Pacers @ Spurs 10/27/10: 1st game of the season

[wilhelmthe1st]

Where's Dahntay Jones?

[jowglenn]

Roy with 28pts/9rebs/3assts/3blks
I bet he averages that this season

Nah, that's unlikely. This was the first game of the season, so you have to assume he'll get better.

something like 35/14/6/6 is much more likely.

[Pacersike]

Yeah Indy, don't foget he played against Duncan last night.
This could easily be his worst game of the season.

Expect him to have 45/15/8/8 games against less talented Centers.

[Gremz]

The Spurs will be a very good team this year as long as the big three stay healthy and Splitter incorporates well.

Great performance by the guys, same problem as usual thought right? Nothing left in the tank during the 4th.

[Wizop]

Spurs had another gear left for the end. we didn't. but we were good enough to stick with them for 40 minutes. the game left us with as many questions as answers. is Jeff hurt? TJ seems to realize what a contract year means. when will Paul regain his shooting touch? Posey is more than a throw in on a trade. is Tyler a tweener? etc

[8305]

Can't say that the oucome of this game is surprising at all. Their big three is definately a handful and at the end of the game we had no answer for them.

The question I have is, are we ever going to assemble a group that can play the pace O'Brien wants/allows them to play and not turn the ball over 20 times. Reduce that turnover number by 8 or so and we probably win that game. That stretch where TJ turned the ball over a couple of times and he and Dunleavy missed four straight free throws was basically the ball game. We never recovered from that.

I also wonder if you can get away with Dunleavy and Granger on the floor together for extensive periods of time and not get killed by the other teams wings. In this game it looked like Dunleavy could be taken off the dribble any time they wanted reguardless of who he was guarding. Granger had no answer for Manu. At some point O'Brien needs to realize this team will struggle defensively as long as he insists on trying cajole defense from guys who aren't very good at it rather than playing guys who can defend.

[Gremz]

Can't say that the oucome of this game is surprising at all. Their big three is definately a handful and at the end of the game we had no answer for them.

The question I have is, are we ever going to assemble a group that can play the pace O'Brien wants/allows them to play and not turn the ball over 20 times. Reduce that turnover number by 8 or so and we probably win that game. That stretch where TJ turned the ball over a couple of times and he and Dunleavy missed four straight free throws was basically the ball game. We never recovered from that.

I also wonder if you can get away with Dunleavy and Granger on the floor together for extensive periods of time and not get killed by the other teams wings. In this game it looked like Dunleavy could be taken off the dribble any time they wanted reguardless of who he was guarding. Granger had no answer for Manu. At some point O'Brien needs to realize this team will struggle defensively as long as he insists on trying cajole defense from guys who aren't very good at it rather than playing guys who can defend.

I really don't want to. I can't see a championshipe being built with that kind of playing style. Even the ridiculously good 06-07 Suns couldn't win a championship with a "No Defense" mentality, and I doubt we get near what they were. System change is in order to take the next step, hopefully next season.

[tsherkin]

Nice debut from Hibbert. Like the rebounding almost as much as the scoring... If he keeps up even 2/3s of that scoring production through the season, that's going to be a big help to the team this year.

[Granger da OG]

What was puzzling for me was Posey he's not big enough to play the 4. Foster and Tyler have to be better options. Kellogg was saying how good Posey was on D but he got beat twice off the dribble by Matt Bonner...............MATT BONNER. Posey is a shell of his former self...he needs to be an inactive mentor.

Mike Dunleavy may have played the worst defensive game I have seen. I mean it was bad.
I really cant believe I saying I cant wait for Rush to get back.

Ford may be ok as a back-up. He still makes team crushing mistakes it seems like though. His turnovers always happen at the worst times.

Danny, DC, Hibbert, and McBob rocked

[Miller4ever]

^^I agree with everything except maybe the Dunleavy thing. Not about his D, but about who should replace him. Paul George.

I HATE Posey at the 4. I think the idea stinks. I think going small stalled our offense more than anything else this game.

[dennis_mora91]

I lked the game but i do not understand why Tyler did not play. Solomon Jones have not nivel enought to play ... What did wrong with Foster?

[wilt]

Nice debut from Hibbert. Like the rebounding almost as much as the scoring... If he keeps up even 2/3s of that scoring production through the season, that's going to be a big help to the team this year.

Thserkin, you know your fair share about the NBA history and the Rockets. Is it just me or is this new Hibbert 2.0 starting to look a bit like Ralph Sampson ? The jump he made in terms of mobility is startling.

as a neutral observer on league pass replay i really enjoyed the game the Pacers played. Obviously as a fan you are upset with the result and the lack of defense, but i though it was really enjoyable

[tsherkin]

Thserkin, you know your fair share about the NBA history and the Rockets. Is it just me or is this new Hibbert 2.0 starting to look a bit like Ralph Sampson ? The jump he made in terms of mobility is startling.

No, not really. Sampson was a couple of inches taller and still more mobile than Hibbert was and had a broader offensive skillset.

But he was definitely encouraging. It's rare to see a guy that tall move like that unless he's exceptionally skinny. His mobility kind of reminded me of Kareem in his early 30s, as in, still really, really good for his height (and in Kareem's case, his age), but not as freakish as Sampson.

Lots to be pleased about in his performance, though, particularly since he didn't even play big minutes. If he can average 30+ mpg this year, though, he'll be a good player for sure.

[Miller4ever]

I'm expecting 16/7/2, but hoping for 20/10/2.5. He's going to give Brook Lopez a run for his money as the hottest new true center in the East.

[Clangus]

your big 3 looked pretty good last night

Hibbert could average 20+ this year.
Granger is going to put up about 26ppg you would think and one Collison gets into the groove you have yourselves a good trio that should lead to some wins

[rumdiary]

As a fan of no particular team I'd like to let you all know I'm jumping on the Roy Hibbert bandwagon now. 7'2" and playing out of his mind, I hope he keeps it up and a partnership with Granger can bring some long term success for you guys!