Game Thread: 02/03 Pacers v 76ers

[Pacersike]

PS: By the way, our Dipo/Myles/Domas lineups have ranked as our quickest lineups so far. So, playing those 3 together actually helps us play faster. Securing more rebounds (since this is our best rebounding lineup) will help you get on the break more often.

Ya, I read somewhere we are the best rebounding team in the entire league when Sabs and Myls share the floor together.

Let's hope it will work but if they don't want to bench Thad, Sabonis IMO deserves to start over Turner and I believe that is why Turner is struggling so much.

[Nuntius]

I think a lot of people feel that way and I worry that Myles Turner is feeling the pressure of it. Forcing things, trying to look like the rebounder we know he is not. When your best rebounding games happen in the first few games of the season and after being back from injury, you know it's all good intentions, but not sustainable.

We all wonder which position is best for this or that player and the ones saying Sabonis should be playing the 5 can make good arguments.

Sabonis had a heck of a season defensively at the 4 last year. He can play PF. He should start over Thad.

With low usage on a good defensive team. If you use him offensively as we are using him, he not going to have the same high energy to be chasing smaller guys.

He is absolutely going to have the same energy. Heck, he did it tonight. Domas played 14 minutes at PF tonight (next to Al Jefferson) and he still had enough energy to play 15 straight minutes to end the game. He even made a heck of a hustle play at the end too that won us the game.

[Topofthekey]

Thad isn't a part of our core. Our team shouldn't revolve around him. Chances are that Thad isn't a Pacer next season. Yes, he has been a very nice player for us but he simply doesn't fit this team's window.

Agreed that Thad doesn't fit the team's window. Also agreed that he's likely gone at the end of the season.

However, if he's willing to take less money, I'll be very happy to see Pacers sign him to a long term deal. He plays smart defense, hustles a lot, and has some reliable post moves. I guess it all depends on what the market like is for a player like him

[Pacersike]

Sabonis had a heck of a season defensively at the 4 last year. He can play PF. He should start over Thad.

With low usage on a good defensive team. If you use him offensively as we are using him, he not going to have the same high energy to be chasing smaller guys.

He is absolutely going to have the same energy. Heck, he did it tonight. Domas played 14 minutes at PF tonight (next to Al Jefferson) and he still had enough energy to play 15 straight minutes to end the game. He even made a heck of a hustle play at the end too that won us the game.

He played 17 and 21 minutes in his 2 previous games. Some players he played against today almost play that many minutes in 1 game.

He was just enjoying his minutes to the fullest because in normal cases Turner would be finishing games.

[Pacersike]

Domas always played as PF, sometimes manning the 5 out of necessity. When Domas and Dipo are on the floor together - they make each other better. And I truly think, that Myles - Domas - Dipo trio will make each other better too.

When Dipo doesn't play, we notice it badly.
When Domas starts on the bench, Lance plays better. When Domas starts, Dipo as you said plays better.

When Turner doesn't play (much), ya, I just don't notice as much difference as I would expect with a shotblocker not playing and a fat ass center playing. We win about as much games without T as with T.

[cruwinas]

That's how we play basketball in Lithuania!!!

Do you need to crawl for the ball a lot?

Of course! I'm surprised that for a such famous basketball aficionado like you, you don't know the record of Lithuanian NT in The World Basketball Championships We are undefeated!!! Ooops, NUM LOCK key was not lit. Lithuanian National Basketball Team Is Undefeated in FIBA's WC for Under 9 months olds Our record is 0-0!

[Wizop]

lance and Sabonis provide a lot of energy off the bench. I guess I'll just keep writing that the best rotation doesn't always have the best 5 players starting.

Sent from my phone.

[Pacersike]

lance and Sabonis provide a lot of energy off the bench. I guess I'll just keep writing that the best rotation doesn't always have the best 5 players starting.

Sent from my phone.

And I'll keep writing that at this stage in their careers, Sabonis is a better starting 5 than Turner.

Sabonis could start making mistakes as well when he has the pressure of being the starter and I'm still openminded about Turner and Sabonis playing together, but it is very unlikely I will change my mind about looking at the possibility of Sabonis taking over from Turner in the next game, or the next game after the next game.

Just because we are on track to make playoffs, doesn't mean we can't improve things.
Keeping Turner healthy for instance. Turner has the same energy as Sabonis but not the same body. Limited minutes would help his body and his mind. (can't worry about someone taking over from you if he already has taken over).

[boomershadow]

Good to get a win.

[Wizop]

Sabonis did play some 4 tonight but with Al. I imagine we'd all like to see him play some 4 with Turner. regardless of who starts now, in the playoffs the rotation should shorten and that should not be the first time the two of them are on the floor together.

Sent from my phone.

[Nuntius]

That's how we play basketball in Lithuania!!!

Do you need to crawl for the ball a lot?

Of course! I'm surprised that for a such famous basketball aficionado like you, you don't know the record of Lithuanian NT in The World Basketball Championships We are undefeated!!! Ooops, NUM LOCK key was not lit. Lithuanian National Basketball Team Is Undefeated in FIBA's WC for Under 9 months olds Our record is 0-0!

[Nuntius]

Thad isn't a part of our core. Our team shouldn't revolve around him. Chances are that Thad isn't a Pacer next season. Yes, he has been a very nice player for us but he simply doesn't fit this team's window.

Agreed that Thad doesn't fit the team's window. Also agreed that he's likely gone at the end of the season.

However, if he's willing to take less money, I'll be very happy to see Pacers sign him to a long term deal. He plays smart defense, hustles a lot, and has some reliable post moves. I guess it all depends on what the market like is for a player like him

I'd be fine with that too but I envision him in a 1st big off the bench role.

[Nuntius]

Domas always played as PF, sometimes manning the 5 out of necessity. When Domas and Dipo are on the floor together - they make each other better. And I truly think, that Myles - Domas - Dipo trio will make each other better too.

When Dipo doesn't play, we notice it badly.
When Domas starts on the bench, Lance plays better. When Domas starts, Dipo as you said plays better.

When Turner doesn't play (much), ya, I just don't notice as much difference as I would expect with a shotblocker not playing and a fat ass center playing. We win about as much games without T as with T.

Our team as a whole plays much better when Dipo doesn't play. We kinda suck without Dipo. Thad, in particular, struggles mightily without Dipo (I think that he was averaging something like 8.3 PPG and 3 RPG, it was bad). Lance, in general, is much better off the bench than he is when he starts but that also seems to be a product of Oladipo not playing when Lance is starting.

[Pacersike]

Domas always played as PF, sometimes manning the 5 out of necessity. When Domas and Dipo are on the floor together - they make each other better. And I truly think, that Myles - Domas - Dipo trio will make each other better too.

When Dipo doesn't play, we notice it badly.
When Domas starts on the bench, Lance plays better. When Domas starts, Dipo as you said plays better.

When Turner doesn't play (much), ya, I just don't notice as much difference as I would expect with a shotblocker not playing and a fat ass center playing. We win about as much games without T as with T.

Our team as a whole plays much better when Dipo doesn't play. We kinda suck without Dipo. Thad, in particular, struggles mightily without Dipo (I think that he was averaging something like 8.3 PPG and 3 RPG, it was bad). Lance, in general, is much better off the bench than he is when he starts but that also seems to be a product of Oladipo not playing when Lance is starting.

Time for me to get some sleep

Did we actually win this game?

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees. All good

[Nuntius]

When Dipo doesn't play, we notice it badly.
When Domas starts on the bench, Lance plays better. When Domas starts, Dipo as you said plays better.

When Turner doesn't play (much), ya, I just don't notice as much difference as I would expect with a shotblocker not playing and a fat ass center playing. We win about as much games without T as with T.

Our team as a whole plays much better when Dipo doesn't play. We kinda suck without Dipo. Thad, in particular, struggles mightily without Dipo (I think that he was averaging something like 8.3 PPG and 3 RPG, it was bad). Lance, in general, is much better off the bench than he is when he starts but that also seems to be a product of Oladipo not playing when Lance is starting.

Time for me to get some sleep

Did we actually win this game?

Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees. All good

Agreed

[Jstock12]

Little by little, Lance's shooting numbers are getting better. I actually trust him now shooting the ball.

[winter_mute_13]

Good win.

Lance is still frustrating at times, but dang, how many wins has he been worth this year. Must be at least 3.

Sabonis playing PF seems to be a matchup thing. We played AlJeff and Domas together when the Sixers had Embiid and Booker. OTOH when Saric was at PF. we put Thad Young on him mostly.

[Wizop]

Good win.

Lance is still frustrating at times, but dang, how many wins has he been worth this year. Must be at least 3.

Sabonis playing PF seems to be a matchup thing. We played AlJeff and Domas together when the Sixers had Embiid and Booker. OTOH when Saric was at PF. we put Thad Young on him mostly.

that makes sense although I believe in trying to set the tempo with your lineup and when that works the other team has to match you. Vogel was very stubborn about staying big. Slick back in the day always matched up. Bob Hill drove me crazy substituting by the clock feeling it made the players comfortable. I suppose as my mother used to say, everything in moderation.

fwiw, Knight had a rule that if a bench player was great in the first half, he'd start the second. he did that because he once had a big first half at Ohio State and felt snubbed when he didn't start the second.

Sent from my phone.

[boomershadow]

Those City Jerseys look pretty awesome though.

[Grang33r]

Those City Jerseys look pretty awesome though.

Big fan of these. I wasn't able to watch the game but did see the highlights and i thought they looked awesome, too.