Tag: Indiana Pacers (Page 6 of 6)

      There’s something wrong with John Hollinger’s NBA rankings

      November 12, 2008 /

      John Hollinger is ESPN’s NBA numbers guy, and I have a lot of respect for his approach. His Player Efficiency Rating is a good way to statistically compare players who play vastly different minutes.

      Anyway, he debuted his NBA power rankings, and something weird is going on. Take a look at the top 10:

      1. Lakers (6-0)
      2. Hawks (6-0)
      3. Hornets (4-2)
      4. Celtics (7-1)
      5. Cavs (6-2)
      6. Pacers (3-3)
      7. Jazz (6-1)
      8. Suns (6-2)
      9. Pistons (5-2)
      10. Heat (4-3)

      The Indiana Pacers are ranked #6?!?

      While it’s true that the Pacers have played a hard schedule that included the Pistons, Celtics, Suns and Cavaliers, and they played all of those teams pretty tough (and even beat the Celtics by 16 at home), their two other wins were against the Nets and the Thunder. I don’t know what kind of formula he’s using to come up with these rankings, but there’s something wrong with one that has a 3-3 team ranked #6 with two wins against bottom-feeders like the Nets and the Thunder.

      The other ranking that seems odd is the Miami Heat at #10. While it’s true that Miami has nice wins against the Spurs and 76ers, they also have losses to the Knicks and Bobcats. I do think Miami will make the playoffs; I’m not so sure about the Pacers.

      NBA

      2008 NBA Preview: #23 Indiana Pacers

      October 16, 2008 /

      Offseason Movement: The team traded Jermaine O’Neal to the Raptors for T.J. Ford (pictured). The team (supposedly) wants to run, and Ford is a lightning quick floor general who can make it happen. I thought the Knicks missed out on an opportunity to acquire Ford, but the Raptors probably weren’t interested in anything the Knicks had to offer. The team also unloaded Shawne Williams, who had taken up residence in Larry Bird’s doghouse after being arrested for possession of marijuana.
      Keep Your Eye On: Brandon Rush, GF
      The Pacers acquired Rush by sending draft pick Jerryd Bayless to Portland. He is a silky smooth wing who can shoot the ball and take it to the rack. He’s seasoned and is ready to contribute immediately. The Pacers are lacking athleticism, so he gives them some punch off the bench.
      The Big Question: Is this a case of addition by subtraction?
      On the surface, an O’Neal for Ford deal seems like a win for the Raptors, but the Pacers were able to rid themselves of O’Neal’s salary and at the same time replace Jamaal Tinsley, who has fallen out of favor with GM Larry Bird. The team’s talent level may have taken a hit, but its chemistry should be better.
      Outlook: With Mike Dunleavy, Troy Murphy and Jeff Foster slated to start, the Pacers might have one of the most unathletic lineups in the league. Dunleavy is all right, but Murphy and Foster? Luckly, Ford and up-and-coming swingman Danny Granger give the starting lineup some punch, while Rush provides some juice off the bench. Drafting Roy Hibbert conflicts with the Pacers stated “run first” mentality. The ship is starting to turn around, but it’s probably going to get worse before it gets better, unless the chemistry is immediate and substantial.

      Check out our NBA Preview page for a look at every team. We’ll be posting three previews per business day, which will take us up to the start of the season on Tuesday, October 28th.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA

      Pacers ship Shawne Williams to Dallas

      October 11, 2008 /

      In a minor trade, GM Larry Bird sent Shawne Williams to the Dallas Mavericks for Eddie Jones and two second round draft picks.

      Bird, the Pacers’ president, has made it clear he plans to repair the team’s image after several negative off-the-court issues in recent years. Williams, Indiana’s first-round draft pick in 2006, was dogged by three incidents involving police in the past 13 months.

      “He’s got a lot of potential,” Bird told the Associated Press. “You hate to give up on those type of players, but with what we’re trying to do here, we felt it was best to move Shawne. This trade wasn’t made because he wasn’t talented enough, it was because of the other things.”

      The Pacers already have traded Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson in the past three years for damaging the team’s reputation, and the Pacers have told Jamaal Tinsley not to show up to training camp after several scrapes with the law.

      Williams will be reunited with new Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle, who coached the Pacers when Indiana drafted him out of Memphis in the first round in 2006.

      “There’s no question Rick wanted him,” Bird said. “He was there when we drafted him. He knew the talent, he knew the kid.”

      The writing was on the wall for Williams. It was just a matter of time before Bird sent him packing. He has talent, but needs a fresh start. Maybe he’ll get it with Carlisle and the Mavs.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA

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