NBA Betting: Indiana Pacers News & Notes for 2007/2008

[The General]

Detroit (31-13) at Indiana (19-26)

Detroit (31-13) at Indiana (19-26)

The Detroit Pistons recorded two victories against the Indiana Pacers during their season-best 11-game winning streak last month.

Looking to win three straight for the first time since that run, the Central Division-leading Pistons (31-13) visit the slumping Pacers (19-26) on Tuesday as they go for their fifth consecutive win in the series.

Detroit's 11-game streak occurred from Dec. 14-Jan. 4, with two of the victories coming in a home-and-home series against Indiana. The Pistons struggled after that stretch, though, losing six of nine.

Detroit has managed to maintain a 6 1/2-game lead over Cleveland for the division lead despite the slump, and comes to Indianapolis having won two in a row since a three-game losing streak, including a 101-93 victory over Orlando on Friday.

The Pistons jumped out to a 39-18 lead after one quarter and led 68-49 at the half, then hung on to win despite getting outscored 44-33 after the break.

"We got lazy the second half," coach Flip Saunders said. "It's very difficult when you're up, when you play as well as we did and basically get what you want."

Saunders' team, however, shot 50.6 percent from the field - its best in five games - and outrebounded Orlando 49-31. Richard Hamilton had 32 points and eight assists while Chauncey Billups scored 21 points.

Detroit's two wins over Indiana during its 11-game run came Dec. 28, a 114-101 home victory, and 98-92 at Conseco Fieldhouse the next day. The Pacers' last win over the Pistons came Dec. 29, 2006, a 93-92 victory at The Palace.

The Pistons will be facing a struggling Pacers team as they look to continue building momentum. Indiana has lost three straight and 13 of 17, including a 98-96 defeat to woeful Miami on Saturday in the finale of a four-game road trip.

The Pacers led by nine at the half, but the Heat pulled even at the end of the third quarter before jumping out to a six-point lead with 9:53 remaining and leading the rest of the way.

"It just seems like we really shoot ourselves in the foot sometimes," said Mike Dunleavy, who scored 25 points to lead the Pacers.

Indiana averages 103.2 points per game - tied for sixth-most in the NBA - but has been held below 100 in the last three contests. The Pacers averaged 112.2 points in the six games prior.

Indiana's problems also stem from its inability to stop opponents on the offensive end, as the Pacers are allowing 106.5 points in January.

"It all comes down to defense. If we're not defending and getting stops, we never get into a decent flow," coach Jim O'Brien said. "Defense feeds our offense. In order to win basketball games, we need a tempo that starts with challenging shots and rebounding the basketball."

NBA - Detroit Pistons/Indiana Pacers Preview Tuesday January 29, 2008 - Yahoo! Sports

 

[The General]

Detroit 110, Indiana 104

Detroit 110, Indiana 104

Rasheed Wallace was feeling good Tuesday night, and he was happy to tell the Indiana Pacers all about it.

Wallace had 24 points and 10 rebounds to help the Detroit Pistons beat the Pacers 110-104.

He started jawing in the second quarter, when he went 5-for-5 from the field and scored 11 points in the final 3:22 of the period. The Pistons went from 10 points down to leading 59-57 at halftime because of Wallace's barrage.

Wallace was shouting "and one" on made baskets, keeping his arm raised as shots fell.

Even the bench got into it. At one point during the run, a Detroit player shouted, "That's the best they got for you, 'Sheed?"

Wallace enjoyed the game, and the mostly one-way conversation.

"It don't matter," he said. "They can say whatever they want back, if they say anything. They ain't going to talk more junk than me."

Wallace had something left for the fourth quarter, too.

Detroit led 101-99 after Indiana's Travis Diener made two free throws with 4 minutes left.

Wallace made a 3-pointer to give the Pistons a five-point lead. He then blocked Danny Granger's layup, and Richard Hamilton made a short jumper on the other end to make it 106-99 lead with 3:20 to play.

Indiana trailed 108-104 and had a chance to draw closer in the final minute, but Wallace blocked Diener's 3-point try from the right corner with 31 seconds left. Wallace came from across the court to get to the shot.

"I had a head start coming from the other side," he said. "That was my runway. Anything shorter than that, he probably would have got that over me."

Hamilton made two free throws with 17.8 seconds left to close the scoring.

"They made some really big defensive stops and made some big shots down the stretch," Indiana coach Jim O'Brien said. "They did what they had to at the end of the game."

Mike Dunleavy, who led Indiana with 25 points, said Wallace is a tough matchup. Wallace shot 10-for-18 from the field.

"He's one of the most difficult guys in the league to guard," Dunleavy said. "When he wants to be a monster, he's a monster. There's not many guys in the league that can guard him."

Tayshaun Prince scored 17 points and Chauncey Billups added 13 points and eight assists for the Pistons, who won their third straight game. Detroit has won all three meetings with Indiana this season.

Diener scored 18 points and Jeff Foster had 11 points and 13 rebounds for the Pacers, who have lost four in a row.

Indiana, which was missing point guard Jamaal Tinsley, made 12 of 24 3-pointers.

It was a frustrating game at times for the Pistons, who had trouble distancing themselves from the Pacers. Detroit never led by more than seven points.

"They seemed to hang around, hand around, and then every time we thought we could bust it open, they'd hit a scramble 3 or something like that," Detroit coach Flip Saunders said.

Detroit, second in the league in scoring defense, gave up its second-highest point total of the season.

"It's tough to prepare for them because they don't really run nothing," Billups said. "They're just picking and popping and rolling and shooting 3s. There's really no set way to play them."

The Pistons got through the game, largely due to the jolt they got from Wallace's big second quarter.

"We started punching it in there and he was scoring every time," Billups said. "We just kept going to him. We established it, and we wanted to establish it in the second half. He got busy."

The struggling Pacers need to get some wins during their four-game homestand.

"It's a pivotal moment right now," Granger said. "We really have to

Notes

Indiana C David Harrison played just 10 minutes in his first three games after being suspended for five games for violating the league's anti-drug policy. He played 4 minutes against Detroit. ... Indiana F/C Jermaine O'Neal missed his sixth consecutive game with a bone bruise in his left knee. ... Foster started for just the fourth time in the past 21 games as O'Brien went with a bigger lineup. ... Detroit shot 55 percent from the field in the first half while Indiana shot 52 percent.

NBA - Detroit Pistons/Indiana Pacers Recap Tuesday January 29, 2008 - Yahoo! Sports

 

[The General]

Houston (25-20) at Indiana (19-27)

Houston (25-20) at Indiana (19-27)

Tracy McGrady has been key to the success of the Houston Rockets since he joined the team before the 2004-05 season. Thanks to Yao Ming, however, the Rockets finally feel like they can win without the two-time scoring champion.

McGrady has the flu and is questionable for Friday, when Yao and the Rockets visit the struggling Indiana Pacers in search of their 11th win in 14 games.

McGrady has been plagued by various injuries during his four seasons with Houston, including chronic back troubles that derailed his - and the Rockets' - 2005-06 season, and a balky left knee that sidelined him for 11 games from Dec. 28-Jan. 15.

The Rockets were 11-42 in their first 53 games without McGrady, but have won eight of their last 12 without him. On Tuesday, Yao tied his season highs with 36 points and 19 rebounds as Houston (25-20) beat Golden State 111-107 for its 10th victory in 13 games.

"We had Yao Ming," Rockets forward Shane Battier told the team's official Web site. "That was the difference. The big fella was awesome tonight. He really put us on his back. He was aggressive and he just played a phenomenal game."

Yao struggled in the Rockets' first two games - both losses - without McGrady this season, averaging 13.0 points and 7.5 rebounds while shooting just 11-for-33 from the field. In the team's last 13 games without McGrady, however, Yao is averaging 25.2 points and 11.5 boards and shooting 52.3 percent.

"If we could just get the ball in there to him," Rockets point guard Rafer Alston said Tuesday, "we could have any shot we wanted."

Meanwhile, the Pacers (19-27) have lost four straight and 14 of 18 since Dec. 26. They opened a four-game homestand with a 110-104 loss to Central Division-leading Detroit on Tuesday, and it doesn't get much easier with Houston, Southeast Division-leading Orlando and defending NBA champion San Antonio visiting Conseco Fieldhouse over the next week.

"It's a pivotal moment right now," Indiana forward Danny Granger said. "We really have to defend our home court and get some momentum going into the All-Star break."

Granger had 16 points in Tuesday's loss, but was just 5-for-15 from the field for the second consecutive game.

Indiana's Mike Dunleavy, meanwhile, has thrived in his last three games, averaging 24.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists while shooting 57.5 percent from the field. Dunleavy is averaging career highs with 17.8 points, 5.9 rebounds and 3.3 assists in his first full season with Indiana after four-plus frustrating seasons with Golden State.

The Pacers and Rockets split two games last season, with the home team winning each.

Now, though, Houston has won five straight road games. The Rockets haven't won six straight away from home since winning their first eight road games of the 1996-97 season.

Yao has recorded double-doubles in each of his last three games against Indiana, averaging 31.3 points and 12.3 rebounds while shooting 54.2 percent.

NBA - Houston Rockets/Indiana Pacers Preview Friday February 1, 2008 - Yahoo! Sports

 

[The General]

Re: NBA Betting: Indiana Pacers News & Notes for 2007/2008

Road-Loving Rockets Drop Pacers 106-103
14 hours ago

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Rookie Carl Landry scored 13 of his career-high 22 points in the fourth quarter, and the Houston Rockets beat the Indiana Pacers 106-103 on Friday night for their sixth straight road victory.

Tracy McGrady had 19 points, Yao Ming added 17 points and 12 rebounds, and Shane Battier scored 13 points for Houston (26-20).

Danny Granger finished with 22 points, Shawne Williams scored 17 and Jeff Foster added 13 points and 17 rebounds for the Pacers (19-28), who dropped their fifth straight game.

With the score tied at 79 entering the fourth quarter, the Pacers opened a 97-92 lead on Granger's jumper with 5:30 left. Houston answered with a 9-2 run, which included five points from Landry, to take a 101-99 advantage.

Landry's free throw gave the Rockets a 104-101 edge with 47 seconds remaining, and Mike Dunleavy's layup cut the deficit to 104-103 with 30 seconds left. Following a Houston turnover, the Pacers had a chance to take the lead, but Travis Diener missed a 3-pointer.

Battier hit a pair of free throws with 6 seconds left, and Dunleavy's 3-point attempt at the buzzer was short.

The Rockets took their biggest lead of the first half, 50-42, on Landry's jumper with 3:30 left in the second quarter. Indiana scored the final five points of the half to close to 54-53 at the break.

Houston opened a 72-67 advantage in the third quarter, but Granger's two 3-pointers and a pair of free throws by David Harrison gave the Pacers a 75-74 lead with 2 minutes left in the period.

Notes Rockets G Luther Head left the game in the second quarter with a groin strain and did not return. ... Pacers F Jermaine O'Neal missed his seventh straight game with a bone bruise in his left knee. ... McGrady picked up a technical foul late in the second quarter for arguing a non-call. ... Landry, a former Purdue standout, made his debut at Conseco Fieldhouse. ... The Rockets' last road loss came Jan. 2 at Boston. ... The Pacers, who host Orlando on Saturday, dropped to 3-11 in the first game of back-to-backs this season.

The Associated Press: Road-Loving Rockets Drop Pacers 106-103

 

[The General]

Re: NBA Betting: Indiana Pacers News & Notes for 2007/2008

Magic-Pacers Preview

A lackluster offense held back the Orlando Magic last season. An inability to score has been hurting them in Indiana for 10 years.

Now owners of one of the league's top offenses, the Magic look to end their scoring woes in Indiana when they continue their season series with the Pacers on Saturday night.

Orlando made the playoffs last season despite going 40-42, a mediocre record largely due to a lethargic offense. After averaging 94.8 points per game in 2006-07, the Magic (30-18) have posted an Eastern Conference-best 103.4 in Stan Van Gundy's first season as coach.

Orlando is averaging 107.5 points in its last two games, including a 108-106 win over Philadelphia on Friday night.

On Dec. 7, however, the Magic lost 115-109 at home to the Pacers (19-28), who are the East's second-best scoring team at 103.2 points per game. Orlando can even its season series with Indiana, but comes in having lost four straight at Conseco Fieldhouse.

Most of the Magic's problems in Indiana are due to poor play on offense, scoring no more than 86 points in their last six games there. They're averaging 88.3 in their last 19 games in Indiana, losing 14.

Orlando, however, has been outstanding on the road this season, winning its NBA-best 18th away from home on Friday as Hedo Turkoglu's two free throws with 2.4 seconds left secured the win against the 76ers.

The veteran swingman, who finished with 23 points, has had a career season to help lead the Magic's resurgence on offense. Turkoglu is averaging 19.4 points per game, and many felt he should have should have been on this year's All-Star team.

``It's nice to be mentioned as an All-Star and I thank the coaches around the league for that,'' said Turkoglu, who has never appeared in an All-Star game in seven previous NBA seasons with San Antonio, Sacramento and Orlando. ``If I keep playing well and keep staying aggressive, maybe I'll be an All-Star next year. I'm going to keep working.

``We're winning and that makes me happy.''

Turkoglu, though, was held to 11 points on 3-of-15 shooting in December's matchup with the Pacers.

Indiana played just eight players in that game, and seven of them reached double figures in scoring. Danny Granger topped the Pacers with 27 points. He finished with 22 on Friday night, but the Pacers lost 106-103 to Houston.

It was Indiana's fifth straight loss and 15th in 19 games.

``We have a new day (Saturday),'' Pacers coach Jim O'Brien said. ``We'll try to win a basketball game. You can't worry about the past. Persistence is the key. We will be persistent.''

Playing without Jermaine O'Neal hasn't helped. O'Neal has missed seven straight games with a bone bruise in his left knee, and there is no timetable for his return.

This will be the third game of a four-game stretch at home for the Pacers. They have lost three straight and five of seven at Conseco Fieldhouse.

USATODAY.com

 

[The General]

Re: NBA Betting: Indiana Pacers News & Notes for 2007/2008

High Score Expected As Pacers Host Magic

1070thefan.com

2/2/2008

The top two offenses in the NBA's Eastern Conference go head-to-head Saturday night as the Indiana Pacers host the Orland Magic at Conseco Fieldhouse.

The Magic, 30-18 under first-year coach Stan Van Gundy, average a conference-best 103.4 points per game.

Meanwhile, the Pacers, 19-28 under their first-year head man Jim O'Brien, rank right behind the Magic with a 103.2 points per game average.

Indiana has lost 5 in a row to drop a season-worst 9 games under .500.

On the other side, the Magic are a season-best 12 games over the break-even mark. After starting January by losing five of six, Orlando has gone 7-2 in their last nine, including three wins in a row.

The Magic are led by Dwight Howard, who is averaging 21.7 points and 14.9 rebounds per game, and has finished with a double-double in 42 of the 47 games he has played this season.

Mike Dunleavy is averaging a career-high 17.7 points in his first full year with the Pacers. The sixth-year player from Duke has started all 47 games and has scored at least 10 in 42 of those games.

Gametime is 7:00 at Conseco Fieldhouse. Listen to 1070 The Fan for all the action, starting with Pacers Pregame at 6:30.

1070 The Fan - Indy's Sportscenter

 

[The General]

Re: NBA Betting: Indiana Pacers News & Notes for 2007/2008

High Score Expected As Pacers Host Magic

1070thefan.com

2/2/2008

The top two offenses in the NBA's Eastern Conference go head-to-head Saturday night as the Indiana Pacers host the Orland Magic at Conseco Fieldhouse.

The Magic, 30-18 under first-year coach Stan Van Gundy, average a conference-best 103.4 points per game.

Meanwhile, the Pacers, 19-28 under their first-year head man Jim O'Brien, rank right behind the Magic with a 103.2 points per game average.

Indiana has lost 5 in a row to drop a season-worst 9 games under .500.

On the other side, the Magic are a season-best 12 games over the break-even mark. After starting January by losing five of six, Orlando has gone 7-2 in their last nine, including three wins in a row.

The Magic are led by Dwight Howard, who is averaging 21.7 points and 14.9 rebounds per game, and has finished with a double-double in 42 of the 47 games he has played this season.

Mike Dunleavy is averaging a career-high 17.7 points in his first full year with the Pacers. The sixth-year player from Duke has started all 47 games and has scored at least 10 in 42 of those games.

Gametime is 7:00 at Conseco Fieldhouse. Listen to 1070 The Fan for all the action, starting with Pacers Pregame at 6:30.

1070 The Fan - Indy's Sportscenter

Orlando 121, Indiana 115


Hedo Turkoglu shook off his headache and became one for the Indiana Pacers.

Turkoglu scored 20 of his 23 points in the second half Saturday night to help the Orlando Magic beat Indiana 121-115 for their fourth straight victory.

In the first half, the ailing Turkoglu shot 1-of-3 from the field. After the break, he made nine of 13 shots to help the Magic take control.

"You could tell he was kind of going through the motions and he wasn't really feeling good," said Magic forward Rashard Lewis, who scored 19 points. "He fought through his illness and was able to come out and help us get the win. That's the sign of a good teammate."

Turkoglu said it took him a while to get into the flow of the game.

"I was able to loosen up in the second half," he said. "I always have confidence, but I was trying to be more aggressive and attack on the offensive end."

The Magic, who trailed by two points at halftime, took their biggest lead of the game, 105-93, on Turkoglu's 3-pointer with 8:30 left in the fourth quarter. The Pacers answered with an 8-0 run to get within four points, but Lewis' 3-pointer and Turkoglu's jumper pushed the lead back to 110-101 with 4 minutes left.

Magic center Dwight Howard was impressed with Turkoglu's performance down the stretch.

"He's clutch," Howard said. "He gets the ball and has no fear, and most of the time they go in for him. Hopefully, he can stay that way for the rest of the season."

Howard finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds, and Maurice Evans, Carlos Arroyo and Keith Bogans each scored 16 points for the Magic (31-18), who won for the seventh time in their last eight games.

"We really want to be greedy going into the All-Star break and get as many wins as we can," Howard said. "A lot of teams relax before the All-Star break and right after, so we can steal some games."

Danny Granger finished with 29 points, Mike Dunleavy scored 19 and Troy Murphy chipped in 17 for the slumping Pacers (19-29), who dropped their sixth consecutive game.

"We've got to keep coming in, working hard and improving to get ourselves in a better position," Dunleavy said. "I think if we do that, good things can happen to us."

After falling behind by six points late in the first quarter, the Pacers went on a 17-2 run, capped by Murphy's 3-pointer, to take a 43-34 lead in the second quarter. Orlando used three consecutive 3-pointers to regain a four-point advantage later in the period, but Indiana took a 60-58 lead into the break following Shawne Williams' layup.

Orlando began to take control with a 12-2 run midway through the third quarter. Turkoglu, who scored 11 points in the period, gave the Magic an 85-77 edge on a jumper with 4 minutes left. Orlando pushed the lead to 94-85 following Bogans' 3-pointer to end the quarter.

Indiana coach Jim O'Brien said the Pacers' defense had a hard time stopping Turkoglu in the second half.

"A couple times we were draped all over him and he made great shots," O'Brien said.

Notes

Pacers F Jermaine O'Neal missed his eighth straight game with a bone bruise in his left knee. ... Granger extended his streak of consecutive free throws made to 37. He finished the game 12-of-12 from the line. ... The Magic's only loss in their last eight games came Jan. 25 at Detroit. ... Orlando improved to 11-24 all-time in Indianapolis during the regular season. ... The Pacers, who lost to Houston on Friday, dropped the finale of a back-to-back for the fifth straight time.

NBA - Orlando Magic/Indiana Pacers Recap Saturday February 2, 2008 - Yahoo! Sports



<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width="10%"></TD><TD width="39%">San Antonio at Indiana
Tue Feb 5, 2008, 7:00 pm EST</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[The General]

Re: NBA Betting: Indiana Pacers News & Notes for 2007/2008

High Score Expected As Pacers Host Magic

1070thefan.com

2/2/2008

The top two offenses in the NBA's Eastern Conference go head-to-head Saturday night as the Indiana Pacers host the Orland Magic at Conseco Fieldhouse.

The Magic, 30-18 under first-year coach Stan Van Gundy, average a conference-best 103.4 points per game.

Meanwhile, the Pacers, 19-28 under their first-year head man Jim O'Brien, rank right behind the Magic with a 103.2 points per game average.

Indiana has lost 5 in a row to drop a season-worst 9 games under .500.

On the other side, the Magic are a season-best 12 games over the break-even mark. After starting January by losing five of six, Orlando has gone 7-2 in their last nine, including three wins in a row.

The Magic are led by Dwight Howard, who is averaging 21.7 points and 14.9 rebounds per game, and has finished with a double-double in 42 of the 47 games he has played this season.

Mike Dunleavy is averaging a career-high 17.7 points in his first full year with the Pacers. The sixth-year player from Duke has started all 47 games and has scored at least 10 in 42 of those games.

Gametime is 7:00 at Conseco Fieldhouse. Listen to 1070 The Fan for all the action, starting with Pacers Pregame at 6:30.

1070 The Fan - Indy's Sportscenter

Orlando 121, Indiana 115


Hedo Turkoglu shook off his headache and became one for the Indiana Pacers.

Turkoglu scored 20 of his 23 points in the second half Saturday night to help the Orlando Magic beat Indiana 121-115 for their fourth straight victory.

In the first half, the ailing Turkoglu shot 1-of-3 from the field. After the break, he made nine of 13 shots to help the Magic take control.

"You could tell he was kind of going through the motions and he wasn't really feeling good," said Magic forward Rashard Lewis, who scored 19 points. "He fought through his illness and was able to come out and help us get the win. That's the sign of a good teammate."

Turkoglu said it took him a while to get into the flow of the game.

"I was able to loosen up in the second half," he said. "I always have confidence, but I was trying to be more aggressive and attack on the offensive end."

The Magic, who trailed by two points at halftime, took their biggest lead of the game, 105-93, on Turkoglu's 3-pointer with 8:30 left in the fourth quarter. The Pacers answered with an 8-0 run to get within four points, but Lewis' 3-pointer and Turkoglu's jumper pushed the lead back to 110-101 with 4 minutes left.

Magic center Dwight Howard was impressed with Turkoglu's performance down the stretch.

"He's clutch," Howard said. "He gets the ball and has no fear, and most of the time they go in for him. Hopefully, he can stay that way for the rest of the season."

Howard finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds, and Maurice Evans, Carlos Arroyo and Keith Bogans each scored 16 points for the Magic (31-18), who won for the seventh time in their last eight games.

"We really want to be greedy going into the All-Star break and get as many wins as we can," Howard said. "A lot of teams relax before the All-Star break and right after, so we can steal some games."

Danny Granger finished with 29 points, Mike Dunleavy scored 19 and Troy Murphy chipped in 17 for the slumping Pacers (19-29), who dropped their sixth consecutive game.

"We've got to keep coming in, working hard and improving to get ourselves in a better position," Dunleavy said. "I think if we do that, good things can happen to us."

After falling behind by six points late in the first quarter, the Pacers went on a 17-2 run, capped by Murphy's 3-pointer, to take a 43-34 lead in the second quarter. Orlando used three consecutive 3-pointers to regain a four-point advantage later in the period, but Indiana took a 60-58 lead into the break following Shawne Williams' layup.

Orlando began to take control with a 12-2 run midway through the third quarter. Turkoglu, who scored 11 points in the period, gave the Magic an 85-77 edge on a jumper with 4 minutes left. Orlando pushed the lead to 94-85 following Bogans' 3-pointer to end the quarter.

Indiana coach Jim O'Brien said the Pacers' defense had a hard time stopping Turkoglu in the second half.

"A couple times we were draped all over him and he made great shots," O'Brien said.

Notes

Pacers F Jermaine O'Neal missed his eighth straight game with a bone bruise in his left knee. ... Granger extended his streak of consecutive free throws made to 37. He finished the game 12-of-12 from the line. ... The Magic's only loss in their last eight games came Jan. 25 at Detroit. ... Orlando improved to 11-24 all-time in Indianapolis during the regular season. ... The Pacers, who lost to Houston on Friday, dropped the finale of a back-to-back for the fifth straight time.

NBA - Orlando Magic/Indiana Pacers Recap Saturday February 2, 2008 - Yahoo! Sports



<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width="10%"></TD><TD width="39%">San Antonio at Indiana
Tue Feb 5, 2008, 7:00 pm EST</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[The General]

Re: NBA Betting: Indiana Pacers News & Notes for 2007/2008

According to a one-line note from NBA columnist Mitch Lawrence in Sunday's New York Daily News, "Looking for a big man who can rebound and guard ? something its own (starting center) Mehmet Okur is not always inclined to do ? the Utah Jazz has targeted the Indiana Pacers' Jeff Foster for a potential deal."

The Jazz indeed have had interest in Foster for some time, but there is no current reason whatsoever to believe a deal to pry the 6-foot-11 center from the Pacers could be put together this month.

Jazz coach Jerry Sloan was asked about potential deals involving Utah ? though not specifically anything about Foster ? just last Friday. He suggested then that nothing is in the works and that he didn't anticipate any major deals being made by the club in February.

Source: Deseret Morning News

 

[The General]

Re: NBA Betting: Indiana Pacers News & Notes for 2007/2008

San Antonio-Indiana Preview
Feb 5th, 2008

The fans at Conseco Fieldhouse will be treated to a game between the San Antonio Spurs and the Indiana Pacers when they take their seats on Tuesday.

NewBodog oddsmakers currently have the Spurs listed as 5?-point favorites versus the Pacers, while the game?s total has not yet been posted.

The Spurs came-from-behind in the fourth quarter to dispose of the Suns 84-81 on Thursday. The Spurs won the game as a 7-point road underdog, while the 165 points were well UNDER the posted total of 202.5.

Tim Duncan led the Spurs with 16 points and 17 rebounds for a double-double, while Manu Ginobili added 19 points in the win.

Indiana hit 14 three-pointers in Saturday?s 121-115 loss to Orlando, falling as 3.5-point home underdogs. The 236 points scored were OVER the posted total of 214.5.

Danny Granger poured in a game-high 29 points, and Mike Dunleavy added 19 points for the Pacers.

Current streak:
Indiana has lost 6 straight games.

Team records:
San Antonio: 29-16 SU, 21-24 ATS
Indiana: 19-29 SU, 23-24-1 ATS

San Antonio most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 7-3
Before playing Washington are 5-5
After playing Phoenix are 7-3
After a win are 5-5

Indiana most recently:
When playing on Tuesday are 7-3
Before playing New York are 7-3
After playing Orlando are 7-3
After a loss are 3-7

A few trends to consider:
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of San Antonio?s last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of San Antonio?s last 5 games on the road
The total has gone OVER in 5 of San Antonio?s last 5 games when playing on the road against Indiana
The total has gone OVER in 9 of San Antonio?s last 10 games when playing Indiana
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Indiana?s last 5 games when playing at home against San Antonio
The total has gone OVER in 9 of Indiana?s last 10 games when playing San Antonio
The total has gone OVER in 5 of Indiana?s last 6 games at home
Indiana is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games when playing at home against San Antonio


OffshoreInsiders

 

[The General]

Re: NBA Betting: Indiana Pacers News & Notes for 2007/2008

spurs n pacers are lighting up the board in the 1st qtr. 43 points at 5:00.

 

[The General]

San Antonio 116, Indiana 89

San Antonio 116, Indiana 89

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The NBA's third-best scoring defense got a tough lesson for one half on Tuesday night.

Then the San Antonio Spurs got serious.

With Tim Duncan dominating the middle and plenty of scorers to help him out, the Spurs used a stingy second-half defensive effort to turn what started as an offensive showcase into a lopsided 116-89 rout of the Indiana Pacers.

"We stood toe-to-toe with them and just kind of waited for our defense to catch-up," Duncan said. "Defensively, we really turned it up in that third quarter, and that kind of turned the game."

Throughout the first half, the Spurs hardly resembled the defending champions.

They gave up open shots, let the Pacers get into a shooting groove and appeared to be a step slow in helping teammates.

So at halftime, coach Gregg Popovich gave his players a wakeup call, imploring them to adjust, refocus and defend harder.

No problem.

The Spurs put on a second-half defensive clinic by limiting Indiana to 18 percent shooting in the third quarter and nine points, matching the Pacers' worst single-quarter effort of the season. Indiana also scored nine points in a quarter against Memphis on Jan. 2.

"We played with more energy, more aggressively," Manu Ginobili said. "Then, we started switching some pick and rolls, trying to send people to the basket. We made a couple adjustments that really worked."

Duncan, as usual, provided the muscle, finishing with 19 points and 15 rebounds, after falling two rebounds short of a double-double in the first half. Jacque Vaughn produced the nifty drives and solid outside shooting to keep Indiana's defense honest. He finished with 16 points and Ginobili was the third option, finishing with 15 points.

Initially, it didn't look like that combination would be enough Tuesday night.

The Pacers opened on a torrid pace, shooting 78.9 percent in the first quarter and 67.6 percent in the first half. At times, it seemed like the Pacers couldn't miss a shot, hitting their first four 3-pointers and finishing the half 6-of-8 from beyond the arc.

But the struggling Pacers couldn't take advantage. They settled for a 59-59 halftime tie, then struggled to do anything right in the second half.

Danny Granger led the Pacers with 16 points, Troy Murphy added 15 points and seven rebounds and Mike Dunleavy and Travis Diener each had 14 points -- not nearly enough to prevent Indiana from extending its losing streak to a season-high seven games.

The Pacers have also lost five straight at home, including all four during their longest homestand of the season, and the latest loss was about as demoralizing as it gets.

"The four teams we played were four of the best teams in the NBA so the schedule-makers didn't do us any justice there," Diener said. "But even these next few games before the All-Star break, that's a brutal 10-game stretch."

The second-half collapse didn't help things.

San Antonio opened the second half by scoring the first eight points, a run that reached 18-2 before the Pacers finally answered with 4:18 left in the third quarter. By then, San Antonio had taken an insurmountable 77-61 lead.

"The third quarter was our demise," Granger said. "We had some good looks, couldn't get them to fall, turned the ball over a couple times and they hit a lot of big shots. We've got to find a way to get it together."

It was the only lapse the Spurs needed against a Pacers team still playing without injured forward Jermaine O'Neal.

Indiana never seriously challenged again, only getting as close as 11 the rest of the way while San Antonio won its second straight.

Newly-signed guard Damon Stoudamire started in his San Antonio debut, playing 22 minutes and finishing with 11 points despite not knowing the whole offense.

"I learned about another 10 plays tonight just in the game," he said. "A lot of the things we were doing we hadn't went over. I was learning a lot of it on the fly."

But when the Spurs defend like they did for the final 24 minutes, it doesn't matter.

"Pop came in and said he wasn't worried about the scoring, he was like, 'Know who we are as a team,"' Stoudamire said. "We went out in that second half and took pride and had a great defensive quarter. I think that put the game away."

Notes

The start of the fourth quarter was delayed briefly as maintenance crews changed one of the nets following the entertainment show between quarters. ... Colts coach Tony Dungy and Archie Manning, the father of the last two Super Bowl MVPs, watched the game from the fourth row near midcourt. They also drew the loudest cheers of the night when they were shown on the arena's video board. ... Granger extended his free-throw shooting streak to 42. ... San Antonio has won five of the last eight games played in Indy.

Yahoo!

 

[The General]

NBA Betting Preview: Indiana (19-30) at New York (14-34)

NBA Betting Preview: Indiana (19-30) at New York (14-34)

NBA - Indiana Pacers/New York Knicks Preview Wednesday February 6, 2008 - Yahoo! Sports

The Indiana Pacers are mired in their longest losing streak of the season, but will next face a team struggling almost as badly.

The Pacers will try to end a seven-game skid on Wednesday night when they meet the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.

Indiana (19-30) has not won since a 110-103 victory at Philadelphia on Jan. 21. The Pacers' 116-89 loss to defending NBA champion San Antonio on Tuesday was also their fifth straight at home - their worst such slide since dropping five in a row Jan. 15-Feb. 2, 2005.

However, Pacers guard Travis Diener was quick to point out their opponents on a just-completed four-game homestand - Detroit, Houston, Orlando and San Antonio - weren't exactly pushovers.

"The four teams we played were four of the best teams in the NBA, so the schedule-makers didn't do us any justice there," he said. "But even these next few games before the All-Star break, that's a brutal 10-game stretch."

Of course, Wednesday's foe doesn't look quite as daunting - the Knicks (14-34) lost 103-94 to the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday and have dropped six straight for the third time this season. New York lost a season-high eight in a row Nov. 9-21.

The Knicks, who current slide started with an 0-5 road trip in which they blew second-half leads in four games, have averaged just 94.8 points during the losing streak. The Knicks shot 64 percent in the first half against the Clippers en route to a 60-51 lead, but were outscored 52-34 the rest of the way.

"In the second half when the ball stops moving, then it's tough to get points on the board," forward David Lee said. "When points don't get scored, then you almost have to get a stop every time down the floor to win the game."

Eddy Curry scored a team-high 19 points against Los Angeles, and Jamal Crawford had 16 of his 18 in the fourth quarter. However, the Knicks, who had won three of their previous four at home, were hampered by injuries as Nate Robinson missed the game with a bruised left quadriceps and starting forward Quentin Richardson left after spraining his right ankle late in the first half.

"I thought when Richardson went down it really took away a lot of our outside shooting and without having Robinson or Richardson in the game we had no threat," coach Isiah Thomas said.

X-rays on Richardson's ankle were negative.

"Right now, it is up in the air, but I hope to be ready," he said. "I am planning on being ready."

The Pacers, who are allowing an average of 109.0 points during their slide, are also dealing with injury problems. Jermaine O'Neal, who is averaging 15.3 points and 7.3 rebounds, missed his ninth straight game on Tuesday with an injured left knee.

Without O'Neal, the Pacers, who shot 78.9 percent in the first quarter and 67.6 percent in the first half, matched their worst quarter this season with just nine points in the third.

"The third quarter was our demise," said Danny Granger, who had a team-high 16 points and extended his free-throw shooting streak to 42. "We had some good looks, couldn't get them to fall, turned the ball over a couple times and they hit a lot of big shots. We've got to find a way to get it together."


<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR class=yspsctbg><TD class=ysptblhdr colSpan=9 height=18>Team Comparison</TD></TR><TR class=ysptblthbody2 align=right><TD class=yspdetailttl align=left width="18%" height=18> Team</TD><TD class=yspdetailttl align=left width="10%">Record</TD><TD class=yspdetailttl align=left width="23%">Standings</TD><TD class=yspdetailttl width="6%">PF</TD><TD class=yspdetailttl width="8%">PA</TD><TD class=yspdetailttl width="3%"> </TD><TD class=yspdetailttl align=left width="16%">Road/Home</TD><TD class=yspdetailttl align=left width="8%">Streak</TD><TD class=yspdetailttl width="6%">L10 </TD></TR><TR align=right><TD class=yspscores align=left> Indiana</TD><TD class=yspscores align=left>19-30</TD><TD class=yspscores align=left>4th Central / 10th East</TD><TD class=yspscores>103.1</TD><TD class=yspscores>105.7</TD><TD class=yspscores> </TD><TD class=yspscores align=left>Road 10-16</TD><TD class=yspscores align=left>Lost 7</TD><TD class=yspscores>2-8 </TD></TR><TR align=right><TD class=yspscores align=left> New York</TD><TD class=yspscores align=left>14-34</TD><TD class=yspscores align=left>5th Atlantic / 12th East</TD><TD class=yspscores>94.4</TD><TD class=yspscores>100.5</TD><TD class=yspscores> </TD><TD class=yspscores align=left>Home 10-15</TD><TD class=yspscores align=left>Lost 6</TD><TD class=yspscores>2-8 </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><!-- /TEAM COMPARISON --><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD height=20><SPACER width="1" height="1" type="block"></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width="49%"><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR class=yspsctbg><TD class=ysptblhdr colSpan=5 height=18> Indiana Notes</TD></TR><TR><TD>Feb 6 G-F Danny Granger sank all five free throws to extend his current free-throw streak to 42 in a row. ... The Pacers' nine points in the third quarter tied their fewest in any period this season. ... Granger had a career-high five blocks. ... The Pacers scored a season-low 18 points in the paint, and tied a season-low with five second-chance points. st 02-06-08 1:43 et
</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD><TD width="2%"> </TD><TD width="49%"><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR class=yspsctbg><TD class=ysptblhdr colSpan=5 height=18> New York Notes</TD></TR><TR><TD>Feb 5 The Giants continued to generate some of the loudest cheers at Madison Square Garden. DBs Kevin Dockery, R.W. McQuarters and Sam Madison showed up at courtside during the third quarter and had several pictures of them taken on the court in between quarters, following a standing ovation. ... The Knicks are 20 games below .500 before the All-Star break for the second time in three years. Before hitting that mark in the 2005-06 season, they had not done so since the 1986-87 season. ... F Quentin Richardson was on pace for his highest-scoring game of the season before spraining his right ankle late in the first half. "Right now, it is up in the air, but I hope to be ready," Richardson said. "I am planning on being ready." ... The Knicks are 9-3 when holding a double-digit lead but have lost the last three times they have had one. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[The General]

Indiana 103, New York 100

Indiana 103, New York 100

For three quarters, the Indiana Pacers played the type of defense that landed them in a seven-game losing streak.

Suddenly, they realized there was only way out of it.

Kareem Rush scored 24 points, and the Pacers limited the New York Knicks to three field goals in the final 8 1/2 minutes of a 103-100 victory Wednesday night.

"I thought our defense for the first three quarters was on the other side of miserable, but we stepped up and really started being more aggressive around the paint, slapping the basketball out of people's hands," Pacers coach Jim O'Brien said. "And you have to defend down the stretch if you're going to win."

Mike Dunleavy added 17 points and Danny Granger had 16 for the Pacers in an impressive turnaround after they surrendered 116 points against San Antonio on Tuesday in their most lopsided loss of the season.

Marquis Daniels had a strong final quarter and finished with 13 points in Indiana's franchise-best third straight victory in New York. Rush and Daniels combined for seven field goals -- one more than the Knicks -- and 20 points in the final period, leading Indiana's 43-19 advantage in bench points.

The Pacers had allowed 100 or more points in 14 of their previous 15 games. The Knicks eventually got there, but it didn't matter after Indiana held them without a field goal for about 5 1/2 minutes earlier in the fourth quarter.

"Down the stretch, we went out and got some stops and that's been our biggest problem the last couple of games," Rush said.

Zach Randolph scored 26 points for the Knicks, who dropped their seventh straight. Jamal Crawford had 21, but wasn't close on a contested 3-point try before the buzzer, and Eddy Curry scored 20.

New York had a 49-34 rebounding advantage against an Indiana team that's still playing without star forward Jermaine O'Neal, but wasted that by committing 18 turnovers that led to 35 points.

"Right now, our turnovers are killing us and we can't ... we have to do a better job with our guards in terms of getting in the flow and organized," Knicks coach Isiah Thomas said during his brief postgame remarks. "We have to keep working at it."

The Knicks led 86-79 after Renaldo Balkman's follow shot with 8:22 remaining. Daniels hit a pair of 3-pointers, and Rush had a 3 and another jumper during a 15-6 stretch, with Daniels' two free throws giving Indiana a 94-92 lead with 3 1/2 minutes to play.

Randolph's three-point play with 2:45 left ended the drought and put New York back ahead, but Jeff Foster was given an open lane for a dunk, then Rush had two more buckets to make it 100-95 with 1:26 to go. Randolph made a 3 and Balkman blocked a shot in the final seconds, giving the Knicks a final chance.

It was yet another blown fourth-quarter lead for the Knicks, who couldn't capitalize on a number of chances to win during their recent 0-5 road trip.

"Getting very old," Crawford said. "It's frustrating. I think we've had leads in five of the seven games ... and find ways to lose."

Still, expectations are so low these days that they don't even need to win to feel like they're making progress.

"You can say we're not getting better because we haven't won games, but I think over the last couple of weeks we have gotten better as a basketball team," Thomas said before the game. "However we haven't completed it with a win. Hopefully we'll get one tonight."

Nate Robinson was back for the Knicks after missing a game with a bruised left quadriceps, but played only 9 minutes. Starting forward Quentin Richardson was out with a sprained right ankle during Monday's loss to the Clippers.

Granger hit all four shots in the first quarter, helping the Pacers take a 29-26 lead. The game was tied at 55 at halftime, with Randolph scoring 15 points and Curry going 6-for-6 and adding 14. The Knicks shot 54 percent but their nine turnovers led to 19 points.

Randolph's 3-pointer with 24 seconds left in the third quarter gave the Knicks a 77-75 lead entering the final period.

Notes

Plaxico Burress, who caught the go-ahead touchdown pass in the final minute of the Super Bowl, and a number of other Giants players came onto the court after the third quarter and received a long standing ovation. ... Patrick Ewing, the Knicks' career scoring leader, is among the first-time players eligible to be selected to the Basketball Hall of Fame. Miami coach Pat Riley, who led Ewing and the Knicks to the NBA finals in 1994, is another candidate. The finalists will be chosen Feb. 15 in New Orleans and the Hall's class of 2008 will be announced April 7.

NBA - Indiana Pacers/New York Knicks Recap Wednesday February 6, 2008 - Yahoo! Sports

 

[The General]

Re: NBA Betting: Indiana Pacers News & Notes for 2007/2008

I was a fan of Kareem Rush back in college. His lefty shooting finesse in appealing and he can sink em when he is on his game. Glad to see him in a Pacer suit.

 

[The General]

Portland (28-21) at Indiana (20-30)

Portland (28-21) at Indiana (20-30)

The Portland Trail Blazers have improved vastly since their last loss to the Indiana Pacers, with the continued development of All-Star guard Brandon Roy as a key to that success.

Roy, however, is expected to miss his second straight contest on Saturday night when Portland looks to end an eight-game skid against the Pacers.

The Trail Blazers (28-21) struggled early this season, exemplified by a 95-89 loss to Indiana (20-30) on Nov. 28 that dropped their record to 5-10. Portland hasn't beaten Indiana since Dec. 3, 2003, when it won 97-95 in overtime, and this skid is its longest against any Eastern Conference opponent.

The Blazers, however, have turned their season around by going 23-11 since last facing the Pacers. They're led by Roy, the reigning rookie of the year, who is averaging a team-high 19.7 points, 5.8 assists and 1.0 steals per game.

Roy, though, missed Friday's 91-82 loss to Detroit due to a death in his family, and is also expected to miss this contest.

Against the Pistons, Roy was replaced in the starting lineup by Martell Webster, who had seven points on 2-of-10 shooting. The third-year swingman is averaging a career-best 10.4 points a contest.

With Roy out, LaMarcus Aldridge will again be expected to carry most of the scoring load. The second-year center led all players with 22 points against the Pistons, and had 22 in November's matchup with the Pacers. Aldridge is averaging 16.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks this season.

Even with Roy out, Pacers coach Jim O'Brien knows the Blazers pose a tough challenge.

"I think it's a great credit to coach (Nate) McMillan and his staff," O'Brien said of Portland's recent success. "They're one of the top defensive teams in the league, one of the top 3-point shooting teams and they have a nice inside attack.

"I think they should get a lot of credit. They seem to have a wonderful chemistry and there's not a game I've watched where they haven't played like they're playing for the playoffs."

Indiana's postseason hopes have taken a hit in recent weeks. The Pacers lost seven straight before a 103-100 win over lowly New York on Wednesday night.

Indiana also has injury problems to deal with. Neither Jamaal Tinsley (knee) nor Travis Diener (foot) were available in the fourth quarter versus the Knicks, leaving the Pacers without their top two point guards. While Diener is expected to face the Blazers, Tinsley is scheduled for an MRI and will likely miss his 12th game of the season.

Still, Indiana is hoping to build some positive momentum in its last three games before the All-Star break. On Wednesday, the Pacers were able to bounce back from their most lopsided loss of the season, 116-89 against San Antonio on Tuesday night.

"It feels good," Indiana guard Kareem Rush said. "We've been struggling for a long time. It feels good to get off this losing streak. Hopefully we can go home and finish off the first part of the season good."

The Pacers continue to play without Jermaine O'Neal, who has been sidelined since the middle of last month with a bone bruise in his left knee. O'Brien expects the veteran forward to be back sometime after the All-Star break.

Yahoo!

 

[The General]

Indiana 101, Portland 93

Indiana 101, Portland 93

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Just like that, the Indiana Pacers are talking about carrying momentum into the All-Star break.

The Pacers beat the Portland Trail Blazers 101-93 on Saturday night for their second straight victory. The small win streak is important because Indiana had lost seven in a row before beating New York on Wednesday. The Pacers are a half-game out of the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference race, despite being nine games below .500.

"It feels good," said Kareem Rush, who had his first career double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds. "We came out and played a great game, played great defense down the stretch. Guys played big."

Danny Granger scored 29 points, Travis Diener had 15 points and nine assists and Jeff Foster added 10 points and 14 rebounds for the Pacers.

Granger shot 4-of-7 from 3-point range and made all nine free-throw attempts.

"I thought he had a perfect game," Portland coach Nate McMillan said.

LaMarcus Aldridge led Portland with 21 points and 11 rebounds before fouling out in the final minute. Martell Webster had 18 points and eight rebounds, and Jarrett Jack added 15 points and 10 assists for the Trail Blazers, who have lost three of four.

Portland All-Star guard Brandon Roy missed his second straight game after a death in his family.

The Pacers played short-handed, too. Indiana forward Mike Dunleavy did not return after halftime because of a bruised right knee. He hurt the knee in the first quarter and limped off the court, returned, and played five minutes in the second quarter before exiting for good with 11 points.

The Pacers still pulled out the win, but now face Boston on Tuesday and Detroit on Wednesday. Boston, even without Kevin Garnett, has the top record in the league. Detroit has the second-best record in the East.

"We know they're going to be tough games," Rush said. "We're riding a little high right now. We know Boston's coming in here short-handed, but they're going to put up a great fight. Detroit's always tough."

The Pacers led 51-48 at halftime, then started the second half with a 13-6 run that included six points by Troy Murphy to take a 64-54 lead. Portland committed nine turnovers in the third quarter to help the Pacers lead 71-63 at the end of the period.

"It comes down to the third quarter," McMillan said. "We had a ton of turnovers. We were playing too fast. We needed to calm down and slow down. You have to take care of the ball."

The Pacers led by 11 when Diener made a 3-pointer as the shot clock expired to make it 91-77 with just under 6 minutes to play.

"It was about time I made one," he said. "I just haven't been shooting well, but I'll keep shooting and eventually, it'll fall."

Portland closed the margin to 99-93 on a floater by Travis Outlaw with just under a minute remaining, but the Trail Blazers didn't score again.

Fittingly, Rush got the final rebound for the Pacers. He shot 4-for-19 from the field, but his unexpected effort on the boards was a difference maker.

"Happy about that, but not happy about the way I shot," he said. "I missed a lot of wide-open shots I normally hit, but it's one of those games where you've got to contribute in other ways."

Indiana shot just 37 percent, but had 16 offensive rebounds and committed just seven turnovers.

"I think we gave up a lot of second and third chances at the basket," Jack said. "I don't know how many offensive rebounds Foster had, but I know he had a lot. Usually, when a team shoots a field-goal percentage like they did and wins the game, it means you're giving up a lot of offensive rebounds."

Diener said the Pacers won because everyone contributed on both offense and defense.

"It was a total team effort," he said. "That's how it's going to be if we win games We've just got to play together, play defense, then we'll win."

Notes

Indiana C Jermaine O'Neal missed his 11th straight game with a bone bruise in his left knee. ... Indiana G Jamaal Tinsley sat out with a sore left knee. He has missed five of the team's past eight games. ... Portland C Greg Oden would have played his first professional game in his hometown, but he's missed the whole season after having knee surgery in September. ... Portland F Josh McRoberts, from nearby Carmel, Ind., did not play. He played a career-high 12 minutes against Detroit on Friday. ... The Pacers shot 30 percent in the first quarter. ... Granger has made 51 consecutive free throws.

NBA - Portland Trail Blazers/Indiana Pacers Recap Saturday February 9, 2008 - Yahoo! Sports

 

[The General]

Re: NBA Betting: Indiana Pacers News & Notes for 2007/2008

NEXT UP TUESDAY

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR vAlign=top><TD width="10%"></TD><TD width="39%">Boston at Indiana
Tue Feb 12, 2008, 7:00 pm EST</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[The General]

Boston (39-9) at Indiana (21-30)

Boston (39-9) at Indiana (21-30)

The All-Star that's led the Boston Celtics to the best record in the NBA might be out, but the All-Star that's led them for the past nine seasons is still around - and still playing awfully well.

Paul Pierce, fresh off his best game of the new year, looks to lead the Celtics to their fourth straight win without Kevin Garnett on Tuesday when they visit the Indiana Pacers.

Boston (39-9) has been without Garnett for the past seven games since he suffered an abdominal strain on Jan. 25, and it improved to 5-2 in those contests on Sunday with a 98-90 win against San Antonio -- its 16th victory in as many games against Western Conference opponents this season.

Pierce led the way with 35 points, his second-highest scoring game of the season. He scored 37 on Dec. 27 in a 104-96 win at Seattle.

"We just want to continue to play well, get through this part of the schedule where we can get some guys back off the injured list and go into the second half of the season," said Pierce, who's averaging 22.6 points over his last five games.

Garnett will miss this game and the Celtics' home matchup against New York on Wednesday, their last game before the All-Star break. Next week Boston will hit the road for five more games against West teams.

With Kendrick Perkins out due to a strained shoulder, little-used Leon Powe got his first career start against San Antonio following some strong play off the bench since Garnett was injured. He's averaging 11.4 points and 6.7 rebounds in his last seven games.

Point guard Rajon Rondo continues to play well for Boston, and he was a difference-maker on Sunday despite only scoring five points. Rondo had a season-high 12 assists to go along with 11 rebounds, the third time he's led the Celtics on the glass since Garnett went down.

"Every time he leads the team in rebounds, we win," Pierce said. "So keep crashing the boards, Rondo."

Pierce had 31 points, 11 rebounds and six assists in Boston's first meeting against Indiana this season, a 101-86 win on Nov. 13. He's scored at least 30 in three straight games against the Pacers.

Indiana (21-30) has won consecutive games and despite having lost seven straight prior to those victories, sits just a game out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

The Pacers' most recent win, 101-93 over Portland on Saturday, was their first at home since Jan. 16.

"Two wins in a row was really big for us," guard Kareem Rush said. "We're riding a little high right now. We know Boston's coming in here short-handed, but they're going to put up a great fight."

Rush has averaged 14.1 points in his last 12 games and has given Indiana a strong outside threat. He's shooting 45.3 percent from 3-point range over that stretch.

Danny Granger has been the Pacers' best player all season, averaging 18.0 points, and he's scoring 22.3 and grabbing 5.3 rebounds while shooting 45.2 percent from beyond the arc in his past 12 contests.

Granger is averaging 17.0 points on 67.6 percent shooting in his last four games against Boston.

The Pacers, like the Celtics, are suffering through injuries to key players. Jermaine O'Neal has missed the last 11 games with a bone bruise in his knee, Jamaal Tinsley has sat out the past two with a sore knee and second-leading scorer Mike Dunleavy didn't return after halftime on Saturday because of a bruised knee.

Tinsley is out until after the All-Star break, while Dunleavy is listed as day-to-day.

NBA - Boston Celtics/Indiana Pacers Preview Tuesday February 12, 2008 - Yahoo! Sports

 

[The General]

Boston 104, Indiana 97

Boston 104, Indiana 97

The Boston Celtics weren't in the mood to celebrate their latest accomplishment.

Playing without injured starters Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins, the Celtics became the first team in the NBA to reach 40 wins with a 104-97 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night.

Boston (40-9), which finished last season with a 24-58 record, plans to save any celebrations for the postseason.

"There's a long way to go," Celtics coach Doc Rivers said. "We're not looking at numbers or anything like that. We're looking at getting better and getting ready for the playoffs."

Paul Pierce, one of the few holdovers from last year's team, said reaching 40 wins shows the Celtics are heading in the right direction. Boston has won four straight and six of seven.

"Right now, we're just trying to build good habits," he said. "Each win is great, but we're building good habits."

Pierce finished with 28 points and 12 rebounds, Ray Allen scored 23 and Leon Powe added 16 points and nine rebounds for the Celtics, who have been without Garnett (abdominal strain) for the past eight games and Perkins (strained left shoulder) the past three.

"That's no excuse for us," Pierce said. "Until those guys get back, we've got to hold down the fort."

Danny Granger had 18 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks, and Shawne Williams scored 14 for the Pacers (21-31). Indiana was playing without injured starters Jermaine O'Neal and Jamaal Tinsley.

"The signs are there that we're getting better," Williams said, "but staying with good teams and beating them is two different things."

Trailing by five points entering the fourth quarter, the Pacers took an 86-84 lead on Williams' 3-pointer with 9 minutes left. Boston answered by scoring the next nine points, including Allen's 3 to cap the run, to open a seven-point lead.

Indiana cut the deficit to 95-94 following Granger's 3-pointer and Williams' layup with 3 minutes remaining, but the Celtics regained a 101-95 lead on Pierce's jumper with 52 seconds left.

Rivers was impressed with the Pacers' ability to keep the game close.

"We couldn't shake them," he said. "They played hard throughout and made some big shots."

Indiana coach Jim O'Brien was more critical of his team.

"A couple things in the fourth quarter really hurt us -- turnovers and we missed a couple of shots right at the basket that could have turned the tide," O'Brien said.

Allen scored 10 of the Celtics' first 12 points of the game, including a 3-pointer to give Boston a 10-0 lead. The Pacers fought back, taking a 13-12 lead on Troy Murphy's two free throws later in the period.

Indiana opened its biggest lead of the game 34-23 on Marquis Daniels' basket early in the second quarter, but the Celtics regained a 49-45 lead following Rajon Rondo's 3-pointer with less than 2 minutes left in the half.

Rondo finished with 12 points, seven assists and seven rebounds.

"He's growing up into one of the premiere guards in a matter of one year," Pierce said. "His game is stepping up by leaps and bounds throughout the course of the season."

In the third quarter, Boston extended its lead to 75-65 on Allen's jumper with 3 minutes left. The Pacers got within 82-77 after layups from Kareem Rush and Murphy to end the period.

"This was definitely a winnable game," Granger said. "We let it get away at the end with a lack of execution and our usual letdown in the stretch."

Notes

O'Neal missed his 12th straight game for the Pacers with a sore left knee, and Tinsley also missed the game with a sore left knee. ... Granger extended his streak of consecutive free throws made to 56. He finished the game 5-for-5 from the line. ... The Celtics' only loss during their past seven games came Feb. 5 at Cleveland. ... The Pacers, who play at Detroit on Wednesday, dropped to 3-13 in the first game of back-to-backs this season.

NBA - Boston Celtics/Indiana Pacers Recap Tuesday February 12, 2008 - Yahoo! Sports

 

[The General]

Indiana (21-31) at Detroit (38-13)

Indiana (21-31) at Detroit (38-13)

The Detroit Pistons may not be so anxious for the All-Star break to arrive.
Detroit (38-13) looks to win its 10th straight and sweep the season series with the Indiana Pacers for the first time in 23 years when they met on Wednesday night at the Palace of Auburn Hills in the final game for both teams before the break.

The Pistons have won five straight over the Pacers (21-31) and four of the last five at home. A win in this contest would give the Pistons their first season series-sweep over Indiana since 1984-85 when they won all six meetings.

Detroit comes in with plenty of momentum, having won nine in a row, including a 94-90 victory over Atlanta on Tuesday behind All-Stars Rasheed Wallace and Chauncey Billups.

Wallace, who will replace injured Boston star Kevin Garnett on Sunday in New Orleans, scored 15 straight first-quarter points and finished with 21. Billups tallied 12 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter, including a jumper with 22 seconds remaining that gave Detroit a 92-89 lead.

"You know me, man, you know me," said Billups, who was just 5-of-16 from the field. "Late in games, if I have an opportunity I'm going to take advantage of that, whether I'm hot or not. I always feel like that fourth quarter is a different game."

The game was Detroit's second straight and third in four against teams with losing records. During their winning streak, the Pistons have faced five teams with records below .500, including the Pacers -- who Detroit beat 110-104 at Conseco Fieldhouse on Jan. 29.

"It doesn't matter to me who we play," said Wallace, who was held to a combined 17 points the previous two games. "We have a job to do. We have a mission. They're going to be in the way."

The nine-game run is the Pistons' second longest of the season. The Central Division-leaders won 11 straight from Dec. 14-Jan. 4, and they will enter the All-Star break with the second best record in the Eastern Conference behind the Celtics.

The struggling Pacers, meanwhile, lost for the eighth time in the last 10 games, 104-97 to the Celtics on Tuesday.

Indiana was unable to win its third straight as it played without injured starters Jermaine O'Neal (left knee bone bruise) and Jamaal Tinsley (sore left knee). O'Neal has missed the last 12 games while Tinsley has missed the last three.

Despite missing two of its top-five scorers, Indiana led 86-84 with nine minutes remaining, but Boston went on a 9-0 run and the Pacers never led again.

"The signs are there that we're getting better," said Shawne Williams, who scored 14 points, "but staying with good teams and beating them is two different things."

Danny Granger had 18 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks for the Pacers, who had six players score in double figures.

Granger, Indiana's leading scorer at 18.0 points per game, is averaging just 10.7 points in 11 career games against the Pistons, and 13.0 in three games this season against them.

NBA - Indiana Pacers/Detroit Pistons Preview Wednesday February 13, 2008 - Yahoo! Sports

 

[The General]

Balanced attack helps Pistons win 10th straight with 96-80 win over Pacers

Balanced attack helps Pistons win 10th straight with 96-80 win over Pacers

Balanced attack helps Pistons win 10th straight with 96-80 win over Pacers

Preview - Box Score - Recap

February 13, 2008
AUBURN HILLS, Mich. (AP) -- Chauncey Billups, Tayshaun Prince and Richard Hamilton led a balanced attack with 14 points each as the Detroit Pistons won their 10th straight with a 96-80 victory over the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night.

Jason Maxiell added 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Pistons, who haven't lost since Jan. 21, and are 31-8 since an 8-5 start. The victory also gave the Pistons a season sweep of the Pacers, their first since 1984-85.


Updated on Wednesday, Feb 13, 2008 10:15 pm, EST

NBA - Indiana Pacers/Detroit Pistons Recap Wednesday February 13, 2008 - Yahoo! Sports

 

[The General]

Cleveland (29-24) at Indiana (21-32)

Cleveland (29-24) at Indiana (21-32)

LeBron James followed up an All-Star game MVP performance with a triple-double, but the Cleveland Cavaliers couldn't come away with a win.
The Indiana Pacers, though, should remember the superstar's previous triple-double.

Making his first start against Indiana since recording a triple-double three months ago, James leads the Cavaliers against the Pacers on Wednesday night.

Cleveland's superstar forward finished with 27 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, nearly joining Michael Jordan in 1997 as the only player to have a triple-double in the All-Star game, as the Eastern Conference won 134-128 on Sunday in New Orleans.

James earned his second All-Star MVP award in three years.

In the Cavaliers' first game following the break on Tuesday, they wasted a triple-double from James in a 93-85 loss to Houston. James had 26 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists for his fifth triple-double this season and 15th of his career.

"We've got to continue to just get better," James said. "The best thing about this league is we have another game (Wednesday)."

James' previous triple-double came against Indiana (21-32) on Nov. 25. He finished with 30 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists as Cleveland (29-24) posted a 111-106 victory.

The only game James has appeared in without starting this season was in the Cavaliers' second contest against the Pacers, a 118-105 win on Dec. 11. James had 17 points in 22 minutes after missing his previous five games with a finger injury, helping the Cavaliers extend their winning streak over the Pacers to five games.

Indiana hasn't beaten Cleveland since a 97-87 victory on Nov. 24, 2006. Two of the Cavaliers' wins during their run against the Pacers have been on the road, where they have won two straight and nine of 13 overall.

The Pacers, meanwhile, have lost six of their last seven at Conseco Fieldhouse, giving up 108.6 points per game. Indiana, which will be playing its first game since the All-Star break, has lost nine of 11 overall.

With two of their top players sidelined indefinitely, the Pacers may have a tough time making a run at a playoff spot in the East. Forward Jermaine O'Neal (knee) will miss his 14th straight game, and point guard Jamaal Tinsley (knee) will be sidelined for his fifth straight contest.

Tinsley's backup, Travis Diener (foot) is listed as day-to-day.

Indiana, in 11th place in the East, is among five teams looking to move into playoff position.

"If we get this team running on all cylinders, the playoffs are going to come," Pacers forward Danny Granger told the team's official Web site. "We've just got to put our minds to that.

"Coach (Jim O'Brien) broke it down for us and there's so many teams tightly packed in the same area. It's a race to get to those last few spots."

Indiana entered the break following one of its worst offensive performances of the season, shooting 31.6 percent from the field in a 96-80 loss to Detroit last Wednesday.

Mike Dunleavy was the Pacers' only starter to reach double figures in scoring, finishing with 11 points. Dunleavy, averaging 17.3 points per game, has not scored more than 13 in any of his last three contests.

NBA - Cleveland Cavaliers/Indiana Pacers Preview Wednesday February 20, 2008 - Yahoo! Sports