I haven't seen this yet... please remove if it has already been posted!
http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/train...rview05/pacers
"Updated: Oct. 3, 2005, 12:19 PM ET
Pacers overview: Enough minutes to go around?By John Hollinger
ESPN.com
Indiana Pacers Training Camp
Site: Conseco Fieldhouse
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Start date: October 3
2004-05 Record: 44-38, 6th in East
Editor's Note: To preview training camp and the 2005-06 season, John Hollinger addresses three key questions concerning the Pacers.
1. Can Ron Artest be reformed?
Indiana's championship hopes effectively ended once Artest charged into the stands in Detroit. Artest was suspended for the season and although the Pacers rebounded to make the second round of the playoffs, they never were serious contenders without his ferocious defense and expanding offensive arsenal.
The Pacers could sure use some of Ron Artest's muscle.
The goal for this season is to try to keep Artest's head straight so he doesn't do crazy, impulsive things like whack Richard Hamilton in the mask or try to go one-on-20,000 against the Palace.
Also, two things were lost in the shuffle in Artest's brief 2004-05 season. First, the Pacers were already losing patience with Artest -- he had been suspended just days earlier for asking to take time off to promote a hip-hop album. Second, despite his attention deficit disorder, Artest was off to the best season of his career. He averaged 24.6 points per game in the seven contests he played and was shooting a career-best 49.6 percent.
This just raises the stakes even more for the Pacers to keep Artest grounded this season. If he behaves, they could have the best small forward this side of LeBron James. Unfortunately, Artest's track record is discouraging.
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2. How do they divvy up the minutes?
The Pacers are the deepest team in the NBA, which was a godsend a year ago when they led the league in games lost to injuries and suspensions. With so many players on the shelf, little-used subs like James Jones and Anthony Johnson were able to step in without the team missing a beat.
OFFSEASON PLAYER MOVEMENT
Players lost: Dale Davis, John Edwards, James Jones, Reggie Miller
Players added: Danny Granger, Sarunas Jasikevicius
This year, however, it could be more of a curse than a bonus. Even with Reggie Miller retiring and Jones signing with Phoenix as a free agent, the Pacers have 13 players who could reasonably expect to see minutes this season. Since only 12 can even suit up, it's going to create some serious friction if the team stays healthy.
Things seem particularly tight in the backcourt, where newly signed Sarunas Jasikevicius joins a guard rotation that already includes Stephen Jackson, Fred Jones, Anthony Johnson and Jamaal Tinsley. Similar scenarios are emerging at small forward (Artest, rookie Danny Granger and Jonathan Bender) and at center (Jeff Foster, Scot Pollard and David Harrison).
Thus, Rick Carlisle's greatest challenge this year may be keeping all the egos in check so that grumbling from the end of the bench doesn't undermine the team's cause. This is especially true now that franchise icon Reggie Miller isn't around to keep order in the clubhouse.
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3. Will the big three stay healthy?
Indiana has been eliminated by Detroit in the playoffs in consecutive seasons, and both times the Pacers weren't operating at 100 percent. While Indiana's depth helps it withstand injuries better than most, it needs its three star players -- Artest, Jermaine O'Neal and Tinsley -- to be fully functional in order to challenge for the title. Two years ago Tinsley limped through the playoffs on a bad hamstring while O'Neal tweaked his knee; last year O'Neal hurt his shoulder and Tinsley had a foot problem. Artest, of course, disqualified himself with his antics last season and might do so again.
This also presents Carlisle with an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. He can keep his reserves happy and his studs healthier by limiting the minutes Tinsley and O'Neal play until the playoffs begin. This is especially true in Tinsley's case, since Carlisle has three point guards to share the load. With Tinsley missing 72 games over the past two seasons, in addition to several playoff contests, limiting him to 25 minutes a night while keeping him fresh for the postseason is imperative. If this is the year the Pacers break through and win the East, they'll need to avoid crippling injuries in April and May.
John Hollinger writes for ESPN Insider. His new book, "Pro Basketball Forecast: 2005-06," is now available at both Amazon.com and Potomac Books, Inc."
http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/train...rview05/pacers
"Updated: Oct. 3, 2005, 12:19 PM ET
Pacers overview: Enough minutes to go around?By John Hollinger
ESPN.com
Indiana Pacers Training Camp
Site: Conseco Fieldhouse
Location: Indianapolis, IN
Start date: October 3
2004-05 Record: 44-38, 6th in East
Editor's Note: To preview training camp and the 2005-06 season, John Hollinger addresses three key questions concerning the Pacers.
1. Can Ron Artest be reformed?
Indiana's championship hopes effectively ended once Artest charged into the stands in Detroit. Artest was suspended for the season and although the Pacers rebounded to make the second round of the playoffs, they never were serious contenders without his ferocious defense and expanding offensive arsenal.
The Pacers could sure use some of Ron Artest's muscle.
The goal for this season is to try to keep Artest's head straight so he doesn't do crazy, impulsive things like whack Richard Hamilton in the mask or try to go one-on-20,000 against the Palace.
Also, two things were lost in the shuffle in Artest's brief 2004-05 season. First, the Pacers were already losing patience with Artest -- he had been suspended just days earlier for asking to take time off to promote a hip-hop album. Second, despite his attention deficit disorder, Artest was off to the best season of his career. He averaged 24.6 points per game in the seven contests he played and was shooting a career-best 49.6 percent.
This just raises the stakes even more for the Pacers to keep Artest grounded this season. If he behaves, they could have the best small forward this side of LeBron James. Unfortunately, Artest's track record is discouraging.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2. How do they divvy up the minutes?
The Pacers are the deepest team in the NBA, which was a godsend a year ago when they led the league in games lost to injuries and suspensions. With so many players on the shelf, little-used subs like James Jones and Anthony Johnson were able to step in without the team missing a beat.
OFFSEASON PLAYER MOVEMENT
Players lost: Dale Davis, John Edwards, James Jones, Reggie Miller
Players added: Danny Granger, Sarunas Jasikevicius
This year, however, it could be more of a curse than a bonus. Even with Reggie Miller retiring and Jones signing with Phoenix as a free agent, the Pacers have 13 players who could reasonably expect to see minutes this season. Since only 12 can even suit up, it's going to create some serious friction if the team stays healthy.
Things seem particularly tight in the backcourt, where newly signed Sarunas Jasikevicius joins a guard rotation that already includes Stephen Jackson, Fred Jones, Anthony Johnson and Jamaal Tinsley. Similar scenarios are emerging at small forward (Artest, rookie Danny Granger and Jonathan Bender) and at center (Jeff Foster, Scot Pollard and David Harrison).
Thus, Rick Carlisle's greatest challenge this year may be keeping all the egos in check so that grumbling from the end of the bench doesn't undermine the team's cause. This is especially true now that franchise icon Reggie Miller isn't around to keep order in the clubhouse.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Will the big three stay healthy?
Indiana has been eliminated by Detroit in the playoffs in consecutive seasons, and both times the Pacers weren't operating at 100 percent. While Indiana's depth helps it withstand injuries better than most, it needs its three star players -- Artest, Jermaine O'Neal and Tinsley -- to be fully functional in order to challenge for the title. Two years ago Tinsley limped through the playoffs on a bad hamstring while O'Neal tweaked his knee; last year O'Neal hurt his shoulder and Tinsley had a foot problem. Artest, of course, disqualified himself with his antics last season and might do so again.
This also presents Carlisle with an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone. He can keep his reserves happy and his studs healthier by limiting the minutes Tinsley and O'Neal play until the playoffs begin. This is especially true in Tinsley's case, since Carlisle has three point guards to share the load. With Tinsley missing 72 games over the past two seasons, in addition to several playoff contests, limiting him to 25 minutes a night while keeping him fresh for the postseason is imperative. If this is the year the Pacers break through and win the East, they'll need to avoid crippling injuries in April and May.
John Hollinger writes for ESPN Insider. His new book, "Pro Basketball Forecast: 2005-06," is now available at both Amazon.com and Potomac Books, Inc."
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