I don't know if I should come right out and say this, most of you will either disagree with me or just won't want to hear it especially after a meaningless preseason game. Do I really want to bring the wrath of Pacers Digest down on me. I've really thought about it, and I'm just going to go ahead and say it.
Our point guards aren't very good, and by that I mean Tinsley and Saras. If that is our one-two punch at point guard this season I will have a huge problem with this Pacers team. Saras is just terrible, I really don't need to say anything else about that, this has been discussed to death. I really don't see any reason he should even play at all. If I were the coach he'd never get off the bench.
Enough of Saras, let me address Tinsley. First of all when did Deron Williams become Magic, Isiah, Stockton and KJ all rolled into one. He could have scored whenever he wanted (granted our help defense was terrible) but Tinsley had no chance in trying to stop Williams and Deron isn't even a top 10 point guard or top 15 point guard.
I think all of Tinsley's injuries have clouded our memory of him as a player. Players always get better in fans minds as they sit on the bench. Tinsley wasn't even the 3rd best point guard on the court tonight. He certainly wasn't the Pacers best point guard tonight. It is pretty sad when the Pacers best point guard is a 38 year old journeyman. If Darrell Armstrong was a few years younger I would want him to start, I would want him to play 30-35 minutes per game.
It was such a breath of fresh air to see Armstrong tonight. His hustle, his defense but most of all his leadership was evident tonight. Tinsley gives you none of those three things. (yes my "clean slate" is no longer clean).
I expect to get crucified for this posts, and yes I know it is only preaseason, but I got disgusted watching Saras and Tinsley tonight. Is there a worse point guard combo in the NBA. I don't know. I expect Rick to rectify the situation, Saras will not be the second string point guard, you can mark my words on that. I
The more I see Armstrong, Greene and Daniels play the point this season the happier I'll be.
OK, let me get to other things tonight
The other area that is a concern to me is rebounding, more specially defensive rebounding, the Jazz really manhandled us in that area. The Jazz were the number 1 rebounding team in the NBA last season so maybe we should expect that. I don't see the Pacers anything more than an average rebbounding team, but maybe that is good enough.
Let me make a few other quick observations.
It was really nice walking into Conseco Fieldhouse tonight, I felt like I was home again. There were more people there than I thought there would be, and the boos for Jackson were tepid at best. When he first came into the game, there was hardly anything, even after two straight turnovers and a bad shot, there was still nothing. The other two times he came into the game, there were some boos for sure, but it wasn't much to speak of. Jax played a really tentative game though.
Let me get to the Pacers defense, besides the embaraasement that was the defense played by JT and Saras, the Pacers D was OK, the defense is more aggressive on the ball and in passing lanes than they have been the past few seasons (of course with that you give up some inside shots and you give up some penetration) maybe that is why JT and Saras stood out. Pacers will create more turnovers this season and that is good.
Maybe Tinsley and Saras just can't play the pressure defense the Pacers are trying to get them to play. But defense wasn't the only problem with those two, they weren't very good on the offensive end either.
I give the Jazz and jerry Sloan a ton of credit. Their halfcourt offensive system is fun to watch, they set picks, they pass the ball, they are in constant motion, and their defense is very physical - Sloan is a great coach.
I was impressed with Al tonight, he was extremely aggressive and was obviously the Pacers best player on the court tonight, in a lot of ways it seems like he never left the Pacers and yet he is a better player.
Granger was good in spots, he tends to get lost at times when JO and Al are out there.
I guess that is about it. Why couldn't Armstrong be 5 years.
Should I just delete this post and make my life easier?
Our point guards aren't very good, and by that I mean Tinsley and Saras. If that is our one-two punch at point guard this season I will have a huge problem with this Pacers team. Saras is just terrible, I really don't need to say anything else about that, this has been discussed to death. I really don't see any reason he should even play at all. If I were the coach he'd never get off the bench.
Enough of Saras, let me address Tinsley. First of all when did Deron Williams become Magic, Isiah, Stockton and KJ all rolled into one. He could have scored whenever he wanted (granted our help defense was terrible) but Tinsley had no chance in trying to stop Williams and Deron isn't even a top 10 point guard or top 15 point guard.
I think all of Tinsley's injuries have clouded our memory of him as a player. Players always get better in fans minds as they sit on the bench. Tinsley wasn't even the 3rd best point guard on the court tonight. He certainly wasn't the Pacers best point guard tonight. It is pretty sad when the Pacers best point guard is a 38 year old journeyman. If Darrell Armstrong was a few years younger I would want him to start, I would want him to play 30-35 minutes per game.
It was such a breath of fresh air to see Armstrong tonight. His hustle, his defense but most of all his leadership was evident tonight. Tinsley gives you none of those three things. (yes my "clean slate" is no longer clean).
I expect to get crucified for this posts, and yes I know it is only preaseason, but I got disgusted watching Saras and Tinsley tonight. Is there a worse point guard combo in the NBA. I don't know. I expect Rick to rectify the situation, Saras will not be the second string point guard, you can mark my words on that. I
The more I see Armstrong, Greene and Daniels play the point this season the happier I'll be.
OK, let me get to other things tonight
The other area that is a concern to me is rebounding, more specially defensive rebounding, the Jazz really manhandled us in that area. The Jazz were the number 1 rebounding team in the NBA last season so maybe we should expect that. I don't see the Pacers anything more than an average rebbounding team, but maybe that is good enough.
Let me make a few other quick observations.
It was really nice walking into Conseco Fieldhouse tonight, I felt like I was home again. There were more people there than I thought there would be, and the boos for Jackson were tepid at best. When he first came into the game, there was hardly anything, even after two straight turnovers and a bad shot, there was still nothing. The other two times he came into the game, there were some boos for sure, but it wasn't much to speak of. Jax played a really tentative game though.
Let me get to the Pacers defense, besides the embaraasement that was the defense played by JT and Saras, the Pacers D was OK, the defense is more aggressive on the ball and in passing lanes than they have been the past few seasons (of course with that you give up some inside shots and you give up some penetration) maybe that is why JT and Saras stood out. Pacers will create more turnovers this season and that is good.
Maybe Tinsley and Saras just can't play the pressure defense the Pacers are trying to get them to play. But defense wasn't the only problem with those two, they weren't very good on the offensive end either.
I give the Jazz and jerry Sloan a ton of credit. Their halfcourt offensive system is fun to watch, they set picks, they pass the ball, they are in constant motion, and their defense is very physical - Sloan is a great coach.
I was impressed with Al tonight, he was extremely aggressive and was obviously the Pacers best player on the court tonight, in a lot of ways it seems like he never left the Pacers and yet he is a better player.
Granger was good in spots, he tends to get lost at times when JO and Al are out there.
I guess that is about it. Why couldn't Armstrong be 5 years.
Should I just delete this post and make my life easier?
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