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Roy Hibbert and the Indiana Pacers are struggling mightily in the face of increased expectations (Ball Don’t Lie)

Nov 152012

With the Chicago Bulls undergoing an unfortunate waiting period with star guard Derrick Rose on the shelf, and the Boston Celtics seemingly rebuilding on the fly after watching Ray Allen take his senior act down to South Beach, the Indiana Pacers were everyone’s pick take the East’s mantle as The Second Greatest Thang Besides the Heat. After all, the Pacers gave Miami a good show in last May’s second round loss to the Heat, and internal development combined with a full year of workhorse coach Frank Vogel’s machinations seemed to line all the breadcrumbs toward a second seed season.
Just nine games in, the Pacers might still be well on their way to that spot come spring, but the start to the 2012-13 season has been an absolute miss. The squad has lost six out of nine games to begin the campaign, and even with 73 to play that record hardly seems to resemble how awful the team has looked. Yes, it is holding its own defensively, and we’re all mindful of the fact that scoring swingman Danny Granger will be out for a while due to some worrying knee issues, but the Pacers reek.
And with Granger away from the media’s glare, and Paul George too green to take on all the slings and arrows, max contract-outfitted Roy Hibbert is left to answer for his team’s slow start. True to form, and somewhat making up for the dodgy start, the All-Star big man is holding his own in terms of explanation. From NBA.com’s Steve Aschburner :
” […] 23 minutes he spent on the Pacers’ bench, compared to his 25 in the game, were just as bad. Hibbert rolled his eyes at calls and non-calls, slammed his towel to the floor when Bucks’ shooters got friendly bounces and covered his face time and again. At one point, his 7-foot-2 self was folded into the open chair next to him, face down, anguishing through a butt-kicking that got to 32 points at one juncture against Milwaukee.
Then, the Pacers center beat himself up pretty bad in the visitors’ dressing room, too.

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Danny Granger (left knee injury) to miss 3 months in big blow for Pacers (Ball Don’t Lie)

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Nov 072012

A season of high hopes for the Indiana Pacers began with some bad news, as leading scorer Danny Granger was sidelined indefinitely just before the team’s first game with a sore left knee. On Wednesday morning, the news went from bad to worse as the “indefinite” shelving was replaced by a more definitive timeline that could derail Indiana’s hoped-for ascension to the No. 2 seed in a largely up-for-grabs Eastern Conference.
In a press release , the Pacers announced that Granger had received an injection “to treat left patellar tendinosis” on Tuesday, and that team medical personnel estimates the forward’s recovery time at about three months. NBA fans might be more familiar with the layman’s term for patellar tendinosis, “jumper’s knee,” perhaps most famously suffered by then-Toronto Raptors star Vince Carter during the 2000-01 season ; he’d miss 66 games over the next three seasons.
Three months puts Granger in line for a return in the beginning of February; if it’s three months from Tuesday on the dot, he’d be looking at coming back for Indy’s Feb. 6, 2013, road matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers. According to the Pacers’ schedule , that comeback would follow 45 missed games, in addition to the four he’s already missed. After tiptoeing through the tulips as one of the NBA’s healthiest, injury-luckiest, most stable teams a season ago, the Pacers will play without their leading scorer — who, while not necessarily an iron man, has missed just seven games over the past two campaigns — for more than 60 percent of this year. Not quite what general manager Kevin Pritchard, head coach Frank Vogel or Pacers fans had in mind, to be sure, and a loss that will make Indiana’s path from now through February significantly more difficult to navigate.

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Indiana Pacers Open Season with Road Victory Over Toronto Raptors: Fan Reaction (Yahoo! Contributor Network)

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Nov 012012

Around these parts, we like to think that our Indiana Pacers are building into something really special, a team that can stand toe-to-toe with superpowers of the NBA. After all, a half-decade of basketball darkness was punctuated by Frank Vogel’s ascendancy to the head coach’s throne two seasons ago, and the team’s trajectory has pointed upwards ever since. Once the playoffs start, Hoosiers are pretty confident that we’re going to see some exciting and competitive games, if not something really big. …

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Why Jason Terry’s Comments About Lakers, Heat Will Set Celtics Up for Failure

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Sep 262012

If his new tattoo’s message wasn’t loud and clear enough, Jason Terry now has some choice words for the two clubs most likely to impede his title hopes (via CSNNE Celtics Insider A. Sherrod Blakely):

“My mission is to kill; whether it’s the Heat, whether it’s the Lakers. Hopefully both. That’s my mission, and that’s what I’m here to do,” Terry said on Tuesday shortly before teeing off at the Fifth Annual USI Shamrock Classic which was hosted by the Boston Celtics Shamrock Foundation.

That’s one way of putting it.

This wouldn’t be the first time the sixth-man assassin played an integral role in a championship run, so the Celtics have every reason to believe he’ll do the same for them. And just as his 2010-11 Mavericks were hardly title favorites from day one, Boston enters the season trailing the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat in most title discussions.

And as improved as these Celtics are, few would dispute that the Lakers and Heat appear to have an edge—at least to some extent, and at least at this very moment.

That’s precisely why a cold-blooded assassin is needed.

But Terry’s comments are almost as dangerous as his pull-up jumper, and this time for the Celtics. Before responding with reminders about the importance of competitive fire and all that good stuff, you should remember that Boston already has plenty.

There’s enough edge in Kevin Garnett to go around the entire Eastern Conference. This team isn’t short on passion.

Beyond the question of necessity, though, there’s the more important question of prudence.

Is it really a good idea for Terry to be barking up this tree?

If you’re selling tickets, of course it is. Regardless of what JET contributes on the floor, he’s one heck of a marketing gimmick. In case the Celtics and Lakers didn’t already have enough of a rivalry going, Terry will fix that in short order.

And as Ray Allen’s replacement, he personifies the jilted lover’s new catch. Should the Celtics and Heat again butt heads in the postseason, the opportunity for Terry to outperform Allen and make him regret his defection would instantly rank as one of the most intriguing subplots.

Apparently, Terry is already making sure of just that, announcing his intent well in advance.

While such fodder is well-suited to drumming up hype, it also risks firing up a couple of clubs who aren’t likely to be intimidated. Does anyone really think L.A.’s savvy veterans and Miami’s big egos are in the least bit phased?

Herein lies the dangerous part.

Terry’s comments are going to end up on a locker-room chalkboard at some point, and it won’t be Boston’s. This is the kind of provocation that provokes in all the wrong ways—just ask the Indiana Pacers.

With a none-too-subtle chip on on their shoulders, the Pacers at times seemed more concerned with the optics of the semifinals than just doing their jobs and winning games. Danny Granger was getting in faces, Lance Stephenson (who?) was taunting LeBron James and head coach Frank Vogel was calling out Miami’s floppiness.

It all made for great entertainment.

Chances are it wound up distracting the wrong team though. The Heat appeared ever-so-briefly flustered in the series only to wrap said series up with renewed focus and the kind of business-like attitude that eluded Indiana.

We can only speculate about the psychology underlying such a turnaround, but no one would be surprised if that renewed focus were the product (at least in part) of the Heat taking umbrage with Indiana’s tough-guy sensibilities.

Terry’s incendiary remarks run a similar risk.

He may be trying to fire of his team and fans alike, but he could be firing up the wrong side, always a dangerous proposition when “stay-puft” bouncer Dexter Pittman is on the other team.

While Miami and Los Angeles are more likely to respond with a cold-blooded professionalism than commensurate theatrics, the other problem is that Terry is implicitly creating expectations for Boston. The Celtics probably have a better shot at the title than many outside Boston think, but that’s the last thing anyone inside the locker room should be worried about.

A good quarterback always tells the media he’s thinking about next week’s game, not the Super Bowl.

Terry should do the same.

Read more Boston Celtics news on BleacherReport.com

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Hibbert situation puts Pacers in pickle

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Jul 022012

Roy Hibbert isnt Wilt Chamberlain but Hibbert does stand 7-foot-2. He did average 12.8 points and 8.8 rebounds per game with the Pacers this past season. He did block and alter shots, and he did make opponents think twice before driving to the basket.

Hibbert and the Pacers probably challenged the championship-winning Heat more than anyone else who faced the Heat in the playoffs. Hibbert was a big reason why, as the Heat really had no one to match his overall presence in the pivot.

Hibbert, 25, was also an All-Star. So its safe to say the Pacers cant afford to lose him for nothing.

But that could be the case, as the Trail Blazers reportedly will offer Hibbert a four-year contract worth 58 million. Hibbert cant officially sign the offer until July 11, when the moratorium ends. Because hes a restricted free agent, the Pacers will have three days to match.

All of this is interesting for a number of reasons.

First, it really shows us what a center — a real center — is worth these days. Hibbert is far from dominant, but he is long, and he is good. He plays the game like centers did in the NBAs early days. Or more accurately, like centers played in the early 1990s.

He positions himself on the low blocks, puts his back to the basket and calls for the ball. He rarely bothers to shoot outside of 10-feet. And with guys such as Danny Granger, Paul George and David West, the Pacers didnt really play an inside-out game — but Hibbert at least gives them that option at times.

That makes him a valuable asset. Especially for a team like the Blazers, who probably wish they were offering this type of contract to former No. 1 overall pick Greg Oden. Instead, Oden has been injury-prone and ineffective, and is likely to get a much smaller offer somewhere else.

Then theres the whole Nicolus Batum situation. Hes the Blazers starting small forward who is also a restricted free agent. Like Hibbert, Batum is considered one of the biggest prizes in this years free agent class. Batum will most definitely receive an offer from another team, perhaps a sizeable one.

If the Blazers are able to keep Hibbert, it would be difficult for them to match a deal received by Batum (also restricted).

But back to the Pacers.

The Hibbert situation creates quite a conundrum. If they match, theyre going to push themselves right up against the salary cap and limit flexibility for years to come. This for a team thats coming off its best season in quite some time and is on its way up — but could still afford to add at least a piece, maybe two.

Then again, dont match the Blazers offer, and the Pacers have taken a huge step back.

These are the challenges of free agency, new collective-bargaining agreement be darned. Thats particularly the case when youre talking about a true center in these days of mostly marshmallows in the middle.

Basically, Hibberts overall game, his size and his familiarity with coach Frank Vogel and his teammates makes him a man the Pacers need to keep. At any price, even the one the Blazers will force them to pay.

Hibbert may not be Chamberlain, but in todays market, he warrants more money than Chamberlain ever made.

Thats both good and bad, but the Pacers really cant worry about it. They just need to keep a good thing going. In order to do that, they likely need to re-sign Hibbert and hope everything else continues to fall into place.

A good center is just too hard to find.

Follow Sam Amico on Twitter @SamAmicoFSO

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Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel can still spin a basketball on a toothbrush (VIDEO) (Ball Don’t Lie)

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Jun 212012

After the Indiana Pacers were eliminated by the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the playoffs last spring, video surfaced (thanks to Pacers Digest ) of an eager, smiling 13-year-old named Frank Vogel appearing on “Late Night with David Letterman” to show off a unique skill — the ability to spin a basketball on the tip of a toothbrush, then brush his teeth as the ball continued to spin — as part of Letterman’s popular “Stupid Human Tricks” segment. Unfortunately, the portrait of a future Pacers coach as a young talk-show star has since been yanked from YouTube, so it seemed like we would never, ever, ever again see Frank Vogel spin a basketball on the tip of a toothbrush, then brush his teeth as the ball continues to spin.
And then, Wednesday night happened.
Vogel was asked the all-important “can you still?” question at “The Big Why?,” an event benefiting the Indianapolis youth leadership organization Y-Press, where young Indianan journalists got the chance to practice their craft on Vogel and new Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano. Zak Keefer of the Indianapolis Star was on hand to cover the session and — saints be praised — he had a video camera:

Now that , friends, is the triumph of the human spirit and American ingenuity. U-S-A! U-S-A!
More from Keefer at the Star :

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Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel can still spin a basketball on a toothbrush (Ball Don’t Lie)

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Jun 212012

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Heat’s Obnoxious Celebration After Conference Finals Confirms Big 3′s Immaturity

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Jun 112012

Just when you thought it was time to forgive the Miami Heat and pull for LeBron James to earn that first title, this had to happen (via Huffpost Miami Staff):

ESPN cameras caught the Heat hopping around the locker room to definitely not the tune the NBA layered over the clip before uploading to YouTube. After Dwyane Wade and Norris Cole took the floor first, Chris Bosh wandered in the room at just the right time and immediately began killing it with go-go-Gadget arms (just like the game!). Turiaf kept the frenzy alive until LeBron James hopped in, at which point the Eastern Conference Champs became a frenzy of limbs led by a man dressed hilariously for the moment like Audrey Hepburn in “Funny Face”.

You don’t have to be a party-pooper to take umbrage with these kind of shenanigans. Nor need you sit in stoic judgement of a few guys who earned the opportunity to finally kick back and have a good time.

Yes, there’s certainly something premature—if not immature—about the display.

But, we already knew this club was predisposed to counting its chickens—or, as it were, titles—before any eggs have hatched. It was off-putting then, and it still is. The Heat have every right to celebrate, of course. The celebration should, however, be at least somewhat commensurate with the cause thereof.

Put in perspective, this is no time for dancing.

So far, this team has simply proven that it can do what it did a season ago, and nothing more. The Heat still don’t have a title in hand, much less the eight LeBron promised.

The more obnoxious part of all this is the hypocrisy, though.

Dancer-in-chief Dwyane Wade was, after all, the one who couldn’t let go of the Indiana Pacers‘ comparatively mundane celebratory routine after Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals. His primary grievance was that the Pacers were acting like they didn’t expect to win (via Fox Sports’ Chris Tomasson):

“I heard they wanted to be like the Dallas Mavericks, in a sense,” Wade said about an apparent reference to Pacers coach Frank Vogel using last year’s Mavs team, which beat the Heat in Miami for the title, as motivation for Indiana. “I saw their little celebration at the end of (Game 2). I don’t know if they didn’t expect to win, but every night we go out on the court, we expect to win.”

The “act like you’ve been there” lecture sounds great—so long as you actually walk the walk. Unfortunately, Wade would like to have it both ways. When he’s on the losing end, we get sour-grapes social commentary on the pitfalls of excessive glee.

When he’s on the other side, we get Wade’s apparent audition to be the next sporty participant on Dancing With the Stars.

There’s a fine case to be made on either end of the celebration debate. On the one hand, professionalism will always be classier than hipster glasses; and on the other, who cares if people want to have a good time after a job well done?

Wade can’t have it both ways, though. The only thing less consistent than his jumper in these playoffs is his logic.

Once he gets his story straight, Wade can dance all he likes.

Read more NBA news on BleacherReport.com

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