Granger Plays, Gordon Helps Lead Team USA To Win Over Greece

by Tom Lewis on Aug 26, 2010 6:00 AM EDT in Indiana Pacers News

Bring on the world.

Team USA left Athens yesterday primed and ready for the FIBA World Championships after easily dispatching with host Greece, 87-59.

There were no DNP-CDs for Team USA which means Danny Granger played, logging about 15 minutes and adding 3 points, 5 rebounds and 2 steals to the cause. Local legend Eric Gordon continued carving out a more significant role on the team by seizing every minute of playing time he's afforded. Yesterday EJ pumped in 18 points in 21 minutes off the bench, using that pure shooting stroke to knock down 4 of 7 three-pointers.

Gordon has never had a problem scoring points and he's tapped into that ability to move from an expected cut earlier in the process to the point now where he is the key "microwave" offensive punch off the bench heading in the the WC tournament.

After the jump, more links with Team USA stories and highlights and Paul George having some fun dunking.

AP - Gordon, U.S. wrap up exhibition tour with win over Greece
USA vs. Greece Highlight Video
Paul George - Just having a lil fun back home with my boys after hoopin! - TwitVid
Paul George wrapped up a day in the gym by working on some stylish dunks.
Relative unknowns head to Istanbul as Team USA
Mitch Lawrence offers his thoughts on a far less-heralded U.S. team than we are used to seeing in international competition.
Ranking the power forwards, 10 through 1 - Ball Don't Lie
Kelly Dwyer wraps up his power forward rankings. While the tagging Murph in the majority of the 30 power forward pictures was pure blogging genius, these rankings are a overt reminder that there are no Pacers among the top 30 PFs and with good reason.

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Comments

I think it is safe to say that if we keep this roster going into the season, we might have the worst big forward rotation in the league.

by dbcb on Aug 26, 2010 8:57 AM EDT reply actions

We also didn’t have a shooting guard on the list. So we don’t have a starting caliber SG (in George we trust) or PF (in.. errr…. ???? we trust)

But, we had a PG pretty high up (wouldn’t have happened without that trade) who is young, someone that was in the top 6 SF (and could have been as high as 4) , and Hibbert should show up somewhere on the C list.

So there is hope… right? RIGHT??

by dbcb on Aug 26, 2010 9:12 AM EDT up reply actions

The "Center" list

If he sticks to legitimate centers I don’t know if there’s even 30 of them in the league. Guys like Big Roy, Howard, and Brook Lopez are a dying breed. For all intents and purposes the cause would be better served in these kind of exercises if they just stuck to maybe 3 positions, points, swingmen (2s and 3s), and bigs (4s and 5s). The traditional 5 specific positions are quickly merging into just a few. Players today are just drastically more versatile, especially the big men.

٩(͡๏̯͡๏)۶ The sky is falling!

by IndyPacers on Aug 26, 2010 9:29 AM EDT up reply actions

I think Josh McRoberts is going to be the opening day starter at PF

I also think he’s going to surprise a lot of people. With Murphy’s departure he is the best rebounder on the team. He was also a really effective scorer from everywhere but mid-range (which hopefully he can stay away from). If you check out the two Wins Produced Posts I did recently, you can see he was among the most productive Pacers last season on a per minute basis.

Pacers and Wins Produced

Pacers Hoping for Improvement

by Ian Levy on Aug 26, 2010 12:00 PM EDT reply actions

I like per minute stats and all the fancy stuff to an extent but I don’t think 12 minutes per game is a good enough sample size.

by dbcb on Aug 26, 2010 12:04 PM EDT up reply actions

...

I can’t agree with Amare ahead of Dirk. And I have to think that if Hans is healthy he gets the job ahead of McBob, unless that 3 pt shooting he’s been doing this summer pays off in the eyes of JOB.

by infinityzero.systemerror on Aug 26, 2010 2:46 PM EDT reply actions

I am guessing Hansbrough may be on a minute restriction to start the year.

That would make McRoberts the starter, and I think he’ll play well enough to keep the job. He posted an 18.2 DRB% last season which was 3rd on the team last year behind Hibbert and Foster. Hansbrough had an better TRB% than McRoberts but it’s because he was a better Offensive Rebounder. The Pacers are really going to need someone to hit the glass hard, I think that’s what will keep McRoberts on the floor more than his scoring.

by Ian Levy on Aug 26, 2010 4:22 PM EDT up reply actions