Indy Sports Crew

Can Pacers Bounce Back in Game 2?

Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals was a great one.  An overtime thriller that was decided by a buzzer-beater.  Unfortunately for the Indiana Pacers, this game did not finish in their favor.  After dictating the tempo and style of play and holding a one point lead with just 2.2 seconds remaining, LeBron James received the inbound pass and went uncontested to the basket.  Laying it in at the horn giving the Heat a 1-0 series lead and putting major doubt in the Pacers chances.

Now you have to look forward to Game 2 tomorrow.  The Pacers had a chance to steal a game on the road against a team that has lost 4 times in the last 4 months.  Most people will look at this game as their one chance to win in Miami.  Their one chance to put the Heat on notice.  However, I believe the Pacers will bounce back in Game 2.  Not only will they bounce back.  They will win.

As most of the national media will focus on James’ game winner, the Pacers are focused on winning the series.  Game 1 was definitely an opportunity the Pacers would like back.  As you look closer though, Indiana has to feel good about what took place regardless of the loss.  The Pacers turned the ball over 20 times.  They were out rebounded by 2.  They allowed 60 points in the paint.  The Heat had five players in double figures including 16 points from Chris Andersen on 7-7 shooting.

In reality it took an excellent game from the Heat to beat Indiana.  Turnovers were viewed as a major area of importance going into the series.  It was Wednesday.  Indiana will need to take care of the ball and it will be tough to have as many struggles in back to back games.  With their size advantage, it will be tough for Miami to consistently out rebound them and get to the rim to score.  Plus there are the wild cards in Chris Andersen and Mario Chalmers.  Andersen will not be expected to deliver that offensive punch again.  Chalmers suffered a shoulder injury and his health could be a factor.

Indiana needs to tighten their play up, but cannot be discouraged by the outcome of Game 1.  They played well enough to win.  Their young team will put this behind them just as they did in Games 3 and 6 against New York.  The Pacers have shown in their first two playoff series that they have done well in making adjustments.  They will do it once again and steal home court advantage in the process.

Follow me on Twitter @thadvandeventer.

Quick Reaction:  Pacers Take Game One

Indiana Beats New York 102-95

The Pacers went to Madison Square Garden on a mission.  The quick turnaround from Atlanta seemed to set their workman-like attitude.  Indiana outplayed and was much more physical than the Knicks.

Indiana never trailed in the second half.  They even stretched their lead to as large as sixteen to close out the third quarter.  The Pacers took the lead and control of the game by dominating the interior.  They out rebounded NY by fourteen and held the lead in paint points 46-32.  Roy Hibbert protected the rim superbly.  Keeping Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith off balance when they drove the lane.

The two biggest surprises for the blue and gold came from Lance Stephenson and D.J. Augustin.  Stephenson, the Brooklyn native, went for a career high thirteen rebounds.  He finished with a double-double by chipping in eleven points.  The Pacers bench has been a major question mark for the entire season.  Augustin answered the bell today dropping in sixteen points.  He was 5-6 from the field and 4-5 beyond the arc.

Augustin’s production combined with all five starters being in double figures supplied the offense.  Hibbert’s presence along with the return of Indiana’s defensive prowess was the combination they needed.  The Pacers put together a complete game to take game one.  Game two now becomes a big swing game before the teams head to Indianapolis.

Follow me on Twitter @thadvandeventer.

Pacers Getting Unexpected Boost

The bench for Indiana has been a topic of much discussion this season.  Discussing how much production the team was not getting.  That was not the case in game two of this series against Atlanta.  The bench combined for 38 points and 23 rebounds as the Pacers rolled to a 113-98 win and a 2-0 series lead.

The regular season saw the Pacers relying heavily on balanced scoring from the starting five.  The signings of Gerald Green and D.J. Augustin were to fill that void.  Inconsistent play from both players left the bench as the weakest link of the team.

Gerald Green and company was the difference in game two.  Green scored 15 points doing it both from the perimeter (3-6 from behind the arc) and driving the lane (check out this dunk on Josh Smith).  Green came in making some big shots that turned the momentum in the Pacers favor.  His minutes were also significant as he filled in for Lance Stephenson who was limited with a hip injury.

Green was not the only factor coming off the bench.  Augustin, Jeff Pendergraph, and Tyler Hansbrough made the most of their court time.  Augustin played with George Hill for several stretches pushing the tempo each time.  He finished with 8 points knocking in two 3-pointers.

The biggest advantage the Pacers have in this series is their front court size.  Pendergraph and Hansbrough helped exploit it.  They combined for 13 points and 13 rebounds.  David West was limited with foul trouble, so these two picked up the slack.  Hibbert set the tone in the paint but quality play by the bench post players took this advantaged to another level.

Moving forward to game three and beyond in these playoffs it will be interesting to see if this trend can continue.  The Pacers are averaging 110 points.  That will be tough to beat with a defense as good as Indiana’s.  The bench could be putting it together at just the right time to be that missing piece.  Two road games are up next to see if these players can take their show on tour.

Follow me on Twitter @thadvandeventer and @IndySportsCrew.