Pacers Odds and Ends

[Scoot McGroot]

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Scott’s free article this week is a good one.

[Topofthekey]

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Watching these Domas highlights made we wish he and Reggie played on the same Pacer team. Reggie might have averaged 30ppg for his career and Sabonis would probably average double figure apg every season

[Scoot McGroot]

Both Goga and Cassius mentioned interest in playing summer league this offseason in their exit interviews with the media.

[Tom White]

Both Goga and Cassius mentioned interest in playing summer league this offseason in their exit interviews with the media.

Couple questions. Any idea when we will know the dates/schedule for summer league? Also, are these exit interviews all up on pacers.com?

[Scoot McGroot]

Both Goga and Cassius mentioned interest in playing summer league this offseason in their exit interviews with the media.

Couple questions. Any idea when we will know the dates/schedule for summer league? Also, are these exit interviews all up on pacers.com?

Not sure on if they’re posted. I followed along on Twitter. The interviews with the media weren’t very long and really only elicited a couple questions of each player, it appears.

https://www.nba.com/news/nba-summer-league-to-be-held-aug-8-17-in-las-vegas

Summer League is Aug 8-17 in Las Vegas. All 30 teams are committed.

[Scoot McGroot]

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[Tom White]

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I like the very first reply to that twitter - "When is the exit interview with the coach?"

Anyone want to take a guess (or guesses) as to what KP will say? Will it be all about "this team faced historic challenges this season, from injuries, to a new coaching staff, to the pandemic, etc".

Or will it be "we are very disappointed in the season, and obviously have to take a long look at the entire makeup of this team, from players, to coaches, to whatever"?

My guess is, it will be all of the above, followed by...........not much.

[Scoot McGroot]

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I like the very first reply to that twitter - "When is the exit interview with the coach?"

Anyone want to take a guess (or guesses) as to what KP will say? Will it be all about "this team faced historic challenges this season, from injuries, to a new coaching staff, to the pandemic, etc".

Or will it be "we are very disappointed in the season, and obviously have to take a long look at the entire makeup of this team, from players, to coaches, to whatever"?

My guess is, it will be all of the above, followed by...........not much.

You’re pretty spot on there

[Topofthekey]

They should have retained Dan Burke

Bjorkgren successfully improved the team on offense. If only the team also had the benefit of a Dan Burke coached defense

[boomershadow]

I loved Dan Burke too. I think Bjorkgren had a plan for the defense that just didn't fit with how any Dan Burke defense ever worked. I really do. Burke was old school. Switch as little as possible.

And before you say "if that were true, obviously we should have never picked Bjorkgren over Burke," remember that it didn't work that well against Miami. The players were worn out and getting 3s drained on them. It wasn't just the offense that sucked.

I'm not saying I agree. I'm just saying that's what happened.

[Wizop]

did C Cooper do better film studies than the team's video department, or did Bjorkgren stubbornly fail to listen to criticism (or both)?

[Tom White]

I loved Dan Burke too. I think Bjorkgren had a plan for the defense that just didn't fit with how any Dan Burke defense ever worked. I really do. Burke was old school. Switch as little as possible.

And before you say "if that were true, obviously we should have never picked Bjorkgren over Burke," remember that it didn't work that well against Miami. The players were worn out and getting 3s drained on them. It wasn't just the offense that sucked.

I'm not saying I agree. I'm just saying that's what happened.

Yes, and I remember, early in the season, people were happy to see our guys actually switching on defense instead of constantly fighting screens.

Let's face it, although the defensive rating may have been higher, it was still part of the scheme that led to repeated first round exits from the playoffs. Our problems have run deeper than defensive schemes. Our personnel has just not been good enough. As I watch these playoffs, it becomes painfully obvious all those teams have better players and coaching than we do.

[Wizop]

Our problems have run deeper than defensive schemes. Our personnel has just not been good enough. As I watch these playoffs, it becomes painfully obvious all those teams have better players and coaching than we do.

I don't think that's totally fair. don't compare playoff teams' roster to what we fielded in the play-in missing 3 starters. yes, other teams have better players than what took the floor for us, but so do we.

that said, if you read indycornrows.com or follow @C2Cooper on twitter, you'll question our defensive coaching. I don't know whether to blame Bjorkgren's schemes, his choice of assistants, or his failure to listen to them. I don't expect Pritchard to allocate blame at today's press conference but I'll watch it. maybe I'll be surprised.

[Tom White]

I don't think that's totally fair. don't compare playoff teams' roster to what we fielded in the play-in missing 3 starters. yes, other teams have better players than what took the floor for us, but so do we.

My intent was comparing full and healthy rosters of each team. Even when we are fully healthy, those other teams have better players. If we want to get to their level, changes will need to be made. Numerous changes.

that said, if you read indycornrows.com or follow @C2Cooper on twitter, you'll question our defensive coaching. I don't know whether to blame Bjorkgren's schemes, his choice of assistants, or his failure to listen to them. I don't expect Pritchard to allocate blame at today's press conference but I'll watch it. maybe I'll be surprised.

Do you happen to know what time the presser is?

EDIT: OK, I decided to quit being so lazy (well, this time anyway HA!) and looked it up. It is at 1:00pm.

[Scoot McGroot]

https://www.nba.com/pacers/news/watch-live-kevin-pritchard-2021-postseason-press-conference

[Wizop]

Even when we are fully healthy, those other teams have better players. If we want to get to their level, changes will need to be made. Numerous changes.

I'll admit my personal bias. I'd rather watch five good players play together than one great player and four "just guys." But I am old enough to remember four Pacers going to the left side of the floor so Roger Brown could be isolated on the right side.

[Scoot McGroot]

Even when we are fully healthy, those other teams have better players. If we want to get to their level, changes will need to be made. Numerous changes.

I'll admit my personal bias. I'd rather watch five good players play together than one great player and four "just guys." But I am old enough to remember four Pacers going to the left side of the floor so Roger Brown could be isolated on the right side.

Pritchard talking about that if you can’t get the best of the best, he wants 5 really good guys, so you guys likely have that in common.

Also talking about need to defend better. Keeps talking about missing TJ Warren and him being that “wing to defend those guys”

Danced around the “Is Nate staying” quite a bit. Sounded like he didn’t want to plunge the knife in, but definitely didn’t give him a vote of confidence. Acknowledged Nate was a micro-manager, and the players said that. However, said that the players liked him in the locker room, but that didn’t “carry over onto the court”?

[Scoot McGroot]

From Pritchard:

Don’t expect the team to deal multiple picks for a player. “That’s not a tool in our wheelhouse”.

Not looking to “dive In” (dealing picks) or dive out “dealing talent for picks”.

“I didn’t know how important a TJ Warren and his 20 points and defense was”

Talked about how we can’t just make moves to play like anyone else, but have to be unique a bit.

25 minutes in and he’s mostly talked about missing TJ Warren, and really talked about TJ as being a key player going forward. Second most talked about is Caris Levert and the vision he has for Caris and getting healthier.

[Scoot McGroot]

From Pritchard:

Don’t expect the team to deal multiple picks for a player. “That’s not a tool in our wheelhouse”.

Not looking to “dive In” (dealing picks) or dive out “dealing talent for picks”.

“I didn’t know how important a TJ Warren and his 20 points and defense was”

Talked about how we can’t just make moves to play like anyone else, but have to be unique a bit.

25 minutes in and he’s mostly talked about missing TJ Warren, and really talked about TJ as being a key player going forward. Second most talked about is Caris Levert and the vision he has for Caris and getting healthier.

I misheard this. Here’s a correction.

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[Scoot McGroot]

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Also said “We’re hopeful that they’re back”