Game Thread #4: Indiana Pacers vs. New York Knicks
by Tom Lewis on Nov 4, 2009 4:30 PM EST
in Indiana Pacers News
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PrintIndiana Pacers at New York Knicks, Nov 4, 2009 7:30 PM EST
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@ |  |
|---|---|---|
| 0-3 | 1-3 | |
| November 4, 2009 - 7:30PM EST | ||
| Madison Square Garden | ||
| Radio: 1070AM WFNI TV: Fox Sports Indiana | ||
| Probable starters: | ||
| T.J. Ford | PG | Chris Duhon |
| Brandon Rush | SG | Larry Hughes |
| Dahntay Jones | SF | Wison Chandler |
| Danny Granger | PF | Danillo Galinari |
| Roy Hibbert | C | David Lee |
The Indiana Pacers will try to avoid starting the season 0-4 for the first time in 21 years when they hit the road to take on the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden tonight. Prior to playing the Miami Heat, Heat broadcaster Jason Jackson opined that the Knicks were the worst team he had seen in a long time. But in their last game, the Knicks came together and ran past Chris Paul and the New Orleans Hornets.
Forget the Knicks, though the question for tonight: will the Pacers be able to come together and play well?
Winning would be nice, but playing well would be a start. Of course, if the Pacers play well against the Knicks that should result in a W. First, though, the Pacers have to overcome some early season adversity and another injury (Troy Murphy's back) to rise up and show some ball playin' guts.
The Knicks employed a small lineup to beat the Hornets with David Lee at center and old friend, Al Harrington providing production off the bench. With Murphy doubtful, the Pacers can slide Dahntay Jones into the lineup and continue to match up just fine with the Knicks. The Pacers should also be able to establish Roy Hibbert in the post on offense.
Leave your thoughts and observations in the comments.
- Bruno's game preview.
- Mighty Mike Wells begs for some passion and pride.
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Any chance Tyler will play tonight?
I am hoping for the best!
A high scoring game with no injuries and a Pacer’s W.
I heard an interesting point on the Dan Dakich show this morning about Roy and his foul trouble. Dan was making a case that Roy’s troubles have a lot to do with the lack of perimeter defense and that a lot of his fouls can be attributed to players getting past their man and Roy having to come help out. Has anyone else noticed this? Can someone keep track of this tonight to see how often Roy “earns” his fouls?
I'll try and keep an eye out for it tonight
Assuming I get to watch the whole game, which should happen.
One thing I noticed Roy and Greg Oden do to get fouls called
Is jump with their hands straight up to try to alter shots. The footwork is good and they are in good position, but then instead of standing their ground with their hands up, they jump. As a former big man in high school and college, I always got the foul called on me if jumped, even if it was straight up. I remember noticing that because my coach’s voice swearing at me immediately popped into my head after seeing those fouls called on both of them.
Definitely a problem
Roy will be a step late with the help, get off balance and pick up a foul. Usually he’s trying to stop a shot at the rim.
I'm with you goodlucksaturday
The day I lose faith is the day i stop watching. Its all systems go for now
Alarming stats I've noticed so far
Danny has one offensive rebound this year. This also points to the most overlooked statistic that shows Danny’s offensive rebounds going from about 1.7 a game as a rook (a ROOK!) to a nice healthy 0.7 last year. I’d like to see Danny rebound more…
Also, Brandon hasn’t taken a free throw this year. Granted, no one on this team has taken a free throw this year, but it’s good for showcasing that Brandon just doesn’t play aggressively enough.
They always say shooters need to see the ball go in
Brandon needs to get to that free throw line and pick up some easy buckets
Watching the Sun-Magic
A 55 year old Steve Nash is better then all our PG’s put together. The dude still has it!
From a breakdown perspective
We weren’t too far off from the Suns. Then their hall of fame PG had to go and play like it was 2005.
How selfish…
Anyone else notice
the 3 lines in Roy’s hair? That used to be cool in the mid-late 80’s when I was a young buck. I’ve seen it on a couple other players, Brandon Roy has it on his neck. Just saw one of the Sun’s players rockin it too. I guess the 80’s are full on retro now
MSG as empty as you'll ever see it for an NBA game
They have an excuse to not be there tonight. We didn’t have anything going on last night.
Wiz
Our Friday opponent is currently off to a Pacers-like start. The Heat are throttling the Wizards right now in the first.
Seven teams?
I don’t know how League Pass works exactly, but do you really only get to follow 7 teams?
Good choices
I woulda gone with a similar set w/ maybe the Celts or Lakers thrown in there, but they’re on national TV so much you probably wouldn’t need them in the lineup
Good choice
I’d take the Clippers, but I’d definitely want the Cavs, Blazers, and Thunder (in addition to the Pacers) of course. Not sure who else I’d take. Maybe the Suns…
I am going to be a closet Blazers fan this year. I tried to hit all the time zones too, so I could have games on all night!
Good call
I a closet Clippers fan, but that was a horrible choice for winning, but I’ll latch on to Cleveland or Portland at some point this year. Love the Blazers, but love watching LeBron work.
Yup
agreed with that. Not to pimp league pass, but there is a 30 sec rewind function which is new this year too. Pretty cool
When's this game start again?
7:38 (by my count) and we’re still trucking through the Pacers pregame show. Now I can’t complain about getting to hear from Staci, but I’m ready for tipoff…
No win for Danny
We’ve got no shot without him taking shots, but he’s getting really bad looks right now. Like monumentally bad.
These aren't even good turnovers
If there were such a thing, these are pickup game turnovers. Get this three point play to start you going here, Danny.
Two knicks reach ins there
in the back court. no call
Welcome to the 09-10 season, Brandon Rush
first free-throw attempts of the year and first 3-pointer made…good game
Luther Head on Harrington
hope Harrington hasn’t learned a post-up game.
I can't believe it
It’s almost the end of the first quarter and we’re still in the game…I’m feeling good about this one
Either the Nuggets's D is amazing
or our spacing is much better this game. We have a ton of space on the offensive end
Too many quick shots the last few minutes
Well, then Dahntay gets a quick 3-point look. But they need more ball movement when the quick look isn’t there.
Must say
ESPN doing a great job this year at getting me my quarterly text updates. Last year, it was a good…30-45 seconds before I got my updates, now it’s there before FSI even goes to commercial.
Hibbert
I’d love to see us go more to him downlow in the first half. Maybe it’s the Rik Smits’ days that have me clamoring for the low post threat, but he’s obviously worked his ass off to get some good post moves this year and they rarely get the ball to him. Like goodlucksaturday said, ball movement is shit this year.
Great work, Roy
Staying in the play, getting a chance for the three point play. Missed the free throw though.
Too many 3s
but good to see Rush hit a pair. Too bad that drive didn’t work for Danny, but at least Roy benefitted. Ditto for Danny’s post-up.
He's gonna need to shut it down
if this heel is bothering him that bad. It’s gotten to the point where it’s just hurting the team by seeing him clanking shots from all over the court. Take a week off and see what happens. That’s what everybody else on the team does. Plus it’s not gonna hurt anything at this point.
4 days off after game with the wizards.
Granger could get almost a week off and only miss one game.
Makes sense
But with the Mel Simon memorial taking place Friday, would the team really want to sit Danny out? I’m a little afraid he won’t get it even if he needs it.
Clark Kellogg taking credit for Rush’s resurgence. Whatever. I apparently worked whatever he said to him.
Brandon Rush
The only player in the world who can have excuses made for him based on confidence. He’s not a 21-year old major league pitcher going up against a potent lineup…
So true
It bugs me that we’re still treating him like a 13-year-old before his first Prom Night. He’s an NBA player making millions of dollars with no less a brother who has been through the process before. Time to man up!
TERRIBLE looks for him tonight
Just horrid. Doesn’t help he’s not looking very good period, but he’s not getting the looks that are going to get you anything better than a 3-11 line.
Nuggets losing to Nets
51-50 at halftime. Melo’s shooting 9% with 6 points. I can’t imagine this could all be due to NJ’s defense, so where was this last night?
Flashes Tonight
Of what could be big things in the future.
Did someone tell Danny to drive?
Let’s keep that up?
"That's for you"
he says to some d-bag in the crowd.
I know he’s a d-bag, since he’s a Knicks fan
Turnovers
I’ll jinx it by saying we haven’t had one this half yet and there’s already been six minutes of play. Gotta be happy with that.
I guess spinning around in circles in midair while flinging the ball over your shoulder at the rim is doing something. He’s right.
Y'know
In my infinite basketball knowledge, I had written Gallinari off, but this dude has one heck of a shot…that 2008 class was an absolute beast of a class…
I liked Clark's analysis on that inside-outside play to Danny
Danny not having a shot tonight, would’ve been better advised to pass it back inside.
Those are points we now don’t have. Danny continuing to struggle at the line, but at least he’s getting there, that’s a start, I guess…
Great finish to this quarter.
Danny three, Stop, Granger to Roy = Free throws, Offensive rebound by Granger, Granger to Rush = Free throws.
That was the absolute best this team has played all year in that very limited stretch.
8-man rotation tonight
Still no sightings of McBob’s, Diener or Price tonight. And I’m Ok with that.
Danny's done
He had a subpar game, but really played smart ball here in this quarter to keep the team alive.
Gotta love the hustle from Roy
Even if we would’ve gotten it on the shot clock violation if he hadn’t dove for it.
Love the defense to puncuate this performance
And finally getting some money into that backpack charity. Turned out to be a rather good night.
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