Anyone else getting tired of negative predictions?

[Donerik]

Today I was reading a season outlook from TSN http://www.tsn.ca/nba/story/?id=289831 that sights they Key losses of Jarrett Jack and Queezy as the reason we're irrelevant to make the 8th playoff spot.

with quotes like "By the time they have money to spend they'll just be starting their rebuilding process, with few knock-'em-dead assets to build around due to season finishes too good to land top lottery picks but too bad to ever sniff at the post-season."

I wasn't aware that 9th was "too bad to ever sniff at the post-season" the last two years haven't we been eliminated in the last 5 games?

I liked JJ and Queezy, but really, Mike Dunleavy's Return can't offset Queezy? and while the loss of JJ hurts it's not like Earl Watson is bad...nor are TJ, the once again healthy TD, and AJ? I dunno I hope so.

I just question whether NBA writers take the time to put in and research this dribble or do they grab some stats from the NBA's website, and type out some generic rantings consistent with what other NBA writers are putting out so that they can collect a paycheck.

Seems to me that a lot of the Eastern conference teams have some talent, but do I really depend on the bulls youth, the volatile situation in Atlanta, and Dwayne Wade winning 43 games by himself to keep us out of the playoffs? Oh and Gilbert Arenas's knees.

[Miller4ever]

Every team in the East has a reason to look sexier than the Pacers. They always rate us 5-8 games less than we win, but we don't impress anybody since we don't make the playoffs. I think after this 8th seed season we will jolt some people awake. Many writers base predictions off of popularity, to pander to readers, and the Pacers just aren't popular or sexy to pick right now. I find myself shaking my head whenever I read one of the many predictions that have us way too low and it's obvious they just haven't watched us. I want the Pacers to make the playoffs, but right now it's more important to me that we improve from last season.

[Dunthreevy]

I'm not getting tired of the predictions. They make me chuckle, and in the end our team gets to prove sports writers typically don't know what they're talking about.

[notque]

They are irrelevant to me. The question is, have we improved.

I consider Jones Jones, and Watson as not significant. That leaves us about where we were.

A team that can beat anyone, but cannot sustain efficient scoring and defense. That changes if Hibbert and Rush improve.

We improve as far as they improve, and that's the season. Will be fun to watch.

[pacersrule08]

I mean they are funny to laugh at.

Mark my word the Pacers go 44-38 this season. Get 6th or 7th spot in the playoffs

[Dcbaseballer52]

I think we just have to realize that we as Pacer fans are biased in favor of them and most of us take the best case scenario and turn it into our expectations

[fienX420]

Too bad writers are never held accountable for their stupid predictions. The media is way off base on where they're projecting the Pacers. We were so close in so many games last year. The return of Dunleavy and the development of Rush and Hibbert should be more than enough to get us over the hump in most of those close games. I'm not really a big fan of what we did in the off-season, but I don't think we took a huge step back. I really think we'll be in the 45 win range which will probably surprise a lot of media folk. I thought we'd be a lot better last year too, but losing Mike hurt a lot. And after losing Marquis for a significant stretch, it was too much to ask to lean on Rush. This year, unless TJ Ford really falters, I think we will be very competitive.

[8305]

On one hand it does sting a little to see the Pacers getting no respect. For the Pacers organization it hurts too in that a little more positive buzz could help ticket sales. From a competitive standpoint Jim B'Brien has to be liking it. Lots of bulletin board material and flying below the radar will create some games where opponents come out with less than their A game. I'm sure that happened regularly last year. I think this year's team has the horses to take advanatage.

The development of Rush and HIbbert and the addition of Watson, D Jones, S. Jones and Hansbrough will more than make up for the loss of Jack and Daniels. Anyone not picking that up isn't analyzing the situation completely.

[cdash]

Who cares? That's why they play the games.

[DC2]

This is the way I look at it.

These writers are not Pacer fans. I'm not saying we're homers, because we have a case in why we think we have a chance at the playoffs, but these guys look at stats, not team character. This team does not jump off the paper. It's their teamwork that will make them a playoff team.

From their angle, teams like Chicago and Toronto are more attractive because they have a bigger fan base and better statistical potential. Be honest, if you weren't a Pacer fan, would you look at this team and say "This is a playoff team"? I'd doubt it, but we know our Pacers. We know that the way this team fits and the great attitude they have makes their talent go much farther.

Look at the Grizzlies. They have much more talent, and are much more athletic, but their pieces don't compliment eachother. Rudy Gay and OJ Mayo are an amazingly talented duo but both demand the ball too much for them to play well together. We on the other hand have Dunleavy and Granger who compliment each other very well (on offense) and can play off each others strengths, unlike the Mayo/Gay combo. That alone will make the Pacers a better team, but, what duo looks more attractive on paper? Mayo is going into his second year, in which he should make a significant leap, and Gay of course could be an amazingly talented wing all-star if he had his head on straight and had the motivation to fulfill that potential. I think we have our answer. These writers look at the talent and the stats, not team character and how teams fit. In the end they will be wrong and they will look at the Pacers and say "where did this team come from?".

[Gremz]

Hey, I kinda like the media attention. No news is bad news for me.

[IrishLuck31]

every single fan base always has a reason to be hopeful about the upcoming season. well, except maybe the Nets and Bucks, lol. I mean, Raptors can look forward to all their off season European acquisitions, Wiz fans will point towards the now healthy Gilbert Arenas, Pistons have gotten rid of Rasheed Wallace and now have younger talent in Gordon and Villanueva, the Bulls can be excited about Luol Deng returning and D-Rose maturing, the Sixers are looking to build on pushing the Magic in the postseason while incorporating all-star Elton Brand into the lineup, the Knicks have Dantoni to work his magic as that Italian bloke starts to blossom into a legit scorer...etc. (I dont agree with all of these being big improvements) but the point is in the off-season reports from all the team's websites will try to highlight the positive play, team unity, improvement etc. It is natural to feel hopeful with a blank slate.

all that being said, I do feel more confident about the Pacer's season that most "experts" are giving us. not sure how much is due to me being biased and mainly just reading Pacer's reports though.... I mean IF granger stays healthy, Rush/Hibbert improve, TJ ford figures out how to make his teammates better like a true PG should, and we step up the defensive intensity/can close a few more games out... then yea, we should be a playoff team. but let's be honest - those are some big IF's. especially Rush/Hibbert improving dramatically - Im not sure if I see that happening

[SonicYouth34]

I am. I think you guys are gonna be good this year. You guys have great young talent, better than any other young team IMO.

Granger
Hibbert
Rush
Hansboroh
Ford

That's a solid core.

[MillerTime101]

I dont see the point in bashing these writers, someone said above how they always peg us to win 5-8 games less then we actually do but I bet most people here peg us to win at least 5-8 more then we do.

So no im not getting tired of these predictions because I (and most of the posters here) are taking them for what they are worth, entertainment and something to read until the season starts and they become garbage.

[MattBoner]

I mean they are funny to laugh at.

Mark my word the Pacers go 44-38 this season. Get 6th or 7th spot in the playoffs

You're funny to laugh at

[xxSnEaKyPxx]

Honestly, I do not blame them for their predictions. On paper, we have gotten a lot worse.

Earl Watson might be a good fill-in, but hes no Jarrett Jack. We will miss Jack's leadership a lot next year, losing him will hurt us more than some think. Then you follow that up by losing a guy like Marquis Daniels, who is a lot better than Jones. So our two biggest FA pieces are cancelled out by much better players leaving us.

If we are going to get better, it will come with the improvement of Hibbert and Rush, and how much of an impact Hansbrough will make. Problem is, its really hard to predict a bright future with so many rookies hitting a sophmore slump. Thats not to say I think they will, but you can't predict we'll get better under the assumption they will get a lot better, especially when we've lost two key players from last year. Obviously we are getting Dunleavy back too, but who knows how healthy he will actually be. I really don't expect much from him this year, I think a year off from basketball will be like starting from scratch with him, hopefully I'm wrong though.

I personally think we will get better, I have faith in Rush and Hibbert to improve - but I can understand why everyone else thinks we got worse.

[glasket]

http://www.nba.com/2009/news/features/f ... index.html

Check the above article out. It's from NBA.com and says we have improved and finally shifted our focus on defence.