February, short, but important month...

Jermainevent · Post #1 » by **Jermainevent** » Thu Feb 1, 2018 2:24 pm

After going 10 and 5 in the month of January, the Pacers only play 10 games during the shortest month of the year. How will they fare against a schedule that consists of 4 home and 6 away games? They will play 4 playoff teams, 1 on the fringe playoff team in the Knicks and a Hornets team that nearly beat us. The final four games are against some of the NBA's worst in the Nets, Hawks (2x), and Mavs,

Any predictions?

In regards to both the Wizards and Pels, both are getting used to life without an All-Star. The Celtics game is the only one I look at and think, that'll take a near perfect effort on the road.

pizza guy · Post #2 » by **pizza guy** » Thu Feb 1, 2018 3:01 pm

Friday, 2/2 - @CHA
Saturday, 2/3 - PHI
Monday, 2/5 - WAS
Wednesday, 2/7 - @NOP
Friday, 2/9 - @BOS
Sunday, 2/11 - NYK
Wednesday, 2/14 - @BKN
Friday, 2/23 - ATL
Monday, 2/26 - @DAL
Wednesday, 2/28 - @ATL

One back-to-back, this weekend, and it's away then home. Philly is young and fighting for a playoff spot, so a loss here won't surprise me.

Otherwise, Charlotte, Brooklyn, Dallas, and Atlanta twice should all be wins if we don't fall asleep. Washington and New Orleans are both missing All Stars, so that opens the door (and in general, I'm not sure they're much better than the Pacers anyways). New York could go either way, depending on Porzingis, but they've cooled considerably since early this season. The game at Boston is obviously the toughest one on the schedule, but we nearly had Boston earlier this year (and how long is Kyrie out?), so who knows?

Either way, less than .500 would be a big disappointment in February. Going 6-4 or 7-3 should be possible. And who knows? They keep playing well and stay healthy, GRIII comes back after the All Star Break, 8-2 isn't impossible but I won't hold me breath for it. With John Wall out and the Cavs still struggling, the East could really see some movement in the standings and I think this month gives us a chance to get a little more comfortable around the 4th-6th seed, and maybe worry a little less about the 7-9 spots.

Wizop · Post #3 » by **Wizop** » Thu Feb 1, 2018 3:05 pm

only two games against the West so most of the games will sort of count double in the Eastern standings.

Pacers_Freak · Post #4 » by **Pacers_Freak** » Thu Feb 1, 2018 3:13 pm

pizza guy wrote:Friday, 2/2 - @CHA
Saturday, 2/3 - PHI
Monday, 2/5 - WAS
Wednesday, 2/7 - @NOP
Friday, 2/9 - @BOS
Sunday, 2/11 - NYK
Wednesday, 2/14 - @BKN
Friday, 2/23 - ATL
Monday, 2/26 - @DAL
Wednesday, 2/28 - @ATL

One back-to-back, this weekend, and it's away then home. Philly is young and fighting for a playoff spot, so a loss here won't surprise me.

Otherwise, Charlotte, Brooklyn, Dallas, and Atlanta twice should all be wins if we don't fall asleep. Washington and New Orleans are both missing All Stars, so that opens the door (and in general, I'm not sure they're much better than the Pacers anyways). New York could go either way, depending on Porzingis, but they've cooled considerably since early this season. The game at Boston is obviously the toughest one on the schedule, but we nearly had Boston earlier this year (and how long is Kyrie out?), so who knows?

Either way, less than .500 would be a big disappointment in February. Going 6-4 or 7-3 should be possible. And who knows? They keep playing well and stay healthy, GRIII comes back after the All Star Break, 8-2 isn't impossible but I won't hold me breath for it. With John Wall out and the Cavs still struggling, the East could really see some movement in the standings and I think this month gives us a chance to get a little more comfortable around the 4th-6th seed, and maybe worry a little less about the 7-9 spots.

Pizza guy... 1st of all I get hungry every time I see your name on a post. Great analysis there. I agree that 6-4 is good. 7-3 would be wonderful. @CHA & @BKN are tricky games that could easily make this stretch look like 4-6. CHA plays pretty decent ball at home and D12 has always been a Pacer destroyer.

Pacers_Freak · Post #5 » by **Pacers_Freak** » Thu Feb 1, 2018 4:12 pm

Myles just showed up on the injury report as questionable for tomorrow. Hopefully it isn't anything serious. Dude can't stay healthy this year.

cruwinas · Post #6 » by **cruwinas** » Thu Feb 1, 2018 4:15 pm

Yesterday I did the same. I checked the schedule for February (and smiled), after hat I checked the schedule for the March. March will be here in 4 weeks, let's leave it be.

7 games before the All-Star break.

2/2 @ CHA - Pacers 60%
2/3 vs PHI - Pacers 60%-65% (it's a Saturday home game guys, come on)
2/5 vs WAS - Pacers 65%-70% (no Wall, very bad for Wizards)
2/7 @ NOP - Pacers 51% (no Cousins, and I don't think that Gentry is doing good job as a coach)
2/9 @ BOS - Celtics 70%-75%. Or even more. Friday night game. Fans need to leave the game satisfied. Right, refs?
2/11 vs NYK - Pacers at least 80%. Knicks are going nowhere. They have problems everywhere, except with KP. And why Hornacek is still coaching?
2/14 @ BKN - Pacers ~60% Last game before the break. If needed, some players can play 48 minutes. They will have plenty of rest later. But Nets are deceptive. Their coach is doing excellent job, and if Pacers will shoot poorly, they will head to the break with a bad taste in the mouth.

After the break, well rested, with Dipo as All-Star game MVP and dunk contest winner (does Domas have a chance to be a raising stars game MVP? Nope, and he doesn't need it).
2/23 vs ATL - Pacers >75%. Hawks have the worst record among 30 NBA teams.
2/26 @ DAL - Pacers ~65% Mavericks have second worst record. They are 10-18 at home, pacers are 11-13 on the road.
2/28 @ ATL - Pacers ~65%. Hawks have the worst record among 30 NBA teams

Don't take my percentages seriously. I'm pretty good picking winners. Percentages are not important to me. Here I just wanted to show the balance of power (I sound stupid

). Couple more things that will affect February record. Trio of Dipo, Myles and Domas has to be healthy. Last thing - Pacers are fighting for playoffs and playoff seeding. Every game is important. Pacers MUST WANT to win every game in February more than their opponent. i remember two games against Rockets. Pacers tried, but at that time they were not ready yet.
After February Pacers will have games against GSW, TOR, BOS. It will show, there the Pacers stand.

10 games in February. Pacers 8-2.

cruwinas · Post #7 » by **cruwinas** » Thu Feb 1, 2018 4:34 pm

Pacers_Freak wrote:Myles just showed up on the injury report as questionable for tomorrow. Hopefully it isn't anything serious. Dude can't stay healthy this year.

Shoot, here we go again. And it against Hornets with D12. D12 played all 14 Hornets games in February. Hornets were 8-6 and D12 averaged 17 points, 14 rebounds and 3 blocks.
I think I'll need to see my voodoo friend. Something is fishy with those Pacers injuries.

Pacers_Freak · Post #8 » by **Pacers_Freak** » Thu Feb 1, 2018 4:40 pm

cruwinas wrote:
Pacers_Freak wrote:Myles just showed up on the injury report as questionable for tomorrow. Hopefully it isn't anything serious. Dude can't stay healthy this year.

Shoot, here we go again. And it against Hornets with D12. D12 played all 14 Hornets games in February. Hornets were 8-6 and D12 averaged 17 points, 14 rebounds and 3 blocks.
I think I'll need to see my voodoo friend. Something is fishy with those Pacers injuries.

Are you saying the Myles is faking an injury??

cruwinas · Post #9 » by **cruwinas** » Thu Feb 1, 2018 4:52 pm

Pacers_Freak wrote:Are you saying the Myles is faking an injury??

You didn't get me. 100% opposite. Maybe somebody has voodoo doll of Myles and are hurting him?

OK, jokes aside.

Šarūnas Marčiulionis, always healthy and strong as a bull. Never had problems with injuries. But suddenly things changed. Strange bad luck with injuries began. It got to the point that Šarūnas brought a priest to his NBA home arena to bless the place. True story.

Pacers_Freak · Post #10 » by **Pacers_Freak** » Thu Feb 1, 2018 5:53 pm

cruwinas wrote:
Pacers_Freak wrote:Are you saying the Myles is faking an injury??

You didn't get me. 100% opposite. Maybe somebody has voodoo doll of Myles and are hurting him?

OK, jokes aside.

Šarūnas Marčiulionis, always healthy and strong as a bull. Never had problems with injuries. But suddenly things changed. Strange bad luck with injuries began. It got to the point that Šarūnas brought a priest to his NBA home arena to bless the place. True story.

Gotcha. My bad brother.

Jermainevent · Post #11 » by **Jermainevent** » Sat Feb 10, 2018 3:53 pm

2 and 2 thus far, with big wins over both the Celtics and 76ers. Shame we didn't have Vic against the Wizards, that probably would have been a win as well. Two games that we should win prior to All-Star break, a KPless Knicks that have lost 5 straight and then we have Nets who are also skidding right now.

Wizop · Post #12 » by **Wizop** » Sat Feb 10, 2018 4:02 pm

Jermainevent wrote:2 and 2 thus far, with big wins over both the Celtics and 76ers. Shame we didn't have Vic against the Wizards, that probably would have been a win as well. Two games that we should win prior to All-Star break, a KPless Knicks that have lost 5 straight and then we have Nets who are also skidding right now.

we could be favored in all of the 5 remaining games. a streak without DC would be great standings lift.

Sent from my phone.