Poll: Who should be blame for the 6 straight loss?

[laydo]

Who should be blame for the 6 straight loss?

Each one has 2 options.

[kdawg531]

I can't vote for only two here. It's a combination of everything.

While Granger has been productive, often I feel like he forces the offense instead of letting it come to him. In the fourth, we stray away from penetration and cuts to the basket in favor of forcing jumpers with a hand in our face.

Although Marquis is playing well this season, he still struggles shooting from the outside. Having Mike back will only help matters as far as three point shooting. However improving our outside shooting can only help so much.

I think coach is doing all he can with the roster he was given to work with. It has been proven that when the team plays good defense and runs the offense correctly, we put ourselves in a better position to win the game. Not to mention the team seems to come to play hard most every night.

The most glaring weakness is obviously post defense. In my opinion, we are one athletic power forward away from contending.

It's easy to sit here and point fingers, but in the end the entire team as a whole needs to be blamed.

[Gremz]

I'd like to think that would be a problem of two "other" reasons. Chemistry and Rotation atm.

In earlier victories, we were quite reliant on solid work off the bench and i haven't noticed that as much recently apart from Jack's performances. It's tough to say what our best second unit looks like currently.

[Miller4ever]

I agree with kdawg.

To make a topic like this is both short-sighted and pointless. When a team is doing badly, everyone gets a portion of the blame. You can even blame fans who don't buy tickets, because a packed house would've motivated the Pacers tat much more. It was part of the reason we beat Boston at the home opener.

Yes, Stern screwed us over with the most harrowing schedule since Eisenhower drew out the D-Day invasion timetable. Yeah, we would like to have Mike Dunleavy back. And of course, O'Brien is a flawed coach.

Also, I have no idea how the size of Murphy's contract has anything to do with anybody's oncourt performance.

[PR07]

The players on the roster, all 15.

[Dunthreevy]

Troy Murphy's contract has nothing to do with us losing 6 games in a row. To add to that Troy has probably been the most consistent player we've had this season.

[kdawg531]

Troy Murphy's contract has nothing to do with us losing 6 games in a row. To add to that Troy has probably been the most consistent player we've had this season.

Agreed. He is overpaid, but he is killing on the glass and he seems to be the most consistent 3 point shooter. But the size of his contract has nothing to do with us losing games.

[Miller4ever]

He was 1-7 from downtown against the Bucks, but nevertheless, he's been a pleasant surprise.

[kdawg531]

He was 1-7 from downtown against the Bucks, but nevertheless, he's been a pleasant surprise.

Well aside from Travis Diener and Jeff Foster , he is shooting it from three with the highest percentage. (38%)

[Grang33r]

I think we are just not a very good team. I think the East has improved and each team has improved offensively and defensively, where as the Pacers, with injuries, remain the same on offense and we are now much weaker on defense. I do think we play well. I do think we try and i do think the players respect JOB. I really think that talent isn't on our side. Our bench is horrible. Without Dunleavy, we are basically without a #2 scorer even though Daniels has been a pretty nice surprise. Murphy is very inconsistent. I really do think they expected Rush and Hibbert to give a bit more from the bench then they have. And i think they banked on Daniels being the 6th man with Jack.

Fox Sports.com's Charlie Rosen few days ago did a good peice on his thoughts on the Pacers so far. I can't say i really disagree with him. Obviously there is many things i disagree with in this article, but, for the most part, the point he's trying to make, i don't think he's too off.

If the Pacers are relatively short on sheer talent, they hustle, execute and are extremely well-coached.

Let's scrutinize Indiana's roster to discover the details.

Danny Granger: He's strictly a rhythm shooter but, man, can he fill it! Granger can catch-and-shoot; pull-and-shoot left and right; and his pet move is to drive, bump, then step back and let it fly. His passing, however, is somewhat erratic — he can always see (six assists) but can't always deliver (six turnovers). On defense, he's merely adequate — he routinely fails to step out and help on weak-side screens and curls — but he is the Pacers' most effective shot-blocker.

The verdict: His defense needs improving, but he's certainly a bona fide All-Star.

T.J. Ford: For most of the game, he could bring the ball into the paint whenever he desired — and his kick-outs were right on the money. But Ford never did anything with his left hand except to set up his right-handed dribble; he forced a pair of shots; and on defense he was confounded just about every time he had to navigate past a screen.

The verdict: Opponents' defenses would be unable to gang up on Ford as much as they do if Mike Dunleavy was around to provide another hot-shooting target for his drives-and-dishes. Still, Ford doesn't shoot, defend or go left well enough to be the full-time floor leader of a team with championship aspirations.

Troy Murphy: He isn't much of a presence on defense where he always seems to be a half-step behind the unfolding of every play. On the other end of the court, he sets adequate screens, is an inferior passer and relies on long-range shooting. Except for his rebounding prowess and his lack of athleticism, Murphy plays like a small forward. On the one sequence where he ventured into the pivot — only because Rodney Stuckey was guarding him in a mismatched switch — Murphy ignored his 6-inch height advantage to take (and make) a twisting, off-balance, fade-away jumper.

The verdict: If he shoots well, he plays well.

Rasho Nesterovic: This guy is actually the fulcrum of much of Indiana's half-court offense. He receives the ball at the high post, then waits for his teammates to make various combinations of back-door cuts, back screens-and-pops, dive cuts and squeeze cuts before either passing or shooting his fairly accurate midrange jumpers. He also successfully teamed with Ford to score on a couple of nifty screen/rolls. Rasho's slow-motion lateral-movement becomes evident on defense, where he can show but is only occasionally able to recover.

The verdict: His intelligence and strength serve to maximize his limited skills, but he's best suited to be a backup.

Marquis Daniels: He's a slasher who makes smart and efficient cuts. Daniels is shaky with the ball in traffic, plays slightly better than average defense in iso situations, but loses his concentration when playing off-the-ball defense.

The verdict: An energy player who would be better employed on a second unit.

Jeff Foster: Plays the high post when Nesterovic is on the bench, has great hands and is the most athletic (as well as the best defender) of the Pacers' big men. Shoots 16-foot free throws (2-for-2), and even hit a midrange jumper from the left baseline. But his forte is rebounding.

The verdict: One of the most underrated backup centers in the league.

Jarrett Jack: Strong, fearless, smart — but not very smooth with the ball — and has no shooting stroke. Played good defense against Allen Iverson and Rip Hamilton — was hurt most often when he tried to top screens.

The verdict: An excellent backup point, but one with obvious limitations.

What's right with this team?

Most of what Ford does. Foster's defensive rotations and rebounding. Some of what Murphy does. Their up-tempo and early-offense opportunities. Their teamwide unselfishness, discipline and hustle. Coach Jim O'Brien's ability to get his players to overachieve. And just about everything that Granger does.

What's wrong with this team?

Some of what Ford does. The lack of a scorer off the bench — which is why Granger plays with the second unit. The continuing absence of Dunleavy. The absence of anybody who's a threat to score in the low post. And the limited skills of all of their bigs.

Even though the Pacers are 7-15, their winning percentage will improve when/if Dunleavy returns. But no matter what their immediate destiny might be, Indiana is still better off with Murphy and Dunleavy than they were with Jamaal Tinsley, Al Harrington and Stephen Jackson.

At least, the Pacers currently have the kind of players that devoted Indiana fans can feel good about rooting for.

Rest of article- http://msn.foxsports.com/nba/story/8934 ... ack-talent

[Miller4ever]

Very nice assessment, although I think Danny Granger is a better lockdown defender than he gets credit for here. This guy really picks up on things. Granger has left something to be desired on help defense situations.

[notque]

He's too low on Murphy. He's right on Granger depending on the game.

[mizzoupacers]

I think Rosen mostly gets it right about our roster: right now we have a starting lineup of an All-Star level small forward, an average NBA starter pg, and three guys who would be second-stringers if they played on a better team.

Hard to win in the NBA with only two starter-quality players. Especially when your early schedule includes three games with Boston, two with Cleveland, two with Orlando, two with Detroit, etc., etc.

The schedule should get easier. And if we ever get Dunleavy back that will help quite a bit I think. Beyond that, we just have to wait for guys like Rush and Hibbert to develop. By the end of the year I think the Pacers will prove to be a .500ish team. Hey, I'm enjoying this year's team despite the win-loss record. This team is a breath of fresh air after the last few seasons.

[cdash]

I think God should shoulder some of the blame for our losing streak.

[Miller4ever]

And the Man.

And the Bush administration.

Hell with it, the Obama administration, too, haha.

[count55]

The Man in the Mirror.

(He's always there. I call the police, but they won't help. They say he's not hurting anything, but I know better. In fact, whenever the police come and look in the mirror, I see them standing right next to that guy. I know he's friends with them. They're clearly in cahoots. This happens with all of them. I ask for help, and the next thing I know, the people are standing shoulder to shoulder with that bastard in the mirror...laughing at me.)