Pacers Stomped by Hawks/Imploding

[Rondo9]

My best guess is Paul George's shooting. He started off hot, but then cooled down late in the season.

[PhoSita]

Eh, I seem to recall the Celtics looked pretty bad down the stretch in 2010.  Some teams ramp it up before the playoffs.  Others look like they're just biding time until the games start to really count again.

[Lucky17]

So many people shoveling dirt on the Pacers' graves.

I'm prepared to wait until they've been eliminated from the playoffs before reading their eulogy.

[fairweatherfan]

So many people shoving dirt on the Pacers' graves.

I'm prepared to wait until they've been eliminated from the playoffs before reading their eulogy.

Yeah, this isn't the first time a strong team has had a shaky stretch late in the season.  It's not a good sign, but it really doesn't mean a lot in the big scheme of the season.

[BigAlTheFuture]

Hibbert was benches for watching "King of the Hill" at halftime.

[Who]

The ECFs are still a month and a half away. Plenty of time for Indiana to get their ship back on track. Not worried about them at this point in time. I still expect them to make the ECFs and to knock out Miami once they get there.

[Endless Paradise]

The Pacers already started their slide prior to the Granger trade - in fact, that was one of the reasons they decided to go through with it.  Had they not been struggling and had he been able to provide even something, chances are he wouldn't have been traded.  That said, I agree that this isn't because of Bynum or Turner ruining the chemistry.  Seems to me more that the Pacers were at their best as the underdog that felt deserving of more respect.  Now that they actually started gaining that attention, they grew not only a bit complacent, but even entitled.  They've stopped playing with a chip on their shoulders and feelings of wanting to prove the masses wrong; instead, they're now playing much more selfishly and outside of the team concept.  Case in point: they had ONE assist as a team in that first half yesterday.

Also, George was clearly distracted by the off-court events that transpired over the past few months.

[fairweatherfan]

The Pacers already started their slide prior to the Granger trade - in fact, that was one of the reasons they decided to go through with it.  Had they not been struggling and had he been able to provide even something, chances are he wouldn't have been traded.  That said, I agree that this isn't because of Bynum or Turner ruining the chemistry.  Seems to me more that the Pacers were at their best as the underdog that felt deserving of more respect.  Now that they actually started gaining that attention, they grew not only a bit complacent, but even entitled.  They've stopped playing with a chip on their shoulders and feelings of wanting to prove the masses wrong; instead, they're now playing much more selfishly and outside of the team concept.  Case in point: they had ONE assist as a team in that first half yesterday.

Also, George was clearly distracted by the off-court events that transpired over the past few months.

Yeah, this makes more sense to me than the Simmons/Hobbs theory.  I think that's appealing more because it's an opportunity to revisit the Perk trade than to really accurately describe the sequence of events.

[Fafnir]

The ECFs are still a month and a half away. Plenty of time for Indiana to get their ship back on track. Not worried about them at this point in time. I still expect them to make the ECFs and to knock out Miami once they get there.

I don't have the same sort of faith in them. Offensively they've gotten so putrid that they have to grind out to win any game against even thew worst competition. Add in the chemistry issues and many public statements of discontent and I think they're primed to get knocked out before the ECF.

I do think if they make it there they'll give Miami trouble, matchup wise they present a lot of problems for Miami that makes their issues easier to handle.

[KGs Knee]

Interestingly enough, as long as Indy can get past their 1st round opponent, which I still think they will, their fall from the top seed may not be so terrible. It could actually set them up well, by allowing them to avoid the winner of the Chicago/Brooklyn series, and in turn forces Miami to play the winner of that matchup.

I doubt Miami is worried, but I could see Brooklyn giving Miami all kinds of problems. KG and Paul are chomping at the bit to get back at the Heat, you can count on that.

[bdm860]

Interestingly enough, as long as Indy can get past their 1st round opponent, which I still think they will, their fall from the top seed may not be so terrible. It could actually set them up well, by allowing them to avoid the winner of the Chicago/Brooklyn series, and in turn forces Miami to play the winner of that matchup.

I doubt Miami is worried, but I could see Brooklyn giving Miami all kinds of problems. KG and Paul are chomping at the bit to get back at the Heat, you can count on that.

Getting the #2 seed in the East is probably better than the #1 in this year’s playoffs, as the #2 seed looks like they’d have a much easier playoff path.

#2 seed likely faces 2 of these 3 teams before the ECF:
Charlotte, Washington, Toronto

#1 seed likely 2 of these 4 teams before the ECF:
Chicago, Brooklyn, New York, Atlanta

[Fafnir]

I really don't think its the trade. I think its a matter of Paul George, Lance Stephenson, and Roy Hibbert all played above their current talent for a while.

Lance Stephenson was playing like an all-star, Paul George was shooting pull up jumpers like he was Ray Allen, and Hibbert was making shots in the post. All of those things regressed to be more line with the performance of the past few years.

Add to that CJ Watson's injury and the offense has sunk to lottery team levels. He got hurt just about a week after the trade.

[Fafnir]

Interestingly enough, as long as Indy can get past their 1st round opponent, which I still think they will, their fall from the top seed may not be so terrible. It could actually set them up well, by allowing them to avoid the winner of the Chicago/Brooklyn series, and in turn forces Miami to play the winner of that matchup.

I doubt Miami is worried, but I could see Brooklyn giving Miami all kinds of problems. KG and Paul are chomping at the bit to get back at the Heat, you can count on that.

Getting the #2 seed in the East is probably better than the #1 in this year’s playoffs, as the #2 seed looks like they’d have a much easier playoff path.

#2 seed likely faces 2 of these 3 teams before the ECF:
Charlotte, Washington, Toronto

#1 seed likely 2 of these 4 teams before the ECF:
Chicago, Brooklyn, New York, Atlanta

Charlotte's no joke though. They play the same sort of grind out style that the Pacers do with good team defense.

Plus Big Al has been very comfortable attacking Hibbert this year, shooting 55% against the Pacers.

[KGs Knee]

Interestingly enough, as long as Indy can get past their 1st round opponent, which I still think they will, their fall from the top seed may not be so terrible. It could actually set them up well, by allowing them to avoid the winner of the Chicago/Brooklyn series, and in turn forces Miami to play the winner of that matchup.

I doubt Miami is worried, but I could see Brooklyn giving Miami all kinds of problems. KG and Paul are chomping at the bit to get back at the Heat, you can count on that.

Getting the #2 seed in the East is probably better than the #1 in this year’s playoffs, as the #2 seed looks like they’d have a much easier playoff path.

#2 seed likely faces 2 of these 3 teams before the ECF:
Charlotte, Washington, Toronto

#1 seed likely 2 of these 4 teams before the ECF:
Chicago, Brooklyn, New York, Atlanta

Charlotte's no joke though. They play the same sort of grind out style that the Pacers do with good team defense.

Plus Big Al has been very comfortable attacking Hibbert this year, shooting 55% against the Pacers.

Yeah, I think any series is going to be difficult for Indy. They need their confidence back. Winning a playoff series I think would do it. So, if they can get past (likely) Charlotte, who would actually be their toughest matchup, I think they would then also get past Washington/Toronto with relative ease.

[Fafnir]

I wouldn't consider Toronto a particularly easy match up. The Nets, Toronto, and Miami have been the best 3 EC teams the past 30 games or so with the Bulls being the fourth best.

I do think just winning a playoff series would do wonders for that team.