Preseason Open Thread #6: Indiana Pacers vs. Chicago Bulls

by Tom Lewis on Oct 20, 2007 8:04 AM EDT in Indiana Pacers News

Not sure if I'll be home in time to follow the first part of the game tonight. Needless to say, this is one of those games where the Pacers face a talent deficit. Hopefully, the Bulls will try to rest some of their arsenal.

The Pacers won't be at full strength after the double OT effort and a few injuries. There was some good and bad reported after last nights game.

The Good
The players that did play last night left it all out there and pleased Jim O'Brien.

"I think the harder you work, the tougher it is to surrender," O'Brien said. "These guys have worked very, very hard and I fully expect them, and they expect, to never quit on a game. I expected to come back. I expected to have a chance to win that game, and we did."

The Bad
This Pacers Notebook leaves us concerned about Troy Murphy and Jermaine O'Neal with the regular season fast approaching. I can't help but think these two are going to be battling the lingering injuries, AGAIN. Yeesh.

Also, looks like O'B is set on Diener, Foster, and Daniels coming off the bench. Whatever minutes are leftover are still up for grabs.

Please leave your comments on the game here.

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Game televised

The game tonight is scheduled now to be shown on League Pass, 830pm eastern...Ben Gordon will still be out for now and the rest of the preseason apparently, so the Pacers aren't the only team to be hurting physically. It's that time of year...players ramping up from the off-season, to training camp workouts, to the stresses of preseason play. A lot of strained tendons and rolled ankles around the league at this point.

With JO out, Troy out, Harrison hurt last night and Jeff Foster having logged 48 minutes last night, there could be a Lukasz Obrzut (wait a sec, gotta check my spelling)...Yes!...could be a Lukasz Obrzut sighting this evening.

by kester99 on Oct 20, 2007 3:53 PM EDT reply actions

A quick look arond the box scores

Just did a quick, by no means complete or exhaustive, check around the box scores and team pages. The following players are some of the current injuries likely to affect, at least, the rest of the preseason:

Orlando -- Rashad Lewis, Kevin Dooling and Tony Battie
Toronto -- Chris Bosh
Chicago -- Ben Gordon
Detroit -- Richard Hamilton
Miami -- Shaq, D.Wade, Doleac, Alonzo Mourning
Nets -- Jason Kidd, Bernard Robinson

That doesn't make Jermaine's knee any better, I know. I'm just sayin'.

by kester99 on Oct 20, 2007 4:58 PM EDT reply actions

Same starters as last night

Pacers starting line-up: Tinsley, Diogu, Dunleavy, Granger, Foster.

Now we're seeing on WGN that apparently a bunch of digital cattle got loose in downtown Chicago...oh I see, it's an intro to their starting line-up. Very impressive.

by kester99 on Oct 20, 2007 8:41 PM EDT reply actions

Granger

Looks determined to take it to the hoop tonight.

by kester99 on Oct 20, 2007 8:51 PM EDT reply actions

Harrison's in...

so can't be injured too badly.

by kester99 on Oct 20, 2007 8:56 PM EDT reply actions

flagrant foul

Big Ben on Harrison, who was slammed to the floor under the basket....just got up and stomped away with his head down...didn't lose his cool.

by kester99 on Oct 20, 2007 9:04 PM EDT reply actions

boom baby

Marquise hits a last second half-court 3....31-25 Bulls after one.

by kester99 on Oct 20, 2007 9:14 PM EDT reply actions

Chicago's shooting

Pacers look pretty good, but the bulls are 70 percent from the field, 3-3 from the 3.

by kester99 on Oct 20, 2007 9:18 PM EDT reply actions

Andre Owens

...just came on for the first time, showed some real energy, and it spread immediately to the rest of the team. Quick strikes, Diener for 3, Williams for 2 3-pointers...9 straight points and we're within 4....44-40.

by kester99 on Oct 20, 2007 9:43 PM EDT reply actions

Defense?

I think Coach's commenst after this game are going to follow the same line they've been taking...too many open shots for the opponent. Bulls are 48 percent from the field, 60% from the 3.

by kester99 on Oct 20, 2007 10:30 PM EDT reply actions

Pacers within 7....85-78

Sean Williams has 21 pts...5-9 from the 3. Lots of TOs from both teams...Pacers are meshing better with Jamaal back in.

by kester99 on Oct 20, 2007 10:43 PM EDT reply actions

Scrubs?

The Bulls announcers just basically implied that the Bulls scrubs were beating the Pacers starters here in the 4th...or at least that it was understandable that we'd crept up on them a bit. Hey, Coach is doing what he needs to do...getting time together for these combinations the Pacers will be using thru the year...and our starters here aren't exactly our starters. Will Hinrich and Big Ben be sitting in the 4th in the regular season? No.

But JO and Murphy won't be either.

by kester99 on Oct 20, 2007 10:59 PM EDT reply actions