Game 37: Bobcats @ Pacers

[Jake0890]

January 12, 2013
7:00 PM ET
Bankers Life Fieldhouse - Indianapolis, IN


Indiana Pacers

(22-14) 1st in Central Division, 3rd in Eastern Conference

Rotation
PG - George Hill/DJ Augustin/Ben Hansbrough
SG - Lance Stephenson/Gerald Green
SF - Paul George/Dominic McGuire
PF - David West/Tyler Hansbrough
C - Roy Hibbert/Ian Mahinmi

Stat Leaders
Points - Paul George (16.9)
Rebounds - Roy Hibbert (8.3)
Assists - George Hill (5.0)

Charlotte Bobcats

(9-25) 4th in Southeastern Division, 13th in Eastern Conference

Rotation
PG - Kemba Walker/Ramon Sessions
SG - Jeff Taylor/Gerald Henderson/Ben Gordon
SF - Michael Kidd-Gilchrist/Reggie Williams
PF - Tyrus Thomas/Hakim Warrick/Jeff Adrien
C - Bismack Biyombo/Bredan Haywood/DeSagana Diop

Stat Leaders
Points - Kemba Walker (17.8)
Rebounds - Byron Mullens (7.8)
Assists - Kemba Walker (6.0)

Injury Reports

Pacers
Danny Granger (knee) - OUT

Bobcats
Byron Mullens (ankle) - OUT

Game Preview
via NBA.com
Paul George and the Central Division-leading Indiana Pacers are starting to look more and more like serious contenders with each passing game.
A visit from the Charlotte Bobcats isn't likely to slow them down.
Indiana tries to win 10 straight at home for the first time in 10 seasons and avenge a rare loss to the Bobcats as the teams square off Saturday night.
Although they got off to a slow start - including a 90-89 loss at Charlotte (9-26) in their second game of the season Nov. 2 - the Pacers (22-14) have picked up plenty of steam lately. Indiana enters the weekend having won 12 of 15 - including nine in a row on its own court.
The Pacers haven't strung together 10 straight wins in Indianapolis since a 14-game run in 2002-03.
"We want to compete for the one and two (seeds) and for sure want to compete for the No. 1 spot," George said. "We probably could be pushing one or two if we would have started off playing the way we're playing right now."
Yielding an NBA-low 89.1 points per game, the Pacers have given up an even more impressive 82.0 during their home winning streak. Two nights after limiting Miami to its fewest points this season in an 87-77 win, Indiana shut down New York in an 81-76 victory Thursday.
"It's good that we got those wins," George said. "They are great quality wins against two great teams in the East right now. Everybody takes great pride in guarding their guys. Nobody wants to get scored on, on this team."
George had 29 points and 11 rebounds against the Heat, then compiled 24 and 11 to go along with a career-high six steals and five assists against the Knicks. The emerging star, in his third season in the league, is averaging 22.8 points over his last 13 games at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
"He is just blossoming in front of our eyes with special performance after special performance after special performance," coach Frank Vogel said of George. "He's leading our defense, which is becoming a beast and our guys are embracing that identity."
The Pacers, who had their nine-game winning streak in this series snapped in November, have taken seven straight from the Bobcats at home, outscoring them by an average of 28.5 points in two meetings there last season.
Charlotte also couldn't stay close Friday against Toronto as it kicked off a three-game trek with a 99-78 loss - its 21st defeat in 23 games. Ben Gordon, Kemba Walker and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist scored 12 points apiece for the Bobcats, who never got back into it after entering the second quarter down 29-16.
"We've got to give ourselves a better chance to compete early in the game," Gordon said. "We can't start out by spotting teams double-digit figures and then trying to climb back. It's too hard to do and we don't have that kind of team."
With his club giving up a league-high 103.9 points per game, coach Mike Dunlap is considering going with a different lineup Saturday.
"We just have to find guys who can start us and get us going, especially on the defensive end," he said.
Walker is averaging a team-high 17.6 points but has put up just 13.6 over his last seven games. He scored 30 against Indiana earlier this season.
The Pacers and Bobcats meet again Tuesday in Charlotte.

Tradition

[Solid]

Like the nurse
Doubt Sam Young gets much burn

[Jake0890]

Like the nurse
Doubt Sam Young gets much burn

Sam Young has been cut and replaced by Dominic McGuire.

[Solid]

I know that... Yet he's listed as PG's back up.
No big deal.

Cats have a pretty poor line up. I'm surprised at how difficult a time we seem to have with them.
I'm hoping for some rest for our bigs.

Jeff Taylor was there when we drafted wasn't he?

[Jake0890]

I know that... Yet he's listed as PG's back up.
No big deal.

Cats have a pretty poor line up. I'm surprised at how difficult a time we seem to have with them.
I'm hoping for some rest for our bigs.

Jeff Taylor was there when we drafted wasn't he?

Oh, my bad. Forgot to change that.

But yes, Taylor was there.

[Jake0890]

Up by 7 after a Hill 3. Let's pull away here.

[LadiesLuvPGs]

Is it just a scheduled night off for PG? Didn't see or hear anything about why he's not playing. They haven't mentioned him at all during the Bobcats broadcast,

[Jake0890]

Is it just a scheduled night off for PG? Didn't see or hear anything about why he's not playing. They haven't mentioned him at all during the Bobcats broadcast,

I'd assume so. He hasn't played at all, and I guess it's smart. We've won 10 straight, and George has been playing his *** off.

[Jake0890]

Losing by 4 with 9 minutes in the 3rd Q. Offense needs to get started.

[chube]

From what I heard, PG has the flu.

[Nuntius]

Offense looks better now with Hill and DJ together.

[Jake0890]

Offense looks better now with Hill and DJ together.

Yep. I'd like to see this lineup more often next game with George.

[Nuntius]

Offense looks better now with Hill and DJ together.

Yep. I'd like to see this lineup more often next game with George.

A line-up of Augustin, Hill, George, West and Mahinmi?

I don't think that it will work against Brooklyn but I'm ok with that line-up.

[Jake0890]

WEST GOT A TRIPLE DOUBLE!!! YEAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH

[Jake0890]

Offense looks better now with Hill and DJ together.

Yep. I'd like to see this lineup more often next game with George.

A line-up of Augustin, Hill, George, West and Mahinmi?

I don't think that it will work against Brooklyn but I'm ok with that line-up.

Yeah, until Granger gets back. Augustin looks good, and I think the offense works better when he can run the offense and distribute, while Hill can take his 3s and get to the basket.

[Nuntius]

Yeah, until Granger gets back. Augustin looks good, and I think the offense works better when he can run the offense and distribute, while Hill can take his 3s and get to the basket.

It could work. But I like Lance in the line-up. Actually, I like both line-ups. That's good

[Nuntius]

Good game by DJ Augustin, Hill and Lance. They stepped up in George's absence.

Good game by Ian as well. He stepped up for the injured Roy.

Overall, I'm happy. Good win

[Jake0890]

Yeah, until Granger gets back. Augustin looks good, and I think the offense works better when he can run the offense and distribute, while Hill can take his 3s and get to the basket.

It could work. But I like Lance in the line-up. Actually, I like both line-ups. That's good

They both work, but I think having Stephenson give the bench instant offense would really help. My only concern is that Hansbrough wouldn't be very good as a backup PG.

[chube]

Woo-hooooooooooo! Go West (young man!)

That now makes 3 Pacer players who have recorded triple-doubles this year! And George has been knocking on the door of one more than once! GO PACERS!

[Pacersike]

A line-up of Augustin, Hill, George, West and Mahinmi

Yeah, until Granger gets back. Augustin looks good, and I think the offense works better when he can run the offense and distribute, while Hill can take his 3s and get to the basket.

Imagine how good that lineup would look if DJ and Ian would have started their careers here and would have gotten the same amount of time to develop chemistry as Granger and Hibbert.

Not going to happen though with size queen Vogel in charge
He literally said he doesn't want to play DJ and George together unless he runs out of options.

You don't hope for players to get injured, but it would be interesting to see how much worse they would play without Roy just in case the playoffs end earlier for us than expected. Not out of the realm of possibilities that we wouldn't be that much worse, like we aren't that much worse without Granger. We would be a lot cheaper though.