IC Cold Links: O'Brien Wants To Use Last Year's Lineup; Pacers Prepare For Clippers
by spstevenson on Nov 25, 2009 9:19 AM EST
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PrintThere is just something about playing those pesky Knicks that sends the Indiana Pacers either into the stratosphere or in a tailspin.
After beating the Knicks to send themselves on a five-game winning streak, the Pacers have been chopped liver since New York ended the winning streak, effectively sending Indiana reeling for four straight. Last night's loss in Toronto left the team in shambles again as coach Jim O'Brien can't find a suitable lineup (starting or in reserve) to kickstart the team's defense, which allowed 74 first-half points.
Yesterday, O'Brien shuffled the lineup by sending starters Dahntay Jones and Roy Hibbert to the bench in favor of Jeff Foster and Brandon Rush. O'Brien explained to the IndyStar's Mike Wells after the game that Jones, who continues to be one of the brightest and exciting parts of the team's young season, deserves to be the starter. The problem? O'Brien has been waiting for injuries to clear up so that he can go back to using the same starting lineup that finished last season on a roll.
O'Brien: "I think Dahntay deserves to start, but I think it's better for our rotation if Dahntay comes off the bench. Dahntay knows I think he's a starter. The whole plan throughout the preseason was to pretty much play the team that we had success with at the end of last year, but we weren't healthy enough to do that."
For tonight's game against the Clippers, Hibbert will be re-inserted into the lineup in place of Foster, but Jones is certain to continue to come off the bench, giving O'Brien his "dream" lineup of T.J. Ford, Rush, Danny Granger, Troy Murphy and Hibbert. With Mike Dunleavy getting an ever-so slim chance of playing tonight for the first time this year, it will be interesting to see how the bench rotations play out with the starters set.
Check out the jump for links to recaps and more on last night's loss to the Raptors.
- AP Story
- Box Score
- Photo Gallery
- NBA.com Recap
- Bruno's postgame report names Danny Granger of the Player of the Game (36 points, nine rebounds, four assists) last night, which O'Brien called "irrelevant" (and he's right). The report also shines a light on this filthy stat: the Pacers yielded a season-high 123 points and dropped to 1-6 when they allow at least 100 points. Gross. Here's what Jim O'Brien had to say about the team's insistence to only play well in the third quarter:
"You can't play one good quarter on the road and expect to win. We played with no force in the first half and made it a game in the second half because we did play with force. You have to play four quarters on the road and we did not do that." -- Jim O'Brien
- Mike Wells recaps the game noting the lack of the Pacers' defensive abilities during their recent four-game slide.
- Wells also dumps out the notebook on O'Brien shuffling the starting lineup as well as Jarrett Jack saying the Pacers told him this offseason that he was their No. 1 priority to re-sign. I think when the Pacers made that promise, they weren't counting on the Raptors robbing the bank to steal Jack away from us. More on this later.
- The IndyStar also features an article on current Clippers' star and Indy native Eric Gordon. The shooting guard has been out with injury and is listed as questionable for tonight's game, according to the Los Angeles Times.
- Tim Donahue at Eight Points, Nine Seconds gives us the statistical analysis on what went wrong in Toronto.
- John Oehser provides his take on the Pacers loss for Examiner.com, and Always Miller Time also recaps the game.
- Raptors Republic shows how the Raptors felt about last night's game (answer: pretty damn good). Here is the recap from the Toronto Star.
- So...the Toronto media really played up the hype about Jack "destroying" his former team because of how the Pacers treated him this summer. In this column in the Toronto Star, the columnist makes every attempt to show how Jack couldn't even keep his emotions in check, especially if he were to go one-on-one against T.J. Ford, so Toronto's coach kept Jack on the bench until Ford left the game. The columnist also pulled the "circle the game on the calendar" but Jack didn't bite. I thought everything ended amicably this summer as Jack understood that the Pacers had no way, no how to match the Raptors' offer. This column tries to make it sound like the Pacers never had any intention on re-signing the point guard. I think the writer missed the mark on this one.
- Here is a preview for tonight's game at Conseco "Reggie Miller" Fieldhouse, as well as another preview from SB Nation's Clips Nation.
- ESPN's Daily Dime checks in with how the Eastern Conference playoffs should look like at the end of the season. You can guess which team from central Indiana is not involved in the discussion.
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Someone needs to explain to JOB that last years team is completely different than this years team even though some of the parts remain the same. You have to treat every season as a separate journey. What worked last year is not guaranteed to work this year. I don’t mind that Jones is coming off the bench, I just don’t like JOB’s reasoning for it. Let Rush and Hibbert sink or swim this season. That way we know what we have going forward. Hell, I wouldn’t mind throwing Tyler to the wolves. He’s a four year college starter, he shouldn’t need to be brought along slowly. Start Tyler over Troy, we can all agree that Troy is at best a role player on a good team. Let’s figure out what our number two priority is, we all know that point guard is #1.
Agreed!
Someone should also tell him that last years starting lineup wasnt exactly setting the league on fire either. We didn’t even make the playoffs for Christs Sake! I have not ever been a fan of Troy, and it is really just getting played out already. He should not be starting on this team, I don’t care what his stats are.
The focus right now should be on a few things.
One – Developing Roy into a top 5-10 center. For this team to have any hope going forward, Roy is going to have to be big. Benching him for Jeff freking Foster?!? Really?!?! This has to stop, what a joke. Let him play big minutes, let him play vs small lineups, let him play vs. big lineups, let him play through foul trouble. JUST LET HIM PLAY! Foster should be giving 15 mins a game tops, not starting over Roy.
Two – Let Jones and Rush find their way on this team. We all know what is going to happen soon enough. A slow, tired Dunleavy is going to come back and just milk more minutes out of our younger guys. Dunleavy can score, and it is not his fault he got hurt, but he is not in the future plans, at all. Let Danny build a repoire with Rush and Dahntay and Roy.
Three – Do something with TJ. God knows what the answer is there though. Jennings would have looked nice in blue and gold though, no?
by captain flitzy on Nov 25, 2009 10:42 AM EST reply actions
Great Interview
Mike Wells was on the Dan Dakich show this morning and he was talking up Roy Hibbert big time. He’s claiming that Roy will be the leader of the locker room as soon as he gets a couple more seasons under his belt. I agree with this, as long as we get JOB out of his way and let Roy produce on the court. He has the energy level and the enthusiasm that we need from a leader. Give him playing time Jim.
I am slowly and reluctantly joining the fire JOB camp. If he doesn’t play Roy more than he did last night though, I will very quickly be firmly in that camp…
by indy62 on Nov 25, 2009 1:12 PM EST via mobile reply actions
JOB
at least we know he wont get outcoached tonight against Dunleavy….I hope
If Youre not First, Youre Last
by drsuessrunner07 on Nov 25, 2009 1:39 PM EST reply actions
FIRE JOB!!!
I’m beginning to think the previously dismissed rumor that the team was in shock over JOB being granted an extension, just might have been true after all!
That's it... I am done with JOB and Larry
I don’t care if Larry is a legend. I don’t care if the season has barely started…
THIS is the coach he chose to extend. That has to be the worst reasoning I have ever seen for benching/starting/playing someone. You have got to be fucking kidding me.
Oh and btw… I am sure this will make everyone just glad we have the draft genius Larry Bird…
Ty Lawson: 9ppg, 3apg, 1 tpg, 53% fg, 50% 3fg… in 21 minutes on a playoff caliber team.
We could have solved this pg problem in this draft…. instead Bird played it safe again, and we are stuck with a worthless pg and no answer in sight.
by dbcb on Nov 25, 2009 2:16 PM EST reply actions 1 recs
easssssyyyyyy
ok, extending JOB might seem to have been a mistake. but you are crazy to think bird hasn’t done an admirable job rebuilding this team with quality character guys. he was in a VERY limited situation where outside circumstances (the brawl) forced him to make very particular kinds of moves which forced us to sacrifice talent for character. now we are rebuilding and definitely have nice pieces. the problem is, JOB is having trouble balancing players egos with prudent basketball moves. he has a bunch of good guys that work hard and probably deserve to play, but he is using too many players and is diluting and complicating the roles of players that were playing effectively. he can’t make tough decisions to bench guys like murphy or rush- i’m not quite sure why, but i’ve got a feeling its because he doesn’t want to hurt their psyche. also, it would be admitting that their original plan established in the offseason is not working, and nobody wants to admit they were wrong.
i don’t see what this has to do with bird, despite the fact he extended JOB. which is big i guess, but i like the pieces he’s acquired, all things considered.
as for lawson over hansbro- could not disagree with you more. we have seen glimpses of what hansbro can bring already, but it is a MUCH harder transition for bigs to the NBA than guards. name one big that has dominated from the get go? NOBODY, not even dwight howard. hansbro is smart enough and talented enough to figure out how to be effective- lawson will reach his plateau sooner.
I think if the team wants to start out with the right intensity, as JOB claims this team does, then you have to start Dahntay. I think making Rush coming off the bench and being the #1 option when Granger sits, will help develop him.
Hibbert definitely needs to start. Foster can provide great energy for the second unit coming off the bench.
Point guard, point guard, point guard
I guess Bird tried to make a trade to get Lawson and it didn’t work out. Now we have what we have. TJ is a 5’ 9" shooting guard. To him he’s option 1 and 2. Watson is a MUCH better true point guard. When he was in the game he was setting up Hibbert with easy shots. He doesn’t absorb the basketball, and he’s hard nosed on D. He’s not an all star, but he’s servicable. TJ needs to ride the pine and when he does get time it can be in an instant O kinda way, where he knows he’s to attack the basket. TJ defends bribble penetration pretty well, but his court vision SUCKS, and he can’t shoot a beach ball into the ocean from anything outside of 15 feet. Watson, Watson, Watson!
Wasn't Jack a part of last years final starting team that was hot?
Like I said, Watson, Watson, Watson!
For crap's sake...
JOB should not be giving a sh!t about sitting Murphy and Rush and the effect on their psyches… Both have trade value and I’m sure they could trade them quick if they can’t be pros and live with coming off the bench, which is where they belong on this team!
by FortWayneKarl on Nov 25, 2009 6:55 PM EST via mobile reply actions
We showed up...heal that knee and heel Danny
First of all, the NBA season is a marathon. If Danny needs time to heal, then he just needs to sit awhile. I know he’s tough and he’s a competiter, but he needs to get 100%. Secondly I gotta give some guys some credit who I’ve been down on. TJ played pretty well. He seemed to be kinda finding his way in the first half and had a few WTF passes. In the second half he played pretty damn well. He was working that pick and pop with Murph, his D was tough as usual, and showed me more floor leadership than I’ve seen him display yet. I would like to see him play that way with consistancy. Earl still played like a floor general and helped us get back in the game; he deserves at least an even split on the minutes. Murph played well and scrapped on D. Go figure. It was a matchup that he could handle, but he still scrapped. Good team win. Get well Danny!!!!
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