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Rule #1

Pacers Digest is intended to be a place to discuss basketball without having to deal with the kinds of behaviors or attitudes that distract people from sticking with the discussion of the topics at hand. These unwanted distractions can come in many forms, and admittedly it can sometimes be tricky to pin down each and every kind that can rear its ugly head, but we feel that the following examples and explanations cover at least a good portion of that ground and should at least give people a pretty good idea of the kinds of things we actively discourage:

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We also dissuade passive aggressive behavior. This can be various things, but common examples include statements that are basically meant to imply someone is either stupid or otherwise incapable of holding a rational conversation. This can include (but is not limited to) laughing at someone's conclusions rather than offering an honest rebuttal, asking people what game they were watching, or another common problem is Poster X will say "that player isn't that bad" and then Poster Y will say something akin to "LOL you think that player is good". We're not going to tolerate those kinds of comments out of respect for the community at large and for the sake of trying to just have an honest conversation.

Now, does the above cover absolutely every single kind of distraction that is unwanted? Probably not, but you should by now have a good idea of the general types of things we will be discouraging. The above examples are meant to give you a good feel for / idea of what we're looking for. If something new or different than the above happens to come along and results in the same problem (that being, any other attitude or behavior that ultimately distracts from actually just discussing the topic at hand, or that is otherwise disrespectful to other posters), we can and we will take action to curb this as well, so please don't take this to mean that if you managed to technically avoid saying something exactly like one of the above examples that you are then somehow off the hook.

That all having been said, our goal is to do so in a generally kind and respectful way, and that doesn't mean the moment we see something we don't like that somebody is going to be suspended or banned, either. It just means that at the very least we will probably say something about it, quite possibly snipping out the distracting parts of the post in question while leaving alone the parts that are actually just discussing the topics, and in the event of a repeating or excessive problem, then we will start issuing infractions to try to further discourage further repeat problems, and if it just never seems to improve, then finally suspensions or bans will come into play. We would prefer it never went that far, and most of the time for most of our posters, it won't ever have to.

A slip up every once and a while is pretty normal, but, again, when it becomes repetitive or excessive, something will be done. Something occasional is probably going to be let go (within reason), but when it starts to become habitual or otherwise a pattern, odds are very good that we will step in.

There's always a small minority that like to push people's buttons and/or test their own boundaries with regards to the administrators, and in the case of someone acting like that, please be aware that this is not a court of law, but a private website run by people who are simply trying to do the right thing as they see it. If we feel that you are a special case that needs to be dealt with in an exceptional way because your behavior isn't explicitly mirroring one of our above examples of what we generally discourage, we can and we will take atypical action to prevent this from continuing if you are not cooperative with us.

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In any case, quite frankly, the overall quality and health of the entire forum's community is more important than any one troublesome user will ever be, regardless of exactly how a problem is exhibiting itself, and if it comes down to us having to make a choice between you versus the greater health and happiness of the entire community, the community of this forum will win every time.

Lastly, there are also some posters, who are generally great contributors and do not otherwise cause any problems, who sometimes feel it's their place to provoke or to otherwise 'mess with' that small minority of people described in the last paragraph, and while we possibly might understand why you might feel you WANT to do something like that, the truth is we can't actually tolerate that kind of behavior from you any more than we can tolerate the behavior from them. So if we feel that you are trying to provoke those other posters into doing or saying something that will get themselves into trouble, then we will start to view you as a problem as well, because of the same reason as before: The overall health of the forum comes first, and trying to stir the pot with someone like that doesn't help, it just makes it worse. Some will simply disagree with this philosophy, but if so, then so be it because ultimately we have to do what we think is best so long as it's up to us.

If you see a problem that we haven't addressed, the best and most appropriate course for a forum member to take here is to look over to the left of the post in question. See underneath that poster's name, avatar, and other info, down where there's a little triangle with an exclamation point (!) in it? Click that. That allows you to report the post to the admins so we can definitely notice it and give it a look to see what we feel we should do about it. Beyond that, obviously it's human nature sometimes to want to speak up to the poster in question who has bothered you, but we would ask that you try to refrain from doing so because quite often what happens is two or more posters all start going back and forth about the original offending post, and suddenly the entire thread is off topic or otherwise derailed. So while the urge to police it yourself is understandable, it's best to just report it to us and let us handle it. Thank you!

All of the above is going to be subject to a case by case basis, but generally and broadly speaking, this should give everyone a pretty good idea of how things will typically / most often be handled.

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If this is done the wrong way, those comments will be deleted, and if it's a repeating problem then it may also receive an infraction as well.

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If a poster is bothering you, and an administrator has not or will not deal with that poster to the extent that you would prefer, you have a powerful tool at your disposal, one that has recently been upgraded and is now better than ever: The ability to ignore a user.

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The legal means of watching or listening to NBA games are NBA League Pass Broadband (for US, or for International; both cost money) and NBA Audio League Pass (which is free). Look for them on NBA.com.

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Pacers are an absolute train wreck in clutch time without Victor Oladipo

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  • #1

    Pacers are an absolute train wreck in clutch time without Victor Oladipo

    The second half of the Indiana Pacers loss to the Philadelphia 76ers exposed the fact they are in desperate need of a hero during “clutch” time.

    The Indiana Pacers were in need of a hero on Sunday against the Philadelphia 76ers. But the help never came. After a Bojan Bogdanovic lay-up with 6:33 left in the third quarter, the Pacers went over 8 minutes without a field goal, a drought that stretched into the fourth quarter.

    While most of that time doesn’t fit into a typical definition of “clutch”, there was the need for a basket during that period. Their defense kept the 76ers from closing the gap quicker, but without points, it’s pretty hard to hold a lead. As good as their defense was, the offense was a house of horrors.

    It didn’t help that Indiana’s struggles kept going even once the field goal drought ended. From that 6:33 mark in the third, the Pacers shot 6 of 30 the rest of the way, with zero 3-pointers. Free throws did little to help either as they went 8 of 14 from there.

    I’m not saying Victor Oladipo would have saved the day and the Pacers would have won, but the Pacers shooting wouldn’t have been quite so wretched.

    Without Oladipo, Indiana went from the most clutch team in the NBA to one of the worst. These days, the Pacers are downright Knicks-ian when it comes to clutch time. The big difference, however, is New York is tanking, and the Pacers most certainly are not. If coffee is for closers, the Pacers are out of luck

    Oladipo is a one-man wrecking crew when it comes to his ability to create his own shot. That’s not a skill every NBA player has. Not only is Oladipo relaxed under pressure, but his skill set allows him to get himself enough of a look to bury a shot. Oladipo can score in isolation (last season at least, he struggled this season), on pull-ups, in transition, and generally about anyway by himself. Even this season, he could at least break up streaks even if he didn’t have the same consistency.

    The problem is, there isn’t really anyone on the rest of the roster that can score in that way. They have plenty of talented players, but most of them need set up to score.

    For example, they have great spot-up shooters, but that implies someone is throwing them the ball in open space. That means someone had to distract the defense enough to create that opportunity. Wesley Matthews is killing it on these, but he needs help to make that happen.

    Pick and rolls obviously are a two-man game, though Indiana finds success in them. And even then, Cory Joseph and Tyreke Evans just can’t get it done in the PnR game. The story is similar for Bojan Bogdanovic on screens in the fact they’re successful, but again, that’s a two-man operation.

    If Indiana wasn’t struggling to deal with switches and other issues, we probably wouldn’t be having this conversation, would we? Darren Collison and Bogdanovic can be pull-up shooters, but a sub-50-percent eFG% says that’s not something the Pacers should rely on. The Pacers aren’t scoring in isolation, either.

    And if you were expecting the bigs to do such a thing, you’re looking in the wrong place. As good as Thaddeus Young, Domantas Sabonis, and Myles Turner are when they get rolling, it rarely is them freelancing.

    If you haven’t noticed the trend here, the type of plays Indiana finds success in is more team-offense oriented. Oladipo was the one player that didn’t consistent help to score.

    That’s why when the Pacers need points in clutch situations, they’ve been hard to come by without Oladipo this season. This doesn’t mean the rest of the roster is secretly bad and merely role players in disguise, but it does mean they aren’t the type of superstars that can get something out of nothing on an offensive possession.

    And it is exactly why when games get tight, they’re unable to consistently score. While Nate McMillan certainly still belongs in the Coach of the Year discussion, the limits of his offense and ability to adjust on that end of the floor are also exposed in the process.

    The Pacers need a hero, but at this point, it’s not likely they’ll find one on a consistently bad.

    Really telling article about how valuable Oladipo is in the clutch and how even Bogey , as good as he is , is not an iso type closer
    Pacers are an absolute train wreck in clutch time without Victor Oladipo
    https://8points9seconds.com
    The second half of the Indiana Pacers loss to the Philadelphia 76ers exposed the fact they are in desperate need of a hero during "clutch" time.
    Sittin on top of the world!
    Tags: None
    • 1 like
  • #2
    We need a playmaker bad. As much as people hate Lance and currently hate Tyreke, you really have to have players with their abilities to break down defenses if you want to have a good offense. Doesn’t matter how many shooters you have if you don’t have players that can create off the dribble and deliver the ball. As bad Tyreke has been, I still believe he’s the only player on the roster that can take the offense to another level if he plays to his potential. Wes has been solid, but he’s too one dimensional.
    • 3 likes

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    • #3
      Originally posted by CJ Jones View Post
      We need a playmaker bad. As much as people hate Lance and currently hate Tyreke, you really have to have players with their abilities to break down defenses if you want to have a good offense. Doesn’t matter how many shooters you have if you don’t have players that can create off the dribble and deliver the ball. As bad Tyreke has been, I still believe he’s the only player on the roster that can take the offense to another level if he plays to his potential. Wes has been solid, but he’s too one dimensional.
      Man I have seen almost nothing from Tyreke that screams” “I can create my own shot” “ play from him
      He has lost his quickness and lift. Age has caught up with him
      {o,o}
      |)__)
      -"-"-
      • 2 likes

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      • #4
        Originally posted by 8points9seconds.com View Post
        The Pacers need a hero, but at this point, it’s not likely they’ll find one on a consistently bad.
        Like the author's consistently bad writing ??

        I think the fact that the Pacers aren't as good without their best player is a pretty safe statement to make. Just like every other NBA team isn't as good without their best player. And you rely on your best player when things get tight. Simple logic.
        Last edited by PacerDude; 03-13-2019, 04:43 PM.

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        • #5
          We have a team full of solid role players. We just need LeBron to push buttons...

          Seriously, we don't have a franchise level player on the active roster right now. No one should be surprised by decent starters not being able to take over games.
          • 3 likes

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          • #6
            This is why I've been so adamant about giving Aaron Holiday playing time. He's the only other players on this team besides DC and Bogie who can create shot opportunities for himself and won't shy away from taking shots in the clutch. He may miss them, but he'll certainly take them and in most cases they're smart plays.

            The Pacers are killing themselves relying on Tyreke, Matthews, McDermott or CoJo as a playmakers. Bogie tries but he doesn't have the handles to "break ankles". He can get to the basket, but he's so predictable. DC has the handles, but like Bogie he lacks a certain athleticism that comes with being a playmaker. Still, I'd much rather see the ball in DC or Bogie's hands in the clutch than Matthews or Evans.
            • 3 likes

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            • #7
              warning unpopular opinion

              imo Watching DC lead a team in the clutch on the road is like watching paint dry. DC is a nice player but I believe we all can agree he is not someone that is going to lead you to a title. His ceiling is pretty much where he is at this point. The more I see of Holiday, the more I want him running the show here on out. We are one and done at best this year so why cripple our future if we know DC is not going to be guy. Let Holiday get significant playoff minutes. If he falters then so be it. He will be much more prepared next year when VO is back.
              • 2 likes

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              • #8
                Originally posted by NuffSaid View Post
                This is why I've been so adamant about giving Aaron Holiday playing time. He's the only other players on this team besides DC and Bogie who can create shot opportunities for himself and won't shy away from taking shots in the clutch. He may miss them, but he'll certainly take them and in most cases they're smart plays.

                The Pacers are killing themselves relying on Tyreke, Matthews, McDermott or CoJo as a playmakers. Bogie tries but he doesn't have the handles to "break ankles". He can get to the basket, but he's so predictable. DC has the handles, but like Bogie he lacks a certain athleticism that comes with being a playmaker. Still, I'd much rather see the ball in DC or Bogie's hands in the clutch than Matthews or Evans.
                most of the shots that Holiday creates are bad shots...DC and hell even CoJo could create those shots, they are just smart enough to know that there are better options
                • 5 likes

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by dal9 View Post

                  Most of the shots that Holiday creates are bad shots...DC and hell even CoJo could create those shots, they are just smart enough to know that there are better options
                  If you're referring to shots he takes off the dribble, perhaps you're right. He's still a work in progress in that regard but he's working himself into it. That being said at least he's not afraid to take the open shot even if it's ill advised. That's kind of the point.

                  Clutch shooting is all about risk taking. It's about being confident in your ability to take the shot most players wouldn't believing 100% you will make the basket count. If you don't take it, you certainly won't make it but if you don't even try you're not giving your team a chance to win down the stretch. It's that fearlessness I admire about Aaron Holiday. Even as a rookie, he's shown he's not afraid to play with the big boys on either side of the ball. He's shown he has the skills to compete. This is why I think it was a mistake for coach McMillan to drastically reduce his playing time. I understand taking the veteran approach with Evans and Matthews, but Evans isn't the playmaker he once was and Matthews hasn't been the efficient scorer I'd hoped he'd be especially in the clutch. I'm not saying Holiday is that guy, but at least he won't shy away from the opportunity.

                  As for relying on DC in crunch time, let's just say at this point if I had to chose between Bogie, DC, Matthews, Evans, McDerrmot or Holiday as a deep ball threat in crunch time, I'd go in order with:

                  Bogie
                  DC
                  Holiday
                  Matthews
                  Evans
                  McDerrmot

                  Understand, however, there's a difference between "clutch" shooting and needing a basket in "crunch time". For me, clutch shooting is the ability to score the ball when your offense has gone cold and desperately needs a shot to regain momentum. Crunch time shooting is the ability to make baskets under pressure for the win. Think of crunch time as the 2-minute drill in football. I don't think Holiday is ready for "crunch time", but he's more than capable of scoring the ball in the clutch.
                  Last edited by NuffSaid; 03-14-2019, 11:53 AM.
                  • 1 like

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                  • #10
                    If someone takes it upon themselves to be the one taking the important shots, they damn well better hit some of them. Like more than 38% of them.

                    Just because someone has the 'nads to take the shot doesn't mean they SHOULD be taking the shot.
                    • 1 like

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                    • #11
                      This is why many of us have been pipe-dreaming about getting Kemba Walker, Jrue Holiday, and Mike Conley. DC is a very nice player. He's probably the perfect PG for a team with a ball-dominant Superstar. He'd be fantastic next to Lebron in LA, for instance. Sure he can go off for 20 points every now and then but the players mentioned above can get you 40-60 points when they go off.

                      Regarding the article, sure the Pacers aren't as good in the clutch without Vic. That should be expected because he's a top-ten clutch player even this season when he was clearly hampered by injury. None of this should be news, we all saw these issues as being potential problems as soon as Vic rolled his Knee brace back and motioned to the trainers.

                      They're still a good team to root for and will probably finish no worse than they did last season. So I'm gonna sit back and try to enjoy whatever amount of wins they produce the rest of the way.
                      • 2 likes

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by naptownmenace View Post
                        This is why many of us have been pipe-dreaming about getting Kemba Walker, Jrue Holiday, and Mike Conley. DC is a very nice player. He's probably the perfect PG for a team with a ball-dominant Superstar. He'd be fantastic next to Lebron in LA, for instance. Sure he can go off for 20 points every now and then but the players mentioned above can get you 40-60 points when they go off.

                        Regarding the article, sure the Pacers aren't as good in the clutch without Vic. That should be expected because he's a top-ten clutch player even this season when he was clearly hampered by injury. None of this should be news, we all saw these issues as being potential problems as soon as Vic rolled his Knee brace back and motioned to the trainers.

                        They're still a good team to root for and will probably finish no worse than they did last season. So I'm gonna sit back and try to enjoy whatever amount of wins they produce the rest of the way.
                        Agreed.

                        As things stand I'll settle for a 50/50 split over the course of the next 14 games, but if hey exceed expectations I'll enjoy the end of the 2018-2019 NBA regular season all the more.
                        • 1 like

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