IC Cold Links: Waiting on the Pacers vs. Hawk

Here are some items of interest to ponder while waiting for the game tonight:

• Kevin Lee reports from practice that Jim O'Brien is stressing fundamentals. Travis Diener was rehabbing with Mike Dunleavy. Also, the Pacers served up their Thanksgiving dinner for area shelters since they will be out of town next week.
• Mike Wells has more on JOB's focus on fundamentals yesterday. Boxing out and jump stopping before passing (hello, Jarrett) received special attention.

  "It's everything we've been working on since the first day of practice," O'Brien said. "Nothing has changed. We're just not consistently executing the fundamentals of the game of basketball. The same fundamentals that every team no matter what age is working on. Proper passing, proper screening, reversing the basketball, defensive stance."

• Looks like Flip Murray picked up where he left off last year for the Pacers. He's now coming off the bench to heat up the Atlanta Hawks' offense. Seems like a perfect fit for Flip and the numbers don't lie. He's bringing about 13 points a game with him off the bench.
• Former Pacers beat writer, Sekou Smith wonders if the talented young Hawks can develop the consistency to match the success of the 2003-04 Pacer team he followed that won 61 games.
• Pacers Fantasy Forecast advises fantasy hoopsters on the current situation for the Pacers and the impact on fantasy numbers.