Odd Thoughts: Wizardy for all that ails you

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  • Peck
    Administrator
    • Jan 2004
    • 19955

    Odd Thoughts: Wizardy for all that ails you

    Of course you have to be happy with a win; there can be no question about that. I mean for whatever reason I can’t let go of this playoff positioning (like I should) so to me we have got to start winning the majority of these games vs. the bottom feeders. Sadly there are plenty of nights where we are the bottom feeders.

    But tonight was not one of them, for the most part.

    Like I said I’m happy with the win but I am not happy with how we had to win it. I was about to strangle Frank when he let the bench let the Wizards go on an 18-2 run. I mean I know he wanted to rest the starters & frankly we can’t afford to do this very often but he just had to get them out of there.

    Once again we had to rely on West to play hero ball to bail us out of another bad spot but in this case we let the Wizards get to much momentum and by that time the starters as a unit could barely tread water & by the end most of them were on fumes. This does not bode well for the next few games.

    The bench is disgusting right now, there is just no other way to say it and honestly I think he is just going to have to give up on the 5 in 5 out thing. I know he tries to keep 1 or 2 starters in now but he may just have to scrap that and go with rotating in & out players 1 at a time. Not ideal for certain but right now the bench, in particular in this game, is just not together either on offense or defense.

    Now don’t get me wrong on certain night’s elements of the bench work and individually you get some decent production but as a group they just don’t work, at least right now.

    We just have a very small margin for error with our club and our starters just do not have the firepower to make a comeback vs. a good team & make no mistake if the Wizards were anything resembling a good team we would have went home tonight 0-2 on this particular road trip. Like I said happy with the win but let’s just say I’m not using this game to say we’ve turned the corner.

    Short on time so we’re just going to do some quick grades.

    David West: A+

    He get’s the plus for actually blocking 4 shots. Ok that and totally placing the offensive load on his back & saving the game. He’s never going to be a great defender but on nights like tonight you just have to ride him to victory and this is the second time so far in the young year that he has ensured victory in what was looking like defeat.

    Paul George: D+

    His trade value will never be higher, just saying…

    Roy Hibbert: A

    Best game of the season so far for Roy and I guess home cooking and family visits and a very soft Wizards interior helped to cure some of what ills him. Now do this Friday vs. the Spurs and we’ll talk but I’ll just take tonight for what it’s worth & be happy that the results are what they are.

    Lance Stephenson: B

    For whatever reason Frank has a very short leash on Lance. He made a bad pass & a couple of fouls and he is done for the night. This just described Paul George’s season btw other than he gets to play through his mistakes. To be fair Sam Young was playing very well and I understand that they might be afraid that Lance will go full bore Rucker Park on them so I guess I understand. But the game is much more fun to watch when he plays than when he doesn’t.

    George Hill: C-

    I’m being generous here because his 2-11 field goal shooting was abysmal to say the least & going 0-6 from the three point line was particularly egregious but I will credit him for the made free throws. God knows anybody going 8-8 on our team from the line is cause for celebration. But unless they start working Lance as the backup point, which btw tonight during the first quarter (you know the one that we kicked their butts in) Lance was mostly running the point with George playing off the ball, then George better be ready to play big min. as our backup point guard is, well zombie about covers it.

    Sam Young: B-

    Stop shooting so many three’s. Hitting a corner three on occasion is great but let’s not get carried away here. 1-6 from the three point line was not what I had in mind when we signed him. Now solid defense & hustle, yes that I had in mind. Still can’t pass to save his life and I have no idea what Vogel uses him as the in bound passer. Lost in all of this though is that he also grabbed 8 rebounds. So basically Sam has played very well in 2 out of the last 3 games.

    Tyler Hansbrough: C

    Tyler was a victim tonight of having to be on the floor with that second unit and then having to not be able to come back in because we had to keep Roy & West rolling in the 4th. He did nothing bad when he was in but in all honesty he didn’t do anything great either.

    Gerald Green: C-

    I mean on the surface he shot well from the field for the most part but man there is just something about his game that does not translate into winning basketball. I was stunned when Quinn said that Gerald was not a player you should ever push the ball up to because he will get it up whether he has a shot or not. That’s kind of a damning statement considering I thought the whole point of him being there in the second unit was to push it and get up a shot. Also this wasn’t his strongest defensive outing either.

    Ian Mahinmi: D

    He needs to have “I’m Kevin Seraphin’s B!tch” tattooed on his arm or someplace. Just abysmal and poor Roy had to play till he couldn’t stand up straight because Frank had to bench the entire bench for the 4th. I mean at some point in time he is going to play a really good game and Pritchard will look sharp as a tack, but man waiting on that game is taxing. The sad thing is in pre-season he looked so good I thought he could easily be a 20+ a night min. man. I’m sure he’ll get there eventually but right now he is not there.

    D.J. Augustin: D-

    Hey at least he had a 1-1 assist to turnover ratio and not a negative ratio, there’s that at least. Right? I really wonder if he didn’t think he was going to start along side Hill when he came here? Surely he is not this bad, he has to be having an attitude issue. Don’t get me wrong I don’t want that either but I would almost prefer that to thinking this guy doesn’t belong on the floor.

    At least we get a day of rest and some time to prepare for the Hornets. I am curious how we will respond.



    Basketball isn't played with computers, spreadsheets, and simulations. ChicagoJ 4/21/13
  • rexnom
    Headband and Rec Specs
    • Dec 2005
    • 8726

    #2
    Re: Odd Thoughts: Wizardy for all that ails you

    Why would his trade value never be higher? How about after he strings together some great games?

    Comment

    • Peck
      Administrator
      • Jan 2004
      • 19955

      #3
      Re: Odd Thoughts: Wizardy for all that ails you

      Originally posted by rexnom
      Why would his trade value never be higher? How about after he strings together some great games?
      I'm talking about in general to this year.


      Basketball isn't played with computers, spreadsheets, and simulations. ChicagoJ 4/21/13

      Comment

      • rexnom
        Headband and Rec Specs
        • Dec 2005
        • 8726

        #4
        Re: Odd Thoughts: Wizardy for all that ails you

        If we wanted to trade him, a package for Harden would have been ideal. Now? Only a David West trade makes sense.

        Comment

        • D-BONE
          Peace Dog
          • Feb 2006
          • 15651

          #5
          Re: Odd Thoughts: Wizardy for all that ails you

          The primary approach this season on offense is going to be West & Hill hero ball with a little Roy thrown in here and there when he's not sucking.

          I appreciate Lance, Young, and Tyler's hustle and enthusiasm, but when it's all said and done that's about all they'll bring on a regular basis. Not capable of taking the offensive load of the hero boys, but would be great second unit guys in an ideal scenario.

          George, Green, and to a lesser degree Agustin are the wild cards. One or two of those guys emerges from their early season morass, then maybe the offense starts to improve a little. But right now it's hard to imagine any of them having the focus/mental toughness to undertake even a complementary offensive responsibility consistently.
          I'd rather die standing up than live on my knees.

          -Emiliano Zapata

          Comment

          • pacersgroningen
            Dutch Pacers Fan
            • Jan 2009
            • 1529

            #6
            Re: Odd Thoughts: Wizardy for all that ails you

            I think giving Ian a D is a bit too high. He was consistently lost on defense, no man to man defense, a lot of missed rotations. Butter fingers once again on offense, couldn't keep his balance when receiving the ball while establishing position. I thought it was sickening how bad he played last night...

            We'll take the win, but we were playing the worst team in the NBA. By far. Let's do something against halfway decent competition.
            Trying to enjoy every Pacers game as if it is the last!

            Comment

            • Sparhawk
              Member
              • Nov 2009
              • 6290

              #7
              Re: Odd Thoughts: Wizardy for all that ails you

              I agree with rexnom. David West should be traded this season. The Pacers need to make a move or two (though I still think Vogel will get axed). This team hasn't responded through 12 games now. Still playing like crap.

              It used to be that the Pacers played bad and win was a good thing. But not when they only play bad now.

              I still think the 2nd unit will come along, but damn, what a disappointment the new guys have been so far.
              First time in a long time, I've been happy with the team that was constructed, and now they struggle. I blame the coach.

              Comment

              • Brad8888
                Fatman the Malevolent
                • Dec 2008
                • 3892

                #8
                Re: Odd Thoughts: Wizardy for all that ails you

                Shooting threes nearly destroyed the monster game by West and the very effective game that Roy put together. Danny is not on the floor, and won't be any time soon. At least the offense was more balanced due to the Wizards having little to counter our bigs with inside.

                Change must happen. If not, much like the Soup Nazi denied Seinfeld, Playoff Nazi will say "No Playoff for you!"

                Comment

                • RWB
                  Member
                  • May 2004
                  • 7987

                  #9
                  Re: Odd Thoughts: Wizardy for all that ails you

                  Nothing to add... just had to thank Peck for the Triumph video and hope the Pacers continue to Fight the Good Fight, Lay it on the Line, and Never Surrender.
                  You know how hippos are made out to be sweet and silly, like big cows, but are actually extremely dangerous and can kill you with stunning brutality? The Pacers are the NBA's hippos....Matt Moore CBS Sports....

                  Comment

                  • Pacer Fan
                    Indiana Pacers Forever
                    • Feb 2011
                    • 4325

                    #10
                    Re: Odd Thoughts: Wizardy for all that ails you

                    So it took the starters extended minutes to close the game out, so they done their job and that's a bad thing? Finally, the starters done their job, of course it was the Wizards, but it is a step forward...I guess!
                    Garbage players get 1st round picks, (WTF)! All of the NBA must hate the Pacers! LOL

                    Comment

                    • vnzla81
                      Member
                      • Jul 2008
                      • 68179

                      #11
                      Re: Odd Thoughts: Wizardy for all that ails you

                      Originally posted by rexnom
                      If we wanted to trade him, a package for Harden would have been ideal. Now? Only a David West trade makes sense.
                      Yep West's value is never going to be this high, just show teams the tape from last night and ask for the moon to see what happens.
                      @WhatTheFFacts: Studies show that sarcasm enhances the ability of the human mind to solve complex problems!

                      Comment

                      • Pacerized
                        Member
                        • Apr 2004
                        • 7741

                        #12
                        Re: Odd Thoughts: Wizardy for all that ails you

                        I am happy with a win and I'm happy to finally see Roy have a good game. Last year this win would have made me happier, this year it's a little harder to be content with a win over the Wizards minus Wall and Nene. I can't let go of the fact that a few months ago we were needing to make the right moves with our hard earn cap space in the offseason to get one step closer to competing with Miami. Now that seems almost out of reach. I will never forgive Walsh and Pritchard for squandering that opportunity. Ian and DJ flat our suck. What did we have 10 mil in cap space and the best player we have to show for it is Sam Young.
                        Why do teams tank? Ask a Spurs fan.

                        Comment

                        • vnzla81
                          Member
                          • Jul 2008
                          • 68179

                          #13
                          Re: Odd Thoughts: Wizardy for all that ails you

                          Originally posted by Peck
                          I'm talking about in general to this year.
                          I still don't get your reasoning, you want to trade the player that has the highest potential for some reason and yet you don't want to trade Danny and you get mad when people suggest trading him even right now with his knee issues and everything.
                          Last edited by vnzla81; 11-20-2012, 10:09 AM.
                          @WhatTheFFacts: Studies show that sarcasm enhances the ability of the human mind to solve complex problems!

                          Comment

                          • Nuntius
                            Member
                            • Jan 2012
                            • 35969

                            #14
                            Re: Odd Thoughts: Wizardy for all that ails you

                            Originally posted by vnzla81
                            I still don't get your reasoning, you want to trade the player that has the highest potential for some reason and yet you don't want to trade Danny and you get mad when people suggest trading him even right now with his knee issues and everything.
                            1) PG has a much higher trade value than DG (injured or not).

                            2) There's always the chance of PG never amounting to the player that DG is. It isn't sure that he will be able to realize his huge potential.

                            But let's all hope that PG realizes that potential for the sake of the Pacers
                            Originally posted by IrishPacer
                            Empty vessels make the most noise.

                            Comment

                            • Since86
                              Member
                              • Dec 2004
                              • 27818

                              #15
                              Re: Odd Thoughts: Wizardy for all that ails you

                              I would like to see Roy/PG be the first rotations out, and then put them back in with the bench. DJ/PG/Young/Ian/Roy would be a good mixture IMHO.

                              The scoring just immediately bottoms out with the bench on the floor.
                              Just because you're offended, doesn't mean you're right.” ― Ricky Gervais.

                              Comment

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