PG Pacers Game 3: Loss

[HKPackFan]

Malik Beasley with a: 7 minutes 0/0/1 (0/2 shooting) team worst -11 +/

At least doc had a quick leash. Crowder also only 2 minutes and almost immediate benching.

Maybe crowder could be a better matchup vs an older veteran team, but he looks like the old man at the YMCA vs young NBA players.

[rilamann]

The last three years.

You greatly increase your odds of being "Cursed" when you rely on a bunch of old guys.

You almost forget what I feels like to have a team full of guys under 30 who aren't constantly aggravating an injury.

Giannis is under 30. By far our most important player. He was injured and missed playoff games in '21, '23 and '24. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

Giannis is tricky because with the way he plays, he's an injury waiting to happen. With him you just have to hope he is smart and also has better luck and stays healthy.

But IMO that's all the more that you have to surround Giannis with a younger core of players.

When Giannis is always banged up and then the next 2 players that you're depending on are approaching their mid 30's, you're asking for trouble.

[Bernman]

If Green's not compelled to take shots (if he makes it's a bonus), he's a low usage monster due to his d & just a necessary evil (at worst) cuz of his court coverage.

He's played 35 minutes in this series. I only remember him getting scored on once, outside a zone. He was #1 on the team in +/- each of the last 2 games; overall is +16. Don't play a zone when he's out there, & if you're not going to start him, let him finish if the starters ain't working, + just overall ramp up his minutes more to half the game. And feed Haliburton to him. He's not scoring a lot, but he is breaking down our d repeatedly off the dribble, or compelling double teams to to do it indirectly.

[MartyConlonOnTheRun]

Read on Twitter

Cool. Explain to the media why you are a good coach while explaining a huge vulnerability of your team for the opponent to use. Just covering his ass

Yeah that's weird. Why even talk about that?

I'm not even hating on doc. In hindsight I would've done a few things different but an overmatched team with 3 aging stars all either hobbling, a decoy or out i thought he did pretty good overall.
Instead of being like bud and keeping it to the close to the vest, ("missed a couple shots", "didn't execute") he seems to always need a scrape goat.

[GHOSTofSIKMA]

im so pissed right now i cant see. the idea it has anything to do with doc is just stupid. the guys to actually blame is **** obvious if were measuring it off expectations

its preseason and youre trying to explain to me how were trying to win a playoff series with middleton going off like he does and dame or giannis hurt or out for the umpteenth time in a row and youre blaming the coach again. **** me thats dense im just tired of this ****

[HKPackFan]

I am concerned we blew our wad with Khris and Dame giving it all tonight. They may not be able to recuperate in time for the next game.

I have a feeling next one could be a blowout.

while Green and AJJ can help tighten up the D and get those 50/50 balls, set good screens, they don't provide the firepower of Khris and Dame.

And you will hear this yammering of, "Well you wanted the young kids and see how that worked out you fools!"

The point is, these young guys are the role players, doing the dirty work, providing the positive impact to help the stars doing their thing, but don't expect them to also lead the offense.

True, and for all the screaming going on about Doc not going to them in OT, you’re talking about a bench that scored 6 points. Pretty easy to see why he stuck with the starters.

I know the role of the bench guys, but I do think they could have had a more minutes. I truly believe the old guys needed a breather. I'm just not delusional to think they are bringing the firepower.

Green led the team with a +10 and AJJ second with a +7 plus/minus and it matched the eye test. But they need to be on the floor with the scorers. Ajj probably sets the best screens on the team and gave Khris and Dame one on one opportunities, and boxes out and has the hops to go after 50/50 balls. But he's absolutely limited in scoring.

[PG Graveyard]

The silver lining I’m taking from this is that we’ve got a chance Sunday (I’m assuming Giannis is out for this series)

Other silver lining is Dame, Khris and Bobby have been putting up some statz. Helps the trade value this summer.

Brook hasn’t lowered his value either. We don’t have bad contracts. We can make some changes.

[midranger]

Not sign and trading Brook last year was a real bad move

[MickeyDavis]

Huge difference between regular season and playoffs. Huge. Lots of regular season stat padders seize up in the playoffs. Khris is a playoff stud. I'm not opposed to trading him but I'm not trading him simply to "get younger".

[Packbuckman]

Great game and effort after that 1st quarter finally playing Jackson almost won us that game. He needed to be on Hali at the end not bev now I hope Doc learned from this game and gives Jackson and green more minutes oh and Giannis heal up please!

[GHOSTofSIKMA]

The silver lining I’m taking from this is that we’ve got a chance Sunday (I’m assuming Giannis is out for this series)

Other silver lining is Dame, Khris and Bobby have been putting up some statz. Helps the trade value this summer.

Brook hasn’t lowered his value either. We don’t have bad contracts. We can make some changes.

cool so your telling me were a borderline 2nd round playoff team without giannis?

imagine if he were ever healthy or we could get assets for him that would be eligible to play in the playoffs!

yeah im pissed. why buy in. we may as well be building around kawhi. last post tonight if i pissed people off but these full seasons just feel such a waste. im hurt right now. were gonna lose this thing and were gonna lose it in style and it hurts

[GHOSTofSIKMA]

Huge difference between regular season and playoffs. Huge. Lots of regular season stat padders seize up in the playoffs. Khris is a playoff stud. I'm not opposed to trading him but I'm not trading him simply to "get younger".

khris is a playoff superstar. when giannis is healthy thats all we ever needed. trading him would be nuts. trade dame first by a mile

[Be Here Now]

Huge difference between regular season and playoffs. Huge. Lots of regular season stat padders seize up in the playoffs. Khris is a playoff stud. I'm not opposed to trading him but I'm not trading him simply to "get younger".

Looking at some ex Bucks in the box score (Jrue and Grayson), it really is remarkable how consistent the playoff studs and duds are.

I've been super happy with how Dame and Khris have been able to turn up the intensity with not so great health.

[skones]

I remain a Middleton stan. Anyone who slanders will have to come to terms at the pearly gates. (they end up going go hell)

[humanrefutation]

Incredible resilience by this team. Khris was **** awesome.

Doc is a **** **** for sticking with Brook and Bobby when they couldn't get a **** rebound to save their life.

Pacers might have won, but I think they've been shaken by this.

I can understand wondering why Brook only had 4 rebounds. But BP had 18 rebounds and you guys with your narratives can't help yourself with the anti BP bias.

Half the people on this board wanted BP to sit the entire second half.

No way the Bucks are anywhere close in this game without BP. Everyone but KM were bad the first half. At least I know Hubie knows the game and raved about the value he brought.

There isn't any anti-BP bias here. I watched the game. The dude couldn't find a board to save his life when it mattered. The box score is irrelevant.

I'm not saying that because I hate Bobby. I love his energy out there. I'm saying that because Brook and Bobby were getting outhustled for rebounds by Pacer guards.

[Milbucks96]

Shot creation is (maybe) the most important playoff skill. Having someone that’s 6’7 be able to get his shot off anytime and hit it at an above average rate, while also being a plus passer is invaluable.

I can’t believe people were really trying to say we should’ve traded him instead of Jrue.

[ShootingtheJ]

Cannot believe Khris put up 42 on a bad ankle and we lost. The rest of the team should be absolutely ashamed.

Ashamed because they lost a road playoff game without Giannis? Disappointed as hell, sure. Ashamed? Massively over the top.

[PG Graveyard]

The silver lining I’m taking from this is that we’ve got a chance Sunday (I’m assuming Giannis is out for this series)

Other silver lining is Dame, Khris and Bobby have been putting up some statz. Helps the trade value this summer.

Brook hasn’t lowered his value either. We don’t have bad contracts. We can make some changes.

cool so your telling me were a borderline 2nd round playoff team without giannis?

imagine if he were ever healthy or we could get assets for him that would be eligible to play in the playoffs!

yeah im pissed. why buy in. we may as well be building around kawhi. last post tonight if i pissed people off but these full seasons just feel such a waste. im hurt right now. were gonna lose this thing and were gonna lose it in style and it hurts

I have no idea what you are talking about. Smoke less crack.

[PG Graveyard]

Cannot believe Khris put up 42 on a bad ankle and we lost. The rest of the team should be absolutely ashamed.

Ashamed because they lost a road playoff game without Giannis? Disappointed as hell, sure. Ashamed? Massively over the top.

Yeah our guys played their asses off. We had chances. Hopefully we have the same on Sunday. As soon as Giannis can play this series fundamentally changes but tonight is the first time I thought they could maybe get us to 7 without him

[ShootingtheJ]

Incredible resilience by this team. Khris was **** awesome.

Doc is a **** **** for sticking with Brook and Bobby when they couldn't get a **** rebound to save their life.

Pacers might have won, but I think they've been shaken by this.

I can understand wondering why Brook only had 4 rebounds. But BP had 18 rebounds and you guys with your narratives can't help yourself with the anti BP bias.

Half the people on this board wanted BP to sit the entire second half.

No way the Bucks are anywhere close in this game without BP. Everyone but KM were bad the first half. At least I know Hubie knows the game and raved about the value he brought.

There isn't any anti-BP bias here. I watched the game. The dude couldn't find a board to save his life when it mattered. The box score is irrelevant.

I'm not saying that because I hate Bobby. I love his energy out there. I'm saying that because Brook and Bobby were getting outhustled for rebounds by Pacer guards.

Lol, the guy that got 18 rebounds didn't get enough rebounds? How about the 7 footer who had 4? Everyone is expected to rebound. That's how Indiana did it.