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Since Brandon Rush moved into the starting lineup, the Pacers are 7-3. He has averaged 15.8 points on 51.9 percent shooting in that time, while playing lock down defense.

7-3 with Granger, Rush, and Hibbert in the lineup, and they are only going to get better(knocks on wood). Future is bright.

yeah. but there will STILL be people here who will grumble and say we should have kept Jerryd Bayless...

I, obviously, am not one of them.

I think those people said they aren't going to post on this board anymore because we are too big of homers.

While I would have loved to have kept Bayless, I'm certainly warming up to Brandon and Hibbert. Let's hope they both continue to grow next season and then I'll be like "bayless who?"

This team can score, but they still need some help on the defensive side. The Pacers are getting closer to being a contender again. It's making me forget everything since the brawl.

The future looks bright for this team.

With the confidence that Brandon has going into the last of this season and into the summer, and the development of his game this offseason, and Brandon Rush as the 13th pick in the draft is looking like he may have been the biggest steal of the 2008-09 draft class. Rudy Fernandez and Nicolas Batum are the only players I can think of who might even come close to being a better steal in the draft.

I was upset at the time of the draft but Brandon, Jack and McBob for Bayless and Ike is shaping up to be a great deal for the Pacers. If Bayless comes around and becomes a really good player that might take some of the shine off the deal but right now we win big.

Ike had 32 points and 11 boards tonight off the bench. Yet he was still -25...

Granger, Rush, Hibbert is a good start, but we need Thabeet. He's a perfect fit here.

We won't be pressed for Hibbert to take up mins, and Thabeet is a defensive post compliment to Hibbert's offensive post.

It's about time the Pacers got some lottery luck.

chatard5 wrote:Ike had 32 points and 11 boards tonight off the bench. Yet he was still -25...

Yikes...prior to tonight, he'd only scored 59 points this season, and 32 in 8 games with the Kings.

Of course, Sacramento lost by 20 tonight.

IndieRuso420 wrote:Granger, Rush, Hibbert is a good start, but we need Thabeet. He's a perfect fit here.

We won't be pressed for Hibbert to take up mins, and Thabeet is a defensive post compliment to Hibbert's offensive post.

It's about time the Pacers got some lottery luck.

Thabeet is far from a perfect fit. In fact, I think he is kind of a really poor fit. We need someone in the post who can score...Thabeet can't. Outside of putbacks and dunks, he is pretty offensively challenged. Plus, once Hibbert learns to stop fouling so damn much, he is kind of an underrated shot blocker. Granted, he's not on Thabeet's level, but the guy is 7'3, he's going to block shots. I do like his defense, but I just don't think you can play him and Hibbert at the same time.

cdash wrote:

IndieRuso420 wrote:Granger, Rush, Hibbert is a good start, but we need Thabeet. He's a perfect fit here.

We won't be pressed for Hibbert to take up mins, and Thabeet is a defensive post compliment to Hibbert's offensive post.

It's about time the Pacers got some lottery luck.

Thabeet is far from a perfect fit. In fact, I think he is kind of a really poor fit. We need someone in the post who can score...Thabeet can't. Outside of putbacks and dunks, he is pretty offensively challenged. Plus, once Hibbert learns to stop fouling so damn much, he is kind of an underrated shot blocker. Granted, he's not on Thabeet's level, but the guy is 7'3, he's going to block shots. I do like his defense, but I just don't think you can play him and Hibbert at the same time.

Agreed 100%.

I agree with your 100% agreement. Thabeet and Hibbert on the floor at the same time doesn't sound good to me.

Granger has been averaging 30 points since Rush has been starting... Not too shabby.

Dunthreevy wrote:With the confidence that Brandon has going into the last of this season and into the summer, and the development of his game this offseason, and Brandon Rush as the 13th pick in the draft is looking like he may have been the biggest steal of the 2008-09 draft class. Rudy Fernandez and Nicolas Batum are the only players I can think of who might even come close to being a better steal in the draft.

He wasn't taken in this draft, he was taken last draft and played in europe for a year before coming to the NBA so he doesn't count.

chatard5 wrote:Granger has been averaging 30 points since Rush has been starting... Not too shabby.

Probably because he doesn't have as much pressure to perform on D.

He was taken for a specific reason, and I believe we are starting to see why.

I'm almost disappointed that it has happened this late in the season, as i would like to see another 10 games or so of him in this from, I am however very excited about what he will bring next season, most likely ass a starter.

Thabeet doesn't make any sense. We already have Hibbert. That frontcourt would be the slowest in the NBA, and who guards the Garnetts? Duncans? That duo couldn't stop anyone as both are better off the ball.

Gremz, you accidentally put an extra 's' on the end of "as".

I know Thabeet is interesting but we need an athletic young PF like Griffin, Hill, or Monroe looks like we're drafting at #12 so those guys are gonna be gone. Depending on who is gonna be in the draft we might still get what we need at 12 but I wouldn't have a problem with moving up or down as long as we do as good as we did last draft.

As for Rush, I'm really excited about him. I thought he'd be good, but he's exceeding my expectations right now. Not many rookies can put up 20+ ppg consistently, and he's taken a pretty good stab at it these last few weeks. That, combined with his potential defensively (he already might be our best defender), and I think the Pacers' could have a real special duo on the wings for a long time.