GDT- Game 45: Pacers @ Orlando

[Grang33r]

Not my turn to do GDT but it's 6:45pm and i didn't see one up. So i figured i'd make one up pretty fast. I ran into a few errors making it, i tried to keep it simple but it got a bit messed up, and my computer isn't running all that well lately so im just gonna leave it as is.


[size=18]INDIANA PACERS (17-27) @ ORLANDO MAGIC (33-10)
Date: January 27, 2009
Time: 7:00 PM
TV: Fox Sports Indiana (Comcast - 44, DirectTV - 673)
Radio: 1070 The Fan

PROJECTED STARTING LINE-UPS

[color=darkblue]Pacers



Magic



Team Leaders:

PPG: Granger (26.1), Howard (20.0)
RPG: Murphy (11.5), Howard (13.9)
APG: Ford (5.1), Nelson (5.3)



Pacers News

All-Star selections: Bird, O'Brien lobby for Granger

Indiana Pacers president Larry Bird and coach Jim O'Brien are doing their part to get forward Danny Granger selected as a reserve for next month's All-Star Game in Phoenix.

Bird and O'Brien recently sent a packet, including a personal letter, about Granger to Eastern Conference coaches to get them to vote for the fourth-year forward.

Matchups: Pacers at Orlando

Scouting Report
With two wins in a row, four in their last six games and a 7-6 record in January – not to mention a healthy roster – the Pacers (17-27) appear to be in position to turn the corner. Coach Jim O'Brien has locked into a rotation and as a result some of the key areas of concern are tightening up. Defensively, the Pacers have yielded just 101.2 points and .421 shooting in the last six, well below their season averages of 106.3 and .457. Offensively, they've cut down on turnovers (12.5 in the last six) and gotten to the free-throw line more (outscoring opponents 139-123 in the last six. Orlando (33-10) has lost two in a row for the first time since the first two games of the season, which isn't quite cause for panic but is opening the door to mild concern.

[Grang33r]

Edit- added chicks. I made it so fast i forgot to add the only thing people click to see on my GDTs LOL.

[Miller4ever]

VS

At not Disney World...


Starting Lineups

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Jameer Nelson comes into the game one of the more underrated point guards in the league, with the ability to score in bunches and annoy any opposing ballhandler into making a bad pass, leading his team to several victories. Jarrett Jack continues to start in place of the still-adjusting Ford. Jack is not playing up to par, and was scoreless in the last game against the Bobcats. Jack should focus on putting the clamps down on Jameer Nelson, who can shoot from anywhere on the court, and not try to force any offense; Dwight Howard will be looking to shut any ill-advised drive down.

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Mike Dunleavy is not playing with the confidence, but he is still taking it slow coming back from the injury. Courtney Lee has been inserted into the Magic starting lineup with some mixed results. Both guards are not shooting at a level that defines the position. The Magic have lights-out shooting from behind the arc, and Mike will be called upon to match pace with the outside touch of the Magic.

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Danny Granger, All-Star hopeful/shoo-in is running hot and cold in games, but still manages a good amount of free-throw attempts. Should the field goals not fall, the rising star should drive it in despite the presence of the mighty Dwight Howard in the paint. If Granger is able to tag Dwight with a couple of early fouls, the game may swing in favor of the Pacers. Hedo Turkoglu, another All-Star hopeful/long-shot is a dangerous weapon, doing a little bit of everything on the floor, including stretching it with his long-range capability.

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Troy Murphy will be fighting with Dwight Howard for control of the boards underneath while having to cover a dangerous outside sniper in Rashard Lewis. Should Troy lose a step in defending Lewis, Troy may hit the pine as the Pacers go smaller in their defense. Troy Murphy should not be deterred from launching 3-pointers, because long shots mean long rebounds, giving the Pacers a better chance at scooping up and keeping Dwight from becoming a force.

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Jeff Foster has never backed down from a challenge, and Dwight Howard certainly is a challenge. Defending the young superstar will be tough, to say the least. Rasho will be called upon to stem the damage should Foster get benched, and Roy Hibbert will not see a lot of time matched up against Dwight. Keeping Dwight Howard to 15 and 10 will be the goal of this game.

The Key Reserves

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-
-
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Former Pacer Anthony Johnson and former NBA prospect JJ Redick lead the backcourt off the bench. The Magic bench has been thin, and the Pacers are finally experiencing their full depth with TJ Ford coming off the bench and Marquis Daniels right behind him. Jeff Foster is now coming off the bench.

The Coaches

-
Stan Van Gundy has a new haircut. Jim O'Brien has a new lineup.

Injury Report

Pacers
None

Magic
Mickael Pietrus-Out
Mike Wilks-Out

Final Points

-Watch the boards.
-Cut off the 3's
-Make fun of Stan Van Gundy's new haircut

Tradition








Happy Chinese Lunar New Year

[Miller4ever]

Are you serious? I just looked at the clock, and submitted my incomplete GDT. Completing it now...

[APerna]

No problems. I can merge the threads....we can't have enough analysis or beautiful women, can we?

[cdash]

Howard eats us alive. Its looking like we are willing to let Dwight Howard have his inside as long as we have a man on the three point shooters. Going small is probably a wise move too. Murphy is mainly a perimeter player, and he pulls Howard away from the basket when hes shooting his threes. The key is TJ's ability to penetrate the lane and score/make the right pass.

[LatinoHeat]

anyone notice that Jack got credited with fords fastbreak pas to a murphy layup.

[APerna]

This is getting ugly fast.

[cdash]

What in the flying **** are we doing out there? Jesus Christ.

[cdash]

I dont understand what JOB is doing, I really dont. I dont see how anyone can consider him a good coach. I think we had 10 different players play in the first quarter. Ten! Ever heard of a rotation? The starters were doing some nice things out there, why go and screw with it like that?

Another thing, to whoever it was that thinks we just dont have the personnel to play good defense...take a look at the Orlando Magic. By my count, Howard and Pietrus are their only legitimately good defenders, yet they play very good defense. They make good rotations and hustle well to help out. What a well coached team. Bravo to SVG.

[cdash]

And now Maceo Baston. With Rasho and McRoberts inactive, I think we've played everyone but Brandon Rush. Ugh.

[JarrettJackSG]

I dont understand what JOB is doing, I really dont. I dont see how anyone can consider him a good coach. I think we had 10 different players play in the first quarter. Ten! Ever heard of a rotation? The starters were doing some nice things out there, why go and screw with it like that?

Another thing, to whoever it was that thinks we just dont have the personnel to play good defense...take a look at the Orlando Magic. By my count, Howard and Pietrus are their only legitimately good defenders, yet they play very good defense. They make good rotations and hustle well to help out. What a well coached team. Bravo to SVG.

....

You think having two 6'10 3-4's with enough athleticism to guard 2-4's doesn't help? You think having an elite shotblocking presence doesn't help?

Also not to burst your bubble or anything, but please look at the amount of fouls our players have.

Dun had an early 2, murphy has 3 already, and Foster and Bason all have 2.

[Miller4ever]

It's slaughter, straight up. This game will turn around in the second half, since we'll get the good rim.

[TJFordisGod]

Save us Rasho! Put him in there!

[cdash]

I dont understand what JOB is doing, I really dont. I dont see how anyone can consider him a good coach. I think we had 10 different players play in the first quarter. Ten! Ever heard of a rotation? The starters were doing some nice things out there, why go and screw with it like that?

Another thing, to whoever it was that thinks we just dont have the personnel to play good defense...take a look at the Orlando Magic. By my count, Howard and Pietrus are their only legitimately good defenders, yet they play very good defense. They make good rotations and hustle well to help out. What a well coached team. Bravo to SVG.

....

You think having two 6'10 3-4's with enough athleticism to guard 2-4's doesn't help? You think having an elite shotblocking presence doesn't help?

Also not to burst your bubble or anything, but please look at the amount of fouls our players have.

Dun had an early 2, murphy has 3 already, and Foster and Bason all have 2.

Trust me, you arent bursting anyones bubble. I posted that long before most of those fouls were accumulated.

And if you think Lewis and Hedo can guard 2's then you may need to rethink things. They can jump at them when they shoot three's, but you wont see them effectively guarding any twos. Lewis may be able to masquerade there in a pinch, but saying they can guard twos is like saying Diener can guard twos. Sure, he can, but that doesnt mean he wont get torched in the process. My point was Orlando's help defense and their rotations is what makes them so good. Argue all you want, but thats where their strength lies, besides having a monster like Howard in the post.

[LatinoHeat]

anyone notice that Jack got credited with fords fastbreak pas to a murphy layup.

[Miller4ever]

Rasho is out.

[TJFordisGod]

anyone notice that Jack got credited with fords fastbreak pas to a murphy layup.

r u serious? thats gonna effect my fantasy team

[cdash]

TJ looks pretty good this evening. Thats about it. Dunleavy has looked horrible.

[chatard5]

Yeah the only thing that looks good are Ford and the 2 threads.