte looks as though they might be to Boston as Golden State was last year to Dallas: the Bobcats absolutely have the C's number, owing a 3-0 record against Boston, and outscoring them by an average margin of 11 points. Gerald Wallace scored 25 points in the win, adding 9 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 2 steals. Phoenix bounced right back from their loss to Houston, beating Milwaukee on the strength of 30 points from Shawn Marion, who is somewhat surprisingly currently leading the Suns in points per game.


DEC. 2: PAYTON SCORES SEASON-HIGH 21 IN NUGGETS WIN OVER PACERS

GAME PHOTOS NOT AVAILABLE

INDIANA 90 - DENVER 114
Pacers fans missed out on a chance to see Mike Dunleavy back in Indiana, as he was sidelined by a broken toe. Nene, however, was able to play against his former team, and his performance was in entirely forgettable. In fact, it may have been the worst game Nene has played as a Pacers. In addition to shooting only 3-12 on the night, Nene also seemed a step behind the play, and did not compete with his usual intensity. Babrosa lead all scorers with 22 points, while Carmelo Anthony and Gary Payton both finished with 21. Kareem Rush and Andre Owens combined to torch their former team for 18 points on 7-9 shooting, playing key roles in the win.
Player of the Game: Kenyon Martin (15 PTS, 6-11 FG, 11 REB, 2 AST, 2 BLK)

SACRAMENTO 93 - SAN ANTONIO 90
CLEVELAND 112 - HOUSTON 72
MIAMI 119 - MEMPHIS 123
PHILADELPHIA 100 - NEW JERSEY 97
Sacramento put a stop to the Spurs latest winning streak, with Mike Bibby the main catalyst behind the upset. he scored 30 points and picked up 12 assists, 3 steals, and 3 blocks. Cleveland, playing without the injured Larry Hughes, crushed the Rockets, who have been very inconsistent thus far, by 40 points. LeBron collected 35 points, 11 rebounds, and 7 assists in the win. In Miami, the visiting Grizzlies achieved a historical feat. For second time this year, the same 2 teammates each scored 40+ points in the same game, as Mike Miller and Mighty Mouse again combined for 82 points, 42 and 40, respectively. This is the 3rd 40+ point outburst for Miller, who now sits at 7th place on the points per game leaders list with 28.5. The Sixers emerged from a tight battle against the Nets with a 3 point victory. kyle Korver buried the game winning 3, part of his game and season-high 33 points.


So the Pacers finish Week 5 with an 8-9 record, and are beginning to look more and more like a legitimate playoff team, if only they could find some consistency.

PACER OF THE WEEK: Leandro Barbosa
Barbosa captures his first Pacer of the Week honors after leading Indiana in points per game over week 5. His averages for the week were 21.2 points, 3.4 assists, 2.2 rebounds, 0.8 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game, while shooting 48.8% from the floor, 33.3% from downtown, and 77.8% from the line.

PIC OF THE WEEK:
PJ Brown Stuffs in Aldridge's Grill




Up Next: Comprehensive stats updates, monthly NBA recap, monthly power rankings.

[Its_asdf]

Boo... You beat the Raptors.

Tough losses to Golden State and Seattle (Close games... I hate losing those especially knowing that a free throw or jumper here and there could have won the game).

Your inability to hit three is really starting to show. You're going to need a lot more offensive firepower from beyond the arc if you're going to win, especially with Jim O'Brien's bombs-away style of playing offence.