Pacers Need Granger At Crunch Time, But Only When He's Ready

by Tom Lewis on Dec 23, 2009 3:06 PM EST in Indiana Pacers News

Anyone else feel like Danny Granger has been out for a couple of months? Me too.

After living through this recent, rapid-fire four game losing streak, I figured I'd count the days until Granger's return. Unfortunately, I had to keep counting in weeks since it's been just over two weeks since 33 shut it down to fix his plantar fascia. With the original recovery time set at 4-6 weeks, that means there are still 2-4 weeks to go.

The way the late-game offense has gone limp lately, I'm left pining for an offensive weapon who can get his shot and step up at winning time. Hopefully a healthy Granger finally paired with Mike Dunleavy can make the Pacers harder to defend at crunch time and give us some of the heroics we saw last season.

Considering we haven't seen a healthy Granger all year, making sure he is completey healthy and ready to go remains more important than appeasing my desperate pleas for immediate help. I'm still convinced that Granger's return will be on the long end of the return estimate which means another month on the shelf. As long as he returns fully healthy and ready to go without rushing back at "almost" 100% I'll be happy.

Until then, Jim O'Brien has to keep searching for a winning combination when W's are hanging in the balance. With the losses mounting, how about trying A.J. Price or Luther Head? Might just add another option to run alongside Granger when he finally returns.

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Comments

Danny, if you're reading rest at least two more months!!!

Be 100% with no doughts. By that time our record should be bad enough to land a top 3 pick hopefully. Maybe an overpaid teammate or two will be gone too. Rest Danny, rest…

Confucious say "He who dives for loose balls need proper fitting athletic cup!"

by Wise Master on Dec 23, 2009 8:09 PM EST reply actions

+1

that’s honestly the best thing that could happen to this team. Landing in the top 5 picks this year might save the franchise. If we could add a player like Evan Turner or something like that. If we do bad enough maybe even John Wall? As I have said so many times before… Danny Granger cannot be the star of this team if we want to contend for a championship. Danny Granger could be just like if not better than Scottie Pippen, but he can never be our Jordan. And until we get a “jordan” we don’t stand a chance. I think adding a guy like Evan turner that can both take it to the hole, shoot from the outside and even handle the ball a little would fit perfectly with our system.

~SHaFF!~

by SHaFF87 on Dec 23, 2009 10:17 PM EST up reply actions

Turner?

Do we have any idea how he’s going to be affected by that horrible injury? I think with our track record of injuries we should stay clear of Turner. I liked him before the injury, but not now.

by ThirtyOne on Dec 24, 2009 7:35 AM EST up reply actions

not necessarily saying we SHOULD draft Turner now, but yet before the injury I would have loved to have him, but your right with the injury he might be too risky now.
But I did mean Turner in the fact that we need a player LIKE turner. Someone who is the Leader of the team, and with his same skill set. He can do just about anything. I hope he fully recovers from this injury and returns to form but scares enough teams into not drafting him so that he does fall to the pacers. That is, only if he FULLY recovers and we are completely comfortable in that fact.

~SHaFF!~

by SHaFF87 on Dec 25, 2009 1:31 AM EST up reply actions

Dunleavy

When Granger got hurt, I made a prediction that Dunleavy would be hurt before Grangers return because JOB would play him too much before he was fully recovered. Well, its been a few games now since Grangers injury and Dunleavy is in a shooting slump. Or is it really just a shooting slump? I missed the last game but its seems that Dunleavy only played 19 minutes, which is much lower than the 30 plus minutes JOB has been giving him. I didnt even see where Dunleavy was in the game in the last quarter. It would seem that our best offensive threat would be on the court during the critical last quarter. I have noticed he isnt cutting towards the basket like when he first returned and seems to be settling for the outside shoot (just like Granger when he was playing hurt). Is this just a coincidence or has JOB already ruined him?? Only time will tell for sure.

by Slick4President on Dec 23, 2009 9:17 PM EST reply actions

you mean...

We aren’t deep enough at SF? Wow… so in a situation like this, which I think I predicted at the beginning of the season if I recall correctly… A guy like Marquis Daniels (or Jamario Moon) would be pretty valuable?

~SHaFF!~

by SHaFF87 on Dec 23, 2009 10:18 PM EST up reply actions

No Luther Head

After watching that Boston game I gotta say I’ve seen enough Head. Head was good in theory, but his performance against Boston drove me insane. He kept making stupid passes and taking off balance shots. I’ll take my chances with Price right now, but I’m with JOB, lets keep Head’s minutes low.

by ThirtyOne on Dec 24, 2009 7:38 AM EST reply actions