i didn't think his injury was that serious, but he may not be back for tomorrows game.
http://www.nba.com/pacers/news/allst...ak_050221.html
Remaining Games "Will Define Our Season"
By Conrad Brunner | Feb. 21, 2005
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Until now, the season has been about survival.
Starting Tuesday night in Orlando, a much more noble and urgent purpose is at hand. With their roster stable and their key players relatively healthy, the Pacers finally can set about demonstrating just exactly what kind of team they have. In the process, they could make this season memorable for something other than the fact it will be Reggie Miller's last.
"The last 31 games will define our season," said Coach Rick Carlisle. "They'll define whether we can rise above everything that has happened and become a playoff team.
"It's not going to be easy because there are four teams battling hard for one spot right now. New Jersey just made the trade for Cliff Robinson, which is going to help them a lot. We're on the outside looking in so we've got a lot of work to do."
With a 25-26 record, the Pacers stood ninth in the Eastern Conference at the All-Star break, in a virtual tie with Philadelphia (26-27), which holds eighth place and the final playoff spot. Orlando (28-24), represents a good target, 2 1/2 games ahead. The Magic resides in sixth place, which brings a first-round pairing with the No. 3 seed. That is likely to be the Atlantic Division winner, setting up the very real possibility that the No. 6 seed could have homecourt advantage in the series if it finishes with the better regular-season record.
The 76ers and Celtics are waging a battle for the lead in the Atlantic. The winner of that duel likely will draw the No. 3 seed, while the loser faces the prospect of dropping all the way to eighth – or out of the playoffs entirely. Still within range is New Jersey (23-30), which has showed signs of a surge behind Jason Kidd and Vince Carter.
"This is a new season after the break," said Fred Jones. "We've been fighting to get to this point."
After what has felt like a marathon for the Pacers, who've suffered through injuries and suspensions that have sent 16 different players into the starting lineup in 22 different combinations, most in the league. Suffice to say Jones, who entered the season uncertain of any significant role, now leads the team in both appearances (49) and minutes (1,586).
It's been that kind of year, but that part of it should now be over.
This is a team that began the season with legitimate championship aspirations, coming off 61 victories and a berth in the 2004 conference finals. The players say they still believe the Pacers are capable of achieving most of their lofty goals.
But time is running out.
"I don't think it has left anyone's mind about this being a great team," said Stephen Jackson. "We've been through a lot, but as far as the team we have and the talent and the confidence we have in ourselves, that hasn't gone anywhere. I think we still know we can be a great team; it's about doing it and stop talking about it."
The schedule is unforgiving, at least initially. Six of the next nine games are on the road. The three at home are against Miami, Cleveland and Seattle, teams with a combined record of 105-50.
With two consecutive victories and five in their last seven games, the Pacers have positive momentum. Now, they need consistency. They have fared reasonably well against quality opponents, going 9-13 against teams with winning records. They have uncharacteristically struggled against sub-.500 teams, going 16-13. Last season, they were 36-7 (.837) against sub-.500 opponents.
"We have to be consistent because our margin for error is extremely small in the second half of the season," said Jermaine O'Neal. "We have 31 more games and we've got to win as many as possible. We don't want to be in a dogfight competing for the eighth spot coming down to the last 10 games. We want to separate ourselves, handle what we can handle and let everybody else determine their own position in the playoff run."
Though statistics reflect otherwise, O'Neal believes the primary area of concern is the offense. The Pacers are averaging 92.3 points per game, up slightly from last season's 91.4. The defense, however, is allowing 93.6, fully eight more than last season.
The bigger point, however, is that in the absence of Defensive Player of the Year Ron Artest, the Pacers must be significantly better, offensively, to reduce the pressure on their defense.
"For the first time in a long time we're going through offense being the biggest struggle for our team," O'Neal said. "We've got to find a rhythm on moving the ball a little bit better. For myself, it's taking less shots, asking the staff to call less plays for me until needed to keep the defense honest.
"We need to play a lot more smoothly on offense. At times we get too stagnated and it probably really is because of our personnel. Not having Jamaal (Tinsley) in there for a while, it's been a different type of game for us because he's a guy that can really push it up. Anthony (Johnson) and Eddie (Gill) are extremely solid but they're not going to push it up all that much. Jamaal sometimes makes situations out of nothing. He can make it happen. Getting him back will be big for us."
It remains to be seen when Tinsley, who has played just two minutes this month due to a bruised left foot, will return. The team will gather in Orlando later today for its first post-break practice and it is hoped Tinsley will be available. His return would make the team physically whole, but it is important to note the Pacers have put together their recent surge in his absence.
Because they are a talented team with plenty of playoff seasoning and yet much to prove, the Pacers could become a very dangerous team. To do that, they must discard the emotional and mental weight they've carried the past three months and, finally, move forward.
"I think some people out there are doing a poor job on judging our team," O'Neal said. "I'm not using this as an excuse but if you put any team in the position we've been in as far as injuries and suspensions with our main core guys, they're going to struggle. We're one game under .500 and (in a virtual tie for) the eighth spot so it's not as bad as people think it is.
"If we're going to make a run, it has to be the second half of the season, so we've got to make some things happen these last 31 games and hopefully it pans out the way we want it to pan out."
The time has come. In the next nine weeks, the Pacers – no longer hidden behind a mountain of adversity - will reveal themselves.
http://www.nba.com/pacers/news/allst...ak_050221.html
Remaining Games "Will Define Our Season"
By Conrad Brunner | Feb. 21, 2005
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Until now, the season has been about survival.
Starting Tuesday night in Orlando, a much more noble and urgent purpose is at hand. With their roster stable and their key players relatively healthy, the Pacers finally can set about demonstrating just exactly what kind of team they have. In the process, they could make this season memorable for something other than the fact it will be Reggie Miller's last.
"The last 31 games will define our season," said Coach Rick Carlisle. "They'll define whether we can rise above everything that has happened and become a playoff team.
"It's not going to be easy because there are four teams battling hard for one spot right now. New Jersey just made the trade for Cliff Robinson, which is going to help them a lot. We're on the outside looking in so we've got a lot of work to do."
With a 25-26 record, the Pacers stood ninth in the Eastern Conference at the All-Star break, in a virtual tie with Philadelphia (26-27), which holds eighth place and the final playoff spot. Orlando (28-24), represents a good target, 2 1/2 games ahead. The Magic resides in sixth place, which brings a first-round pairing with the No. 3 seed. That is likely to be the Atlantic Division winner, setting up the very real possibility that the No. 6 seed could have homecourt advantage in the series if it finishes with the better regular-season record.
The 76ers and Celtics are waging a battle for the lead in the Atlantic. The winner of that duel likely will draw the No. 3 seed, while the loser faces the prospect of dropping all the way to eighth – or out of the playoffs entirely. Still within range is New Jersey (23-30), which has showed signs of a surge behind Jason Kidd and Vince Carter.
"This is a new season after the break," said Fred Jones. "We've been fighting to get to this point."
After what has felt like a marathon for the Pacers, who've suffered through injuries and suspensions that have sent 16 different players into the starting lineup in 22 different combinations, most in the league. Suffice to say Jones, who entered the season uncertain of any significant role, now leads the team in both appearances (49) and minutes (1,586).
It's been that kind of year, but that part of it should now be over.
This is a team that began the season with legitimate championship aspirations, coming off 61 victories and a berth in the 2004 conference finals. The players say they still believe the Pacers are capable of achieving most of their lofty goals.
But time is running out.
"I don't think it has left anyone's mind about this being a great team," said Stephen Jackson. "We've been through a lot, but as far as the team we have and the talent and the confidence we have in ourselves, that hasn't gone anywhere. I think we still know we can be a great team; it's about doing it and stop talking about it."
The schedule is unforgiving, at least initially. Six of the next nine games are on the road. The three at home are against Miami, Cleveland and Seattle, teams with a combined record of 105-50.
With two consecutive victories and five in their last seven games, the Pacers have positive momentum. Now, they need consistency. They have fared reasonably well against quality opponents, going 9-13 against teams with winning records. They have uncharacteristically struggled against sub-.500 teams, going 16-13. Last season, they were 36-7 (.837) against sub-.500 opponents.
"We have to be consistent because our margin for error is extremely small in the second half of the season," said Jermaine O'Neal. "We have 31 more games and we've got to win as many as possible. We don't want to be in a dogfight competing for the eighth spot coming down to the last 10 games. We want to separate ourselves, handle what we can handle and let everybody else determine their own position in the playoff run."
Though statistics reflect otherwise, O'Neal believes the primary area of concern is the offense. The Pacers are averaging 92.3 points per game, up slightly from last season's 91.4. The defense, however, is allowing 93.6, fully eight more than last season.
The bigger point, however, is that in the absence of Defensive Player of the Year Ron Artest, the Pacers must be significantly better, offensively, to reduce the pressure on their defense.
"For the first time in a long time we're going through offense being the biggest struggle for our team," O'Neal said. "We've got to find a rhythm on moving the ball a little bit better. For myself, it's taking less shots, asking the staff to call less plays for me until needed to keep the defense honest.
"We need to play a lot more smoothly on offense. At times we get too stagnated and it probably really is because of our personnel. Not having Jamaal (Tinsley) in there for a while, it's been a different type of game for us because he's a guy that can really push it up. Anthony (Johnson) and Eddie (Gill) are extremely solid but they're not going to push it up all that much. Jamaal sometimes makes situations out of nothing. He can make it happen. Getting him back will be big for us."
It remains to be seen when Tinsley, who has played just two minutes this month due to a bruised left foot, will return. The team will gather in Orlando later today for its first post-break practice and it is hoped Tinsley will be available. His return would make the team physically whole, but it is important to note the Pacers have put together their recent surge in his absence.
Because they are a talented team with plenty of playoff seasoning and yet much to prove, the Pacers could become a very dangerous team. To do that, they must discard the emotional and mental weight they've carried the past three months and, finally, move forward.
"I think some people out there are doing a poor job on judging our team," O'Neal said. "I'm not using this as an excuse but if you put any team in the position we've been in as far as injuries and suspensions with our main core guys, they're going to struggle. We're one game under .500 and (in a virtual tie for) the eighth spot so it's not as bad as people think it is.
"If we're going to make a run, it has to be the second half of the season, so we've got to make some things happen these last 31 games and hopefully it pans out the way we want it to pan out."
The time has come. In the next nine weeks, the Pacers – no longer hidden behind a mountain of adversity - will reveal themselves.
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