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End of Season Evaluation

Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 1:05 pm
by glasket
Someone started this idea mid way through the season so lets continue with our evaluations of the players/staff at the end of the season.

I'll start

Danny Granger - A
We knew he would be the leader of the team but to step up, make the all-star and be a true leader dedicated to winning up to the last second of every game is truelly an accomplishment.

Troy Murphy - A
We all know he is a double double machine but to shoot such a high percentage on 3FG certainly helps a lot. Our most consistent player all year.

Jarret Jack - B
He came on very stong towards the end of the year and has played in all 82 games. I think is is the most professional player on the team and a true team player. I hope we resign him.

TJ Ford - C+
Honestly i expected more out of TJ and still think he can give us more next season. I don't want him traded. He showed flashes of what he can do and I think he will only get more comfortable in Obie's system next year. Interesting to note that Obie said he was the teams best perimiter defender.

Brandon Rush - B+
I would rate him higher had he not had the slow start. His last thrd of the season was sensational. He really came on strong and if he can carry his form into the next season our future certainly is bright. His 29 point outburst, strong defense against some of the elite swingmen and his clutch 4th quarter against the bucks are just some of his highlight.

Roy Hibbert - B
I thought he showed consistent production throughout the year and even showed improvement in his fouling. A few games I watched I actually saw him running well and keeping up on the fast break. I really think our two rooks will turn out great.

Marquis Daniels - B
Again a very good start to the season and then unfortunately his injuries took their toll. I would have rated him much higher had he not been injured for the majority of the season.

Josh McRoberts - B+
For me he is Jeff Foster 2.0 (more offensive but less rebounding). This guy will give up everything to help win possession of the ball. He is 100% hustle and a huge energy player.

Jeff Foster - C+
The heart of the team. Still hustles for everything and provides strong rebounding. I did expect a little more rebounding out of him this season though.

Travis Deiner - B-
He did everything you'd expect from a 3rd strong point guard. We all know his assist to turnover ration is close to off the charts.

Rasho - B-
Not sure what happened with him at the end of the season with the little court time. Although when he did play he always produced well.

Maceo Baston - C
Tough to judge him on the limited play but again it did look like he was ready to contribute when called upon and I guess he played as expected.

Mike Dunleavy - no rating
He only played a handful of games so not fair to judge him. Get better for next season.

Obie - B
Given so many new faces he did a good job at assembling a team that was competitive in about 90% of their games (I can only think of 2 games of the top of my head where it was all over by the 4th quarter). We all read the stats that we had the most games decided by 3 points of less. It was also great to see the pacers not give up in their last few games of the season despite being out of the playoff hunt.

Larry Bird - A
He did a great job at bringing in high quality guys and guys who all get along with each other and will help turn the franchise around. Now if only Tinsley can be traded!

Re: End of Season Evaluation

Posted: Sun Apr 19, 2009 3:47 pm
by Miller4ever
Here are my mid-season grades, followed by the new grades.

Danny Granger: A-
-His play has been great, but his inconsistent shooting percentages have caused some trouble, especially as of late. Despite his shot not falling, he still has many other sides to his game to make him the leader on this team.
New Grade: A
-An all-star berth followed by blistering play towards the end of the season have removed all doubts that he isn't a bona fide star, and merely a good player on a bad team. His drive and focus never wavered, coming back strong from injury.

Mike Dunleavy: Inc
-He has not played enough to be graded, and his play since coming back is marked with an asterisk because he's still getting his game legs back.
New Grade: Inc
-Perhaps the only disappointment to the season due to his absence, stretching into next season.

TJ Ford: C
-Inconsistency and bad decisions continue to keep him from being a dependable point guard. He was supposed to be able to average above 5 assists per game at the very least, but continues to jump into the air without any idea what to do before landing, thus leading to bad passes and horrible shot attempts. His quickness bails him out, but not as much as he is to blame.
New Grade: B
-His play off the bench has been more inspiring than when he was a starter, and has been performing better when not trying to do too much. Still makes silly misses and turnovers, and still makes up for them by forcing turnovers, leaving the team where it was with 30 less seconds on the clock.

Troy Murphy: B+
-Exceeding expectations and one of the NBA's leaders in rebounds, Troy Murphy has been a wonderful surprise on the developing Pacers squad. His defense has been suspect at times, but his work on the boards and his three-point shot have made him worth part of his contract.
New Grade: A-
-Broke and set records, although his defense keeps him from living up to his contract. Still, a great boost to the team, and the addition of the pump-drive led to some awesome plays, including one off-the-backboard shot to himself.

Jeff Foster: A+
-Always doing what's asked of him and more, Jeff Foster continues to exemplify the part of the NBA that is lost amongst highlight reels and slam dunk contests: effort, work ethic, and hustle. More like a role pillar than a role player, no one could ask more from Feisty.
New Grade: A-
-Since midseason, he has maintained his fire, but was one of the reasons for a few of the close losses. Even then, he is far and above everyone else on the team in plus/minus, which, while it is a rigged stat, still says a lot.

Brandon Rush: C-
-Thought to be a good addition to the Pacers on draft night, he has fallen short of many expectations. Should he allow this to discourage him, he will become a bust, but if he keeps at it and some of those unfortunate shots start falling through, Rush will have a chance to eclipse his brother in NBA effectiveness.
New Grade: A
-Went from D-League candidate to legitimate scoring threat. Since moving to the starting lineup, Brandon Rush has outperformed all expectations, and no longer allows misses to faze him.

Marquis Daniels: A
-Stepping in for the injured Mike Dunleavy at the beginning of the season, Marquis exploded offensively and did a lot more in other areas, grabbing boards and making passes. Although he is on the bench now, the Pacers can feel better with another viable option off of the bench.
New Grade: C+
-Had numerous injuries and then came back from those injuries with abysmal shooting percentages and decreased defensive capabilities.

Jarrett Jack: B-
-While more consistent than backcourt buddy TJ Ford, Jack has had horrible shooting nights, and has gone scoreless on more than one occasion. However, he has made up for his shooting with good passing.
New Grade: B+
-The new starter has produced some impressive performances, but is still plagued by some bad decisions and inconsistent shooting.

Roy Hibbert: B
-Still a rookie and not as agile as required, his defense is a concern, although he has shown some good offense. He has not played so many minutes, so it remains to be seen how good he can be.
New Grade: B
Stopped fouling a whole bunch closer at the end of the season, but he didn't score as much. Still, 17-7 games weren't uncommon, and while he probably won't average that next season, he has made his case.

Josh McRoberts: Inc.
-Not enough minutes, but doing a decent job.
New Grade: Inc.
-Squeezes production out of minutes, but still hasn't done much on the way of proving himself as a consistent producer.

Maceo Baston: Inc.
-See above.
New Grade: Inc.
-Same

Rasho Nesterovic: A-
-Veteran savvy and good court vision keeps Rasho Nesterovic on the rotation. He is a smart player, and has keyed the Pacers in a few victories without putting up stats.
New Grade: Inc
-Relegated to the end of the bench, Nesterovic has only been able to contribute a few rebounds and scores inside. He still did well wit the minutes he had.

Stephen Graham: C+
-He hasn't made the best decisions, but he surprises on occasion. Doesn't play very many minutes.
New Grade: C+
-Can dunk, but can also miss about five shots in a row.

Travis Diener: B
-Continuing good judgment from last year, Diener has produced decently since becoming a benchwarmer, not creating a lot of opportunities but taking care of the ball.
New Grade: Inc
-Didn't get consistent minutes, and looked a bit stiff towards the end.

Jamaal Tinsley: F
-Why?
New Grade: F-
-Because!

Re: End of Season Evaluation

Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 3:59 am
by cdash
Granger: A. The man got a brand new extension, and as far as NBA players go, they generally aren't terribly motivated after signing a lucrative long-term extension. See: Smith, Josh. However, Granger came back more motivated than ever. He strove to lead the team and put his imprint on our squad. He did it at an exceptional level, and he is one of the easiest Pacers in their history to cheer for. Just the consummate professional, he really set the tone for the team and had a great All-Star campaign. Easily the team MVP.

Murphy: A-. Bird predicted big things out of Murphy this year, and the man didn't disappoint. One of the best rebounders in the league and one of the best three point shooters (by %), he was a rock for us all season. He isn't a guy that takes over games, but he has learned the Feisty Foster technique of tipping rebounds out to his perimeter teammates and added wrinkles to his game throughout the season. His pump-fake drives to the hoop made defenses play him a little more honestly. Great year out of him.

Ford: C+. I'm admittedly a little hard on him, but I think its just because I had huge expectations for him coming into the season. I thought he would blossom and be absolute dynamite, which is my own fault for having those kind of expectations. His erratic play and constant urning to be "the man" wore on me. That being said, he did hit some huge shots near the end of games and his ability to blow past guys and get to the hole is a huge asset. If he can add a consistent three-point shot and gamble a little less on defense, then he could be a real force in this system. As it is though, he gets a slightly above average grade for losing his starting position (which is a trend with him).

Jack: B+. Have to admit, I hated him at the beginning of the season. He grew on me big time as the year progressed though. He played in all 82 games for us and was always someone we could count on. He had some big games and really had a knack for hitting that beautiful teardrop shot in the lane at key times. I still don't always like his decision making, but he was a pleasant surprise this year for us. I hope we can retain him next season.

Dunleavy: Inc. Injuries suck. Knee injuries suck even worse. On a side note, I saw him Friday night in Broad Ripple HAMMERED at Qdoba. Ran right into my buddy and didn't even know it. Just plowed right into him. He had a huge brace over his knee. It was pretty humorous.

Hibbert: B-. I didn't have high hopes for him...he's not a guy I would have targeted in the draft. That said, he has shown a real nice touch around the basket. Enough to warrant hope that he can fill that pressing need for a post scoring threat in the future. His fouling was frustrating and reminded me of David Harrison. All in all, I liked his progress and I'm hopeful for the future, but I wouldn't say he deserves much better than a B-.

Rush: B. He was really crappy for over half the season. Even his highly touted defense showed lapses. He played with no confidence and caused quite a rift on this board. Then, he got his confidence back, started picking up on the nuances of NBA defense better, and wham, he looks like the future of our team at SG. I hope he works hard this summer and comes into camp confidence, because he could be huge next year.

Re: End of Season Evaluation

Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 2:46 pm
by Grang33r
Awesome recap guys. I missed a large part of the end of the season so i don't have much to put in this thread but reading all of the bios is nice to catch up. I'm glad people wrote why they gave a player a grade and not just give a grade. I'm really excited about Brandon Rush from the box scores that i've been checking out. The guy looks like a true stud.

Re: End of Season Evaluation

Posted: Sat Apr 25, 2009 9:47 am
by Gremz
Miller4ever wrote:Jamaal Tinsley: F
-Why?
New Grade: F-
-Because!


Is it possible to give an F--?