PG Pacers Game 5 - Big Win

[old skool]

What a game.

Great performances by lots of individuals and the team as a unit.

But. Rivers is oft criticized for his lack of adjustments. Adjustments galore in this series.

Beverly moves to the starting line up at the end of the RS.

With Giannis and Lillard sitting out Game 4, Portis gets ejected but the team is still competitive.

Crowder goes from major minutes to DNP in Game 5 as the Bucks go with mostly a 7 man rotation, with a resuscitated Danilo Gallinari contributing a not-horrible 20 minutes as an important part of that 7 man rotation.

Indy's 3-point shooting is disrupted by a scheme that fortifies the perimeter while conceding 2s.

Small forward Pat Connaughton assumes emergency backup PG duties, bringing the ball up against pressure and initiating the offense.

In a do or die game 5 Rivers goes all in playing a gimpy Middleton and a mercurial Portis 21 minutes each. In the first half.

Malik Beasley gets only 10 minutes in the first half, but 18 minutes in the second half when he scored 18 points on 7 for 11 shooting, 4 for 6 from 3-point, had 3 strong rebounds and 3 steals. Props to Beasley for a great game, but also props to the coaching staff for keeping him engaged and ready to contribute after being demoted from the starting lineup and having his minutes reduced.

The Bucks were a race car, trying to compete after blowing their engine and losing their steering and half their tires. Doc took the leftover parts and assembled a car that might not win the race, but a car that looks like it can compete in, if not win, any race. Heck, maybe a car that could even win the Indy 500.

[JonHeist]

PatBev will be back next year

Haslam will slip him something under the table if need be

[jimmybones]

Also Pat Bev’s “too little” taunt is the most chef’s kiss thing when he’s on your team.

I find it corny even on my team but maybe I'm just getting old

[CharityStripe34]

Also Pat Bev’s “too little” taunt is the most chef’s kiss thing when he’s on your team.

I find it corny even on my team but maybe I'm just getting old

It's corny as all hell, that and the "flashing a trey" gesture after a dude makes one wide-open three. And I'm not old.

[WiscoKing13]

Keeping an eye on the betting line the last 4 to 6 hrs and it hasn't changed from +8. Apparently they don't think either guy will be healthy.

Sent from my SM-G991U using RealGM mobile app

[MissKhriddleton]

Keeping an eye on the betting line the last 4 to 6 hrs and it hasn't changed from +8. Apparently they don't think either guy will be healthy.

Sent from my SM-G991U using RealGM mobile app

+620 to take the series…

[WiscoKing13]

Something that hasn't been talked about enough is Tyrese looking worse and worse as this series goes on. He can easily be out this game or pulled at any point for back issues.

Sent from my SM-G991U using RealGM mobile app

[MickeyDavis]

Keeping an eye on the betting line the last 4 to 6 hrs and it hasn't changed from +8. Apparently they don't think either guy will be healthy.

Sent from my SM-G991U using RealGM mobile app

+620 to take the series…

It opened at 9 and is currently 7.5 at my book so there has been some movement but not for the last several hours. Waiting on the injury report. If both are doubtful on the initial injury report later this afternoon there will be movement up. If it's questionable there may be movement down.

[Ruben Quevedo]

A fun win but it felt like a classic "moral victory" (in the context of the series as a whole) where everything goes right but none of it is sustainable. I hope that game doesn't influence any roster decisions this offseason.

Playing defense isn't sustainable?

I still saw Pat/Khris/Bobby/Brook getting torched on dribble drives. We scrambled really well, forced turnovers, and Indy missed their 3's.

Put Giannis back in the lineup and we are still too slow.

[soxperry]

A fun win but it felt like a classic "moral victory" (in the context of the series as a whole) where everything goes right but none of it is sustainable. I hope that game doesn't influence any roster decisions this offseason.

Playing defense isn't sustainable?

I still saw Pat/Khris/Bobby/Brook getting torched on dribble drives. We scrambled really well, forced turnovers, and Indy missed their 3's.

Put Giannis back in the lineup and we are still too slow.

Sure... But we should still win the minutes hes on the court pretty easily. As long as Khris can tread water in his off minutes, we're golden

[Ron Swanson]

Can't really keep using this "they just didn't hit their 3's" excuse when they made one more 3-pointer than we did (12 to 11). Again, letting Turner and Siakam hoist above-the-break 3's is a good strategy (they went 2-for-8 combined, with only one attempt coming from the corners). Also, Indiana has only been a slightly above-average 3PT shooting team all year (15th in attempts, 9th in efficiency). Even without Giannis or Dame, we attacked the rim (20 to 13 FT advantage) and controlled the pace. We're shooting 37% from 3 for the series to their 35%. If anything, Game 4 was a complete outlier for them, and we're the ones due for an outlier type shooting night. Let's just hope it happens Thursday.

[emunney]

Can't really keep using this "they just didn't hit their 3's" excuse when they made one more 3-pointer than we did (12 to 11). Again, letting Turner and Siakam hoist above-the-break 3's is a good strategy (they went 2-for-8 combined, with only one attempt coming from the corners). Also, Indiana has only been a slightly above-average 3PT shooting team all year (15th in attempts, 9th in efficiency). Even without Giannis or Dame, we attacked the rim (20 to 13 FT advantage) and controlled the pace. We're shooting 37% from 3 for the series to their 35%. If anything, Game 4 was a complete outlier for them, and we're the ones due for an outlier type shooting night. Let's just hope it happens Thursday.

Since he became a starter, Siakam's had 1 series where he shot > 25% from 3. Plus it makes it that much harder for him to get on the offensive glass. I let him shoot long jumpers until his arm falls off.

The value trade-off isn't as extreme as it is for Giannis but it does point you to the same tactic.

[chonestown]

Also Pat Bev’s “too little” taunt is the most chef’s kiss thing when he’s on your team.

I find it corny even on my team but maybe I'm just getting old

It's corny as all hell, that and the "flashing a trey" gesture after a dude makes one wide-open three. And I'm not old.

Should do the Ken Powers moneyshot gesture.imo

[-Jragon-]

News looking good on GA and DL

[Profound23]

I find it corny even on my team but maybe I'm just getting old

It's corny as all hell, that and the "flashing a trey" gesture after a dude makes one wide-open three. And I'm not old.

Should do the Ken Powers moneyshot gesture.imo

I don't think it's corny, just overused. Using a too small on someone when you had to maneuver every which way to get off a layup is weird.

Using it after you dunk on someone makes sense. But I get it when you're a player the size of Pat going against Giants.

[MoreTrife]

I find it corny even on my team but maybe I'm just getting old

It's corny as all hell, that and the "flashing a trey" gesture after a dude makes one wide-open three. And I'm not old.

Should do the Ken Powers moneyshot gesture.imo

[MoreTrife]

News looking good on GA and DL

What are you seeing?

[Profound23]

News looking good on GA and DL

What did you hear besides Doc's weird quote of "I don't know" followed up by "very, very, very close."

I think they are both back tomorrow even if it means rushing them back. I hope I am wrong about the rushing them back part but I think they just see it as the time to do it.

[MickeyDavis]

News looking good on GA and DL

What are you seeing?

Always provide a link when posting stuff like this.

[BigO]

Agree. I hope no one with decision-making power is looking at that game and thinking our "others" are fine. Everybody who played last night can GTFO if it makes my favorite team better.

Well I agree roster decisions shouldn't be based on one game, but many of you want to make roster decisions based on two stars not being able to play. That's even worse.

You're talking to the guy who wanted Jae and Pat out of here before the season started. The guy who was virtually begging for Dairy Bird to get some playing time. Before the trade deadline, I was posting about blowing it all up, even BEFORE Griff was fired. So, no sir, I'm not operating from recency bias. We need an infusion of athletic youth or we are doomed.

Supreme, you convinced me that you're not the ringleader of the Luddite faction of RealGM.

And of course, can't argue against getting more athletic. It's like being against apple pie.

However, being doomed with a starting lineup which includes Dame, KM and Giannis is hardly being doomed. Even in their prime, KM and Dame were never athletic.

I want basketball skills more than athleticism and all three are elite in that area.

You can argue they'll never be healthy, but that's a different discussion.

This season, when the big 3 were together on the floor, they were the best in the league. And that's with a flawed Beasley on the floor with them. If that's doomed, sign me up.