What's the remedy?

[Gremz]

Ideally a healthy roster would probably negate these current problems, but in the mean time, how do we make adjustments?

It seems as though West and Hill have both performed well in individual games in fourth quarter situations, and both George and Green have had some streaky shooting runs. We can all see Hibbert's troubles currently, and there's that little problem with our offense against the zone.

How do we turn it around?

[Miller4ever]

It's a mindset thing. Our team lacks any sort of desire to dominate. They're all just trying to get by. A lot of players are making the same tentative decisions and meek shot attempts, resulting in missed free throws as a team, poor ball tracking as a team, and poor consistency as a team.

The one man who can impact them most directly right now is Vogel, but he has to do it very carefully because it's times like these that a coach can really mess up his relationship with his players.

Barring that, these guys have to figure this stuff out in a players-only meeting type thing. The camaraderie that was boasted about before the season isn't showing itself right now. It seems Granger wasn't just a scoring leader. He really gave this team a sense of purpose and led by example.

[8305]

If Granger is healthy we're probably 7- 2. I'd have thought we wouldn't be any worse than a 500 team without Granger. But, it looks like the snowball might be rolling down the hill now. And, if that's true no telling how bad this could get.

The bench is bad and even after Granger gets back we probably aren't as good as last year. For now being respectable is up to Hibbert, West, George and Hill. Collectively they should be good enough for this team to hang around 500. They are all good guys. I wouldn't call any of them selfish. I think West and Hill are mentally tough guys. We know Hibbert isn't and right now it doesn't look like George is either.

Somehow Vogel has to get Hibbert and West back to being dominant. Re-establish that and things will take care of themselves. If that doesn't happen by the time Granger gets back the playoffs are probably out of reach.

[Moooose]

Granger's absence stirred up the rotation in a wrong way. Now we have guys that are still too young or too inexperienced to try to cover up the massive offensive hole Granger's absence has created.

Watching some games, the team chemistry is bad. Talent is not the question, it is the rotation we need to fix.

Maybe bringing in a scorer and not another role player can somehow help. It would get the players to where they should be, just like in the offseason.

[Grang33r]

If Granger is healthy we're probably 7- 2. I'd have thought we wouldn't be any worse than a 500 team without Granger. But, it looks like the snowball might be rolling down the hill now. And, if that's true no telling how bad this could get.

The bench is bad and even after Granger gets back we probably aren't as good as last year. For now being respectable is up to Hibbert, West, George and Hill. Collectively they should be good enough for this team to hang around 500. They are all good guys. I wouldn't call any of them selfish. I think West and Hill are mentally tough guys. We know Hibbert isn't and right now it doesn't look like George is either.

Somehow Vogel has to get Hibbert and West back to being dominant. Re-establish that and things will take care of themselves. If that doesn't happen by the time Granger gets back the playoffs are probably out of reach.

I am not so sure about being 7-2 with Granger. If a few things go our way, we win some of the other games, while this is true, and same can be said about the games we won. The Kings should of finished us off multiple times, and without that huge 4th quarter and buzzer beater by George Hill on opening night, we can all agree we were pretty outplayed there too.

One thing I saw somewhere tonight (I think Bruno said it on twitter) is Vogel should start DJ Augustin. It would give him confidence and playing time with the first unit. Move Hill to shooting guard, Paul George to small forward. Keep David West and Roy Hibbert in their positions. This could jump start the offense.

Another thing I think people are missing, besides Granger injury, is how we lack a leader. I think the team losing Larry Bird to retirement hurts alot too, he was ALWAYS at practice, at every game sitting behind the basket, and at every road game. I think players looked up to him even though he was a guy wearing a suit. He even spoke out to the press when things didn't go our way.

But, it looks like the snowball might be rolling down the hill now. And, if that's true no telling how bad this could get.

If they don't figure something out by Friday, it could get real ugly with Dallas coming in.

[8305]

I agree with the starting Augustine notion. Keeping Hill exclusively at the point is just not a luxury this team has. I get the theory behind Hill exclusively at the point (you are paying Hill 8 mil a year and if he's not a full time point then he is a 3rd guard and he's being paid too much for that).

You'd have to think having Hill and Augustine on the floor together would improve ball movement and the offense in general. Paul George would handle the ball less (probably a good thing) and allow him to focus more on defense. We would need that because the undersized back court would probably weaken us defensively.

Right now we are getting nothing from Augustine but, I have to think he is overall a more competent player than any of Stephenson, Green and Young (the guys getting the minutes now you'd be giving to DJ).

Sucks for Hill he deserves the opportunity to play the position that potentially maximizes his value but, this entire season has the potential to get away if something doesn't change in a big way.

[Pacersike]

Play better

[Jake0890]

On the bright side... maybe we get a lottery pick this year and actually get a chance to have a top rookie player and a future star(or maybe I'm just dreaming...).

[chube]

Aside from what they've been doing on the court (arguably our two best players through the first nine games of the season so far), this is really the time for West and Hill to step up as leaders. They are the veterans (not counting Danny) who have tasted the most success. West especially, he is an emotional guy and a great leader. Hopefully he steps up in the locker room.

[Jake0890]

Aside from what they've been doing on the court (arguably our two best players through the first nine games of the season so far), this is really the time for West and Hill to step up as leaders. They are the veterans (not counting Danny) who have tasted the most success. West especially, he is an emotional gud a great leader. Hopefully he steps up in the locker room.

And he is. He's the leading rebounder and points leader. As I'vesaid countless times before, he's been by far our best player this season.