The Pacers are in New Orleans to play the Hornets tonight for their penultimate preseason game before tipping off the season in Detroit on October 29th. Here are a few items of interest to ponder prior to the tip:

• Mike Wells checks in from his Pacers Insider blog with a reality check on the team's progress thus far in the preseason. Among the chief complaints from scouts he's talked to are the continued struggles on defense and that Danny Granger and T.J. Ford among others hold onto the ball and dribble too much instead of moving the ball as Jim O'Brien would prefer. That covers the problems we've witnessed so far in the preseason, but I'll wait until all the key players are healthy and playing together for a few games before I panic.
• The Pacers are in New Orleans tonight to take on the Hornets. I guess that's the good news, because the bad news is that the Hornets plan to play their starters increased minutes in preparation for opening night. I'm sure Jim O'Brien plans to do the same with the Pacers. Hopefully Mike Dunleavy and Troy Murphy will be ready to go so they get a solid test.
• Jermaine O'Neal feels lucky wearing Pacers shorts as underwear. Hmm, lucky or cheap?
• Josh McRoberts appreciates the opportunity he's getting with the Pacers.
• Blues Traveller will play a free concert outside the Fieldhouse on opening night against the Celtics on November 1st. Apparently they have a new CD and are trying to refresh the general public's memory about their existence.
• At The Hive and Hornets 247 have all your Hornets-related information and analysis.

Feel free to leave your thoughts on the game in the comments