RealGM

http://www.eightpointsnineseconds.com/2009/09/the-lamp-post-third-quarter-of-death/

This is an amazing statistical breakdown of how awful the Pacers 3rd quarters were last year, and how that contributed to our losing. One interesting stat is that Indiana had the 6th most halftime leads. Meaning, if all the games had ended after one half, Indiana would have had the 6th best record in the league.

The writer also points out how our bench is dangerously weak offensively, even if Dunleavy comes back to full health. It makes me think that we might need to play a different starting lineup (either Watson, Jones, or Foster starting in place of Ford, Rush, or Hibbert would help, just so one of those three guys can be in the game mainly w/ the bench and provide some scoring).

What are your thoughts?

If Jim O'Brien can't come up with some good third-quarter play calls this year, he needs to be fired.

/sarcasm

It's all about focusing and keeping the intensity and killer instinct going after the half. Pacers, as a relatively young team, aren't good at adjusting to halftime adjustments from the other team, if that makes sense.

3rd quarters are overrated anyways.

But I do wonder what must go on at halftime if evidence is anything.

Frankly, this really made me start to question our coaching staff a little. Sure, a big part is that we have young players... but it seems pretty likely to me that the other team is making good, efficient halftime adjustments to counter whatever we are succeeding at, and we are failing to counter-strategize. Apparently we aren't doing enough to plan around the other team's defense, and they come out in the 3rd quarter and wreak havoc.

Obviously, another big part is that the 3rd quarter features a lot of bench guys.

could be that a lot of teams took us lightly in the first half or that our bench was weak and we wore down. for what it's worth, I didn't think we played our young guys enough in the second quarter although failing to do so may have given us some false leads at half-time.

as for a different starting lineup, I'm hearing that both Jones could start. try to put together two units each of which has two defenders and three scorers without starting at least one Jones.

This is almost a franchise trend - we've had this issue off and on (mostly on) for years and years. Not sure what the constant would be? Fans? We are a fairly subdued group compared to other cities.

You know....


I just don't trust that author. That name just sounds scummy. Like he's secretly a Pistons fan or something.

Scoot McGroot wrote:You know....


I just don't trust that author. That name just sounds scummy. Like he's secretly a Pistons fan or something.

Yeah, I hear the guy's a real bastard...but nothing so bad as being a Piston's fan.

Either Scoot is the writer or it's just business as usual with things flying over my head.

That makes two of us. We're completely out of the know.

Miller4ever wrote:Either Scoot is the writer or it's just business as usual with things flying over my head.

Ditto.