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Posted this after the game.

Hard fought game of who could miss the least in first half as both teams shot well. Pacers hung in 3rd quarter and the play got a bit testy.

Starting 4th quarter Pacers were down 6 points and immediately the second unit closed the gap and took control mounting a 10 point lead.

I thought Turner, Hield, McConnell especially were instrumental in the 4th. Mathurin got on track and Jackson was competing. Haliburton played well.

Great home win against a team with 2 superstars. Either the Nets coach doesn’t trust his second unit or they’re just not very deep as the Pacers showed their roster depth pulling away in the 4th.

Man, I like Mathurin more than I thought I would. He has a shot at being an incredible scorer, which I thought he would be a 20 PPG eventually and 12 PPG or so this year, but if he's 18-20 PPG in his rookie year ... he could really be a 25-30 PPG scorer one day. Which is incredible, and I wouldn't have guessed it.

However, his complaining to the refs is really annoying me. It's literally every drive, I feel like. He isn't getting back on defense because of it sometimes. It's relentless. I really disliked that when Paul George did it, and I think Mathurin is worse as a rookie.

xBulletproof wrote:Man, I like Mathurin more than I thought I would. He has a shot at being an incredible scorer, which I thought he would be a 20 PPG eventually and 12 PPG or so this year, but if he's 18-20 PPG in his rookie year ... he could really be a 25-30 PPG scorer one day. Which is incredible, and I wouldn't have guessed it.

However, his complaining to the refs is really annoying me. It's literally every drive, I feel like. He isn't getting back on defense because of it sometimes. It's relentless. I really disliked that when Paul George did it, and I think Mathurin is worse as a rookie.

Drawing fouls as a "skill" is one of my least favorite things in basketball, period. I've been watching Mathurin with both excitement and trepidation. As awesome as he has been in his first season, getting to the line is a core part of what he's doing. That's a fine line to walk both in terms of watchability and deep playoff success.

But the NBA is at fault for this way more than any of the players that do it. The players are always gonna do what benefits them on the court, because on court success is how they make their money. Embiid would look like an idiot flopping around like a 280 lbs fish if it wasn't so successful on court. It's also why the old school, 90s fans think this era is soft, and they're right.

Glad to see the guys get another win, though. The Nets are exactly the kind of team in the mid-tier of the Eastern conference that the Pacers need to pull away from in the standings before anybody starts thinking this team is legit.

xBulletproof wrote:However, his complaining to the refs is really annoying me. It's literally every drive, I feel like. He isn't getting back on defense because of it sometimes. It's relentless. I really disliked that when Paul George did it, and I think Mathurin is worse as a rookie.

I think he is about to pass PG on that front, and head into Jalen Rose and Stephen Jackson territory.
I sort of tolerated Rose and despised Jackson, but that was for far more than just the complaining.

I can't help but wonder if part of the reason Carlisle isn't putting him in the starting lineup is an attempt to keep his ego in check. Maynde that is just me over-reading the situation, but I do have concerns. Confidence and even a bit of brashness can be good, an entitlement attitude isn't.

It wouldn't hurt my feelings if the refs started giving players "complaining warnings" followed by giving them a tech for continued complaining. They are surely more tired of it all than we are.