How good can the Pacers be this year?

[ahartleyvu]

Boston
Detroit
Cleveland
Orlando
Washington
Philadelphia
Toronto

They might compete for that last spot, but they have to beat out Miami, Atlanta, Milwaukee and the Bulls are all arguably better now, so I really don't think they have any shot to make the playoffs.

I didn't realize how much the East has improved until reading that list.

Miami and Chicago return to their 'norms' IMO... Atlanta is still a pretty decent team. I could see Washington possibly falling out, but thats about it. Doubt the Pacers made the playoffs.

[Bucky O'Hare]

We may not have any great scorers, but we have quite a few good scorers. Granger and Dunleavy can combine for 40 a night, and Ford and Murphy can both put up 15 a night, and we have a pretty strong bench. I'm not concerned about our offense. The important question is our defense, and I think the two rookies are key here. If Rush and HIbbert can both come in and give us a good 20 mpg, we have the potential to be a pretty solid defensive team. If we have to rely too much on Dunleavy and Murphy...it wont be pretty.

[NO-KG-AI]

They could make it, every year there is a team that seems to collapse and fall apart that no one expects, someone will get injured and slip... I wouldn't rule out them sneaking in.

[Canomad]

i like granger but he isnt a 1st option and neither is ford. they seriously lack a go 2 guy and i think interior defense is going to be a big problem. they wont make the playoffs but might have a serious shot at derozan or blake griffin.

[SPuL]

They'll be competing with the Knicks for the worst record in the east.

Granger is the only player on the entire team that belongs in a starting lineup in the NBA.. that's pretty scary

[basketballwacko2]

They'll be competing with the Knicks for the worst record in the east.

Granger is the only player on the entire team that belongs in a starting lineup in the NBA.. that's pretty scary

Really you don't think TJ Ford is a starter or I suppose Dunleavy's production last season was a fluke? We'll see like I said before they'll be ok as long as their healthy, and win about 40 games. That's alot more than the Knicks and probably more than the Bulls and Nets as well.

[Rasho Brezec]

You know what's funny is that TJ has always made the playoffs.

2003/2004: They went from the 8th pick to the playoffs.
2004/2005: TJ missed the entire year...Bucks got the first pick.
2005/2006: They went from the 1st pick to the playoffs.
2006/2007: Got traded to the Raps...they went from the 1st pick to being the Atlantic Champs.
2007/2008: He made the playoffs once again with the Raps.

2008/2009: Who knows?

If he makes the playoffs this year, serious kudos goes out to TJ.

And don't forget that Rasho never missed the playoffs, either.

I find it quite surprising how underrated the Pacers are, even though they won 36 games last season and were only two games short of playoffs. And they improved by giving up almost nothing (JO didn't really contribute much). They solved their biggest hole at PG with TJ Ford, and gained veteran defensive presence with Rasho.

And those comments about poor interior defense are nonsense. Rasho is one of the best defensive bigs in the league, Foster is one of the best rebounders, what more can you expect from them? I would place them in playoffs before Bucks, Bulls or Heat right now.

[joe.linnen]

If O'Brian is the coach then I would rater go with a line up of this.

SF:Granger/Shawne/Graham
PF:McRoberts/Foster/Baston
C:Murphy/Rasho/Hibbert
SG:Dunleavy/Daniels/Rush
PG:Ford/Jack/Diener

[Danny1616]

Rasho is a beast.

[pacers33granger]

If O'Brian is the coach then I would rater go with a line up of this.

SF:Granger/Shawne/Graham
PF:McRoberts/Foster/Baston
C:Murphy/Rasho/Hibbert
SG:Dunleavy/Daniels/Rush
PG:Ford/Jack/Diener

ummm murphy is far from a center and mcroberts will be lucky to see any time if he isnt cut

[fallentimes]

Yeah I'd say they're still a few years away. They need front court scoring badly.

[celticfan42487]

They're not a playoff worthy team. But neither is ATL or CHI or MIA.

Although if Wade comes back 100% he could make MIA one with The Matrix and help form the rookie. I expect that Marion will be traded at the deadline for more youth though.

[BayArea_Warriors]

I don't think they'll be very good, no way they make the 8th spot.

Boston
Washington
Cleveland
Detroit
Orlando
Philadelphia
Toronto
Atlanta

Not to mention the Bobcats, Bucks and the Heat will all be fighting to make the playoffs, who are all better than the Pacers IMO. It's going to be very interesting come the end of the season, I think it'll be a close race.

[eyriq]

I actually like this team for the 8th seed next year, and I'd say they win anywhere between 41-45 games. They have a good coach in O'brien and should have a good offense with Ford leading the show. Their defense will stink again, but they will rebound well enough to make up the difference. An easy out in the playoffs but still a feisty team and better than a lot of people are giving them credit for.

[legacyinthemakin89c]

We're on par with the 2004 Pistons and the 08 Celtics, yet somehow you have a team that never has escaped the first round ahead of us! No Respect

Maybe because this team hasn't played together yet?? Biggest homer statement ever. You have no outside shooting on that team and your depth is horrible. Until you get past the first round, I wouldn''t kid yourself by comparing your team to 2 of the greatest defensive teams of all time until they've proven it. And taking us to 6 games doesn't prove anything. Philly isn't better then Orlando or Cleveland until they prove it.

[JD225]

That's a .500 team to me if everything goes well, but I question Ford's desire to pass the ball when the game is on the line.