are preferential to but I love this new guy. I just like blunt talk & calling a problem a problem. I'll save my opinion on the former beat writer because everybody pretty much knows it. But at the very least you guys have to admit after 9 years of just seeing one point of view it's nice to have a person who have no connection to the Pacers at all calling the shots. Today's article is great & I have highlighted parts I love.
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http://www.indystar.com/articles/5/226748-7855-179.html
DENVER -- How things have changed, again, for the Indiana Pacers.
It was just a week ago that the Pacers were on a five-game winning streak and appeared ready to move into the top six, possibly top five, of the Eastern Conference.
It turns out, the Pacers were just being a big tease.
The Pacers not only dropped their third straight -- 96-87 to Denver on Thursday night -- they may be without their franchise player for a while.
Jermaine O'Neal sprained his right shoulder in the second quarter, and when he'll return to the lineup is unknown. The Pacers hope they can schedule an MRI for him today in Portland.
"He's one of the most dominant players in this league," Fred Jones said. "Anytime you lose that out of your lineup it's going to hurt."
O'Neal injured his shoulder when Nuggets forward Francisco Elson fouled him on a shot with 4:34 left in the first half. O'Neal was in obvious pain along the baseline before heading to the locker room with the help of teammates. He turned around and returned to the bench where trainer David Craig tended to his shoulder during a timeout.
O'Neal stayed in the game momentarily to make both free throws -- a bank and swish -- left-handed. The Pacers fouled immediately on the inbounds and he went to the locker room from the court.
O'Neal, who wore a sling as he left the Pepsi Center, wasn't available for comment afterward.
"It definitely wasn't intentional," Elson said about the play. "All I know is he started grabbing his shoulder."
O'Neal's injury adds to the list the Pacers have gone through lately. Jeff Foster returned to the lineup Thursday after missing the previous three games with back spasms, but point guard Jamaal Tinsley missed his third straight game with a foot injury. Tinsley has played in only two of the past 13 games.
"It's just piling on," coach Rick Carlisle said. "We just have to keep going. Hopefully we'll get Dale Davis signed because that gives us another big body.
"We're going to have to get him dialed into what we're doing. We're going to go with the guys we've got. That's where we are right now."
The Pacers are expected to get some help when Davis signs, which is supposed to happen today. Still, with 25 games left in the season, this isn't the time for a team to be dealing with injuries to key players. Especially a team that is struggling to maintain its one-game lead over Philadelphia (27-30) for the eighth playoff spot.
"I don't know what it is, but things haven't been going our way since Detroit (the Nov. 19 brawl)," guard Anthony Johnson said. "Everything seems to be falling to pieces. It would be good if something turned our way."
Indiana may have won the game if not for its play in the first 36 minutes. The Pacers looked like a group that had been together for just two practices in the first half.
The Pacers committed careless turnovers not expected from a team trying to start a four-game trip the right way. The point guards were throwing the ball to empty spots on the floor. The big men were fumbling passes. The Pacers even had an eight-second backcourt violation. It was the type of display coaches show young kids on what not to do when playing the game. The Pacers had 14 of their 16 turnovers in the first half.
"I can't call it. I can't put my finger on it," Jones said about their first half.
The body language on the court wasn't much better, either. Heads hung low during each Nuggets run, and there were looks of disgust each time there was an offensive or defensive breakdown.
About the only hustle the Pacers have displayed lately is their ability to run by the officials to complain about a call or no call.
With basically nothing but pride left for which play, the Pacers, who trailed by as many as 22 points in the third quarter, got as close as seven in the fourth quarter.
Stephen Jackson led the Pacers with 16 points. Carmelo Anthony scored a game-high 28 points for the Nuggets.
"We didn't play well, that's pretty obvious," Carlisle said. "We fought back in the second half to give ourselves a chance, but you have to be perfect from that point on."
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Yeah I know it was all negative, but for once the beat writer called out the players for what every single one of us who watch the game saw.
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http://www.indystar.com/articles/5/226748-7855-179.html
DENVER -- How things have changed, again, for the Indiana Pacers.
It was just a week ago that the Pacers were on a five-game winning streak and appeared ready to move into the top six, possibly top five, of the Eastern Conference.
It turns out, the Pacers were just being a big tease.
The Pacers not only dropped their third straight -- 96-87 to Denver on Thursday night -- they may be without their franchise player for a while.
Jermaine O'Neal sprained his right shoulder in the second quarter, and when he'll return to the lineup is unknown. The Pacers hope they can schedule an MRI for him today in Portland.
"He's one of the most dominant players in this league," Fred Jones said. "Anytime you lose that out of your lineup it's going to hurt."
O'Neal injured his shoulder when Nuggets forward Francisco Elson fouled him on a shot with 4:34 left in the first half. O'Neal was in obvious pain along the baseline before heading to the locker room with the help of teammates. He turned around and returned to the bench where trainer David Craig tended to his shoulder during a timeout.
O'Neal stayed in the game momentarily to make both free throws -- a bank and swish -- left-handed. The Pacers fouled immediately on the inbounds and he went to the locker room from the court.
O'Neal, who wore a sling as he left the Pepsi Center, wasn't available for comment afterward.
"It definitely wasn't intentional," Elson said about the play. "All I know is he started grabbing his shoulder."
O'Neal's injury adds to the list the Pacers have gone through lately. Jeff Foster returned to the lineup Thursday after missing the previous three games with back spasms, but point guard Jamaal Tinsley missed his third straight game with a foot injury. Tinsley has played in only two of the past 13 games.
"It's just piling on," coach Rick Carlisle said. "We just have to keep going. Hopefully we'll get Dale Davis signed because that gives us another big body.
"We're going to have to get him dialed into what we're doing. We're going to go with the guys we've got. That's where we are right now."
The Pacers are expected to get some help when Davis signs, which is supposed to happen today. Still, with 25 games left in the season, this isn't the time for a team to be dealing with injuries to key players. Especially a team that is struggling to maintain its one-game lead over Philadelphia (27-30) for the eighth playoff spot.
"I don't know what it is, but things haven't been going our way since Detroit (the Nov. 19 brawl)," guard Anthony Johnson said. "Everything seems to be falling to pieces. It would be good if something turned our way."
Indiana may have won the game if not for its play in the first 36 minutes. The Pacers looked like a group that had been together for just two practices in the first half.
The Pacers committed careless turnovers not expected from a team trying to start a four-game trip the right way. The point guards were throwing the ball to empty spots on the floor. The big men were fumbling passes. The Pacers even had an eight-second backcourt violation. It was the type of display coaches show young kids on what not to do when playing the game. The Pacers had 14 of their 16 turnovers in the first half.
"I can't call it. I can't put my finger on it," Jones said about their first half.
The body language on the court wasn't much better, either. Heads hung low during each Nuggets run, and there were looks of disgust each time there was an offensive or defensive breakdown.
About the only hustle the Pacers have displayed lately is their ability to run by the officials to complain about a call or no call.
With basically nothing but pride left for which play, the Pacers, who trailed by as many as 22 points in the third quarter, got as close as seven in the fourth quarter.
Stephen Jackson led the Pacers with 16 points. Carmelo Anthony scored a game-high 28 points for the Nuggets.
"We didn't play well, that's pretty obvious," Carlisle said. "We fought back in the second half to give ourselves a chance, but you have to be perfect from that point on."
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Yeah I know it was all negative, but for once the beat writer called out the players for what every single one of us who watch the game saw.
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