IC Cold Links: Pacers Outlook A Mixed Bag; Dribbling World Record Challenged

by Tom Lewis on Sep 24, 2009 6:30 AM EDT in Indiana Pacers News

As 2009-10 season previews and analysis begin trickling in, thoughts on the Indiana Pacers have produced a mixed bag of expectations ranging from horrible to mediocre to contender for the playoffs. Today's links include a few different looks at the Pacers heading into the season. Also, learn about Murph getting help with his 3-balls, Travis Best giving help to his hometown and a New York middle school mounting an assault on the Pacers' world record for people simultaneously dribbling. Links after the jump.

Troy Murphy: Statistical Oddity
At TrueHoop, Kevin Arnovitz had a hard time believing a stat presented by The Hoop Doctors that all 161 of Troy Murphy's three-pointers last year were assisted. That skepticism led Kevin to literally take a look at all 161 makes and sure enough they were all assisted and if you just stop to think about it for a second, it does indeed make sense.
Debate in the Paint: Pacers Were Least Productive This Summer
Matt Steinmetz makes the argument that the Pacers has the least productive offseason in the NBA. Fine. Whatever. But I'd say he's giving Jarrett Jack far too much credit as a defender and while I agree that Dahntay Jones won't guard point guards like Jarrett Jack could, he can certainly guard them better. Just ask Chris Paul.
Sentinel NBA power poll: No. 23 Indiana Pacers by
Josh Robbins offers up a preview of the Pacers and joins the national crowd with low expectations for the Pacers.
The Indiana Pacers Are Better Than You Think
Gerald Narciso at Dime offers a more positive outlook on the upcoming season for the Pacers.
Hoping a record bounces their way
A middle school in Colonie, New York is taking a run at the world record for most people dribbling a basketball simultaneously, a record the Pacers currently hold at 3,054. That was a great event. The t-shirts and basketballs they gave us were solid and still get plenty of use around our house.
Hundreds Turn Out to Support the Launch of the Travis Best Foundation
Travis Best is doing good work in his hometown.

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I couldn’t agree more, Tom. I’ve tried telling fellow Pacers’ fans all summer that Jack was overrated defensively. My theory is because he has ideal size to overpower PGs defensively, he gets an unwarranted reputation. I watched him get beat way too often last season to stick up for his D. No matter what the video evidence exposes, his reputation as a stalwart defender keeps on growing. Lindy’s and Athlon both laud his efforts as a defender in their annuals. An NBA.com writer did the same when his signing to the Raptors took place. This rant isn’t to say Jack wasn’t valuable to the Pacers, because he was. I just felt his value manifested itself moreso in his leadership and professionalism both on-and-off the court. Bottom line is he’s just not athletic and quick (laterally) enough to be the defender everyone thinks he is. That’s one man’s opinion.

by Hinrich10 on Sep 24, 2009 9:17 AM EDT reply actions

Least productive?

Did the Heat make ANY moves this offseason? What did the Bulls do? They make the case for “standing pat” if you’re contenders, but those teams aren’t contenders. And neither are the Knicks. But they get a pass because they’re all getting LeBron? Give me a break. Pacers didn’t get much better, I can agree, but they actually did stuff this offseason.

The Murphy stat (one of three brought up in that article) is pretty shocking until you remember they all looked the exact same.

by Nathan S. on Sep 24, 2009 9:49 AM EDT reply actions

I failed to mention

the other side of this debate was that the Knicks has the least productive offseason.

Indy Cornrows

by Tom Lewis on Sep 24, 2009 9:53 AM EDT up reply actions

I agree with all these comments. . .

. . . and would add that Philly did little but lose Andre Miller; Detroit, in effect, traded
Chauncey Billups and Rasheed Wallace for Ben Gordon and Charlie Villenueva-UGH!
New Jersey traded the present for the future by getting rid of Vince Carter; the Bucks
did nothing but lose Sessions and Jefferson.

How someone could call the Pacer offseason the least productive of all is a real
head-scratcher to me.

by fanaticus on Sep 24, 2009 11:51 AM EDT reply actions

Matt Steinmetz

is a joke. Make sure that you bookmark that article so you can show it to him again in March when we’re sliding into the playoffs. I just don’t find his opinions at all credible in this story. Poor job on his part.

by smits4ever on Sep 24, 2009 1:05 PM EDT reply actions

We’re still a month away from the season starting and I’m already fed up with all of the national season previews. Let’s play some ball already! I’m ready for this team to start proving some people wrong.

by spstevenson on Sep 24, 2009 2:31 PM EDT reply actions

ditto that my brother, it seems to me that even if the Pacers perform as poorly as possible they will still be better than 10 teams in the league. It’s just baffling to me that we are the target of such resentment throughout the league. I would rather me in this spot still though than being everyone’s "Sexy " pick to make a run in the playoffs

If Youre not First, Youre Last

by drsuessrunner07 on Sep 24, 2009 3:07 PM EDT reply actions