After the first three games...

[writerman]

I was wondering whjat had happened to that team from last year that scrapped and hustled and didn't give ground to anyone.

Well, they're back--and I really like this team and its future. I know it's early, but I see a lot to like and a lot of reasons for optimism.

For one thing, I feel like I've been vindicated about something I said last year--everyone then was opining about how we needed a post presence. I said then that we already had one on the roster in the person of Roy Hibbert. There are still going to be bumps on the road for him, but I feel he's made my prediction look good.

Kudos to Bird for drafting Hansborough and Price and for bringing in the Joneses, Watson, and Head.

If Dunleavy is able to eventually come back at somewhere near the level he showed the year before last, and Murphy and Foster get healthy, this team could be a big surprise.

[chatard5]

Being healthy should obviously help. I just like who is actually playing for the Pacers right now, and the effort they are giving to the team. Like when Dunleavy comes back we need to give him minutes. Dahntay has been great, we can't take away much from him. We obviously can't from Granger, except for maybe a couple minutes. I like Rush and his D, too. Most minutes would have to come from Rush at this point. I guess Luther Head has gotten some minutes. After just looking it up he has played 18.7 minutes in 6 games this year. That seems high. Maybe the average was boosted with Ford's injury?

And then there are Murphy and Foster. Solomon would be the odd-man out here I'd assume. That is only 20 minutes, though, and I do like his 1.5ish or whatever blocks per game. Plus I think Hansbrough will need more minutes as he gets healthier.

Hey, it isn't a bad thing when guys are fighting each other for minutes. It should only make them work harder!

[Grangerous]

There is deffinatley going to be some battling for positions which is a good thing...but in all reality you can only have a rotation of 9 or 10 guys and there are gonna be some guys i would like to see play fall out of the rotation...i really like the small ball lineup we have gone with but if we get healthy we are gonna sadly see either rush or jones minutes go way down...and hansMYbro might also depending on what solomon jones does...