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**Box Man** · 02-15-2005, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Jones Reconsidering
Dunk Contest Decision

By Conrad Brunner | Feb. 15, 2005 Just when Fred Jones had decided to change his mind and defend his Sprite Rising Stars Slam-Dunk title, he was given a painful reminder of the reason he originally decided not to participate.

Jones accepted an invitation from the NBA Monday to join the dunk contest Saturday night in Denver. But after aggravating his sore right knee in a collision with Eddie Gill during practice Tuesday, Jones was strongly reconsidering his decision to reconsider.

"Yesterday, I got myself talked up to do it," he said. "I was real excited about doing it and everything. I pumped myself up. Family and friends put the pressure on me like they did the year before, so I was excited.

"Today, I came in here and did this (looking down at the ice bag on his knee). I'm not sure what's going to happen now. I don't even know if I'm going to be able to play tomorrow (against Portland)."

Jones is the Pacers' top bench scorer at 11.0 points per game and leads the team in games (48) and minutes (1,558). As much as he'd enjoy defending his dunk title, he fully understands the greater priority placed on his health for the remainder of the season.

The Pacers, 24-26, need all the healthy bodies they can muster for what promises to be a competitive battle for playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference. That's why he originally declined the offer to participate.

"It wasn't that I was trying to take the title and run," he said. "That was never the case. I'm always up for a challenge. My knee just hasn't been right the whole season. I didn't want to go in and (give) half-effort and not be able to do the best I could. I'm sure people don't want to see a half-effort. That's why I wasn't doing it in the first place."

He was planning to make the trip to Denver, at least as a spectator, but will postpone his final decision until after consulting with the team's medical staff.

"I'll be (in Denver), definitely," he said. "I have to get with the trainers and see if they feel like it'll be beneficial for me to try it. The most important thing is for me to be ready to play the second half of the season for this team."

http://www.nba.com/pacers/news/fjones_dunk_050215.html

I'm really hoping that Freddie plays, but I don't want him to get hurt if he does so, we really need him for the last half of the season.

Pacers Fan · 02-15-2005, 05:03 PM

I love the guy and all, but it seems like he's lying about wanting to come back...either that or it's just an excuse.

rock747 · 02-15-2005, 05:56 PM

Well as of now he's accepted the invitation right? so who knows maybe he'll be in it?

**StephenJackson** · 02-15-2005, 07:23 PM

At first I was pissed when I heard he wasn't going to try to keep his crown....but now I kinda want him to not do it if it is a risk to his knee, i'd much rather have him healthy to play 100% for the second half of the season instead of him risking it to throw some dunks down.

rock747 · 02-15-2005, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by StephenJackson!
At first I was pissed when I heard he wasn't going to try to keep his crown....but now I kinda want him to not do it if it is a risk to his knee, i'd much rather have him healthy to play 100% for the second half of the season instead of him risking it to throw some dunks down.

Yeah but he throws dunks down in games, and attempted an alley oop at the game I was at. If he knee wasn't healthy why would he risk it in a game where theres more risk. The reason he gave was that he wouldn't be able to give his best effort but i still want to see him it in it best effort or not.

clownskull · 02-16-2005, 10:04 AM

with the luck we have had this season, fred would definately hurt himself even more than he is hurting right now. i sure as hell don't want to see him out there risking his future on this. i used to like the dunk contest when i was 15 but, now it is boring and the whole all-star thing has no appeal to me anymore.. i would rather all the pacers just say screw the all-star weekend outright. i don't like the idea of our best players risking possibly injury for a totaly meaningless game.

**StephenJackson** · 02-16-2005, 01:51 PM

I have a feeling Fred is going to try to win it to bring something positive back for the Pacers players and fans.

PacersguyUSA · 02-16-2005, 02:19 PM

The Pacers don't really have a championship hope this season, so I'd rather Fred just go out there and bring some kind of title back. His dunk last year was insane, he was practically horizontal.

Pacers Fan · 02-16-2005, 06:46 PM

Freddie just said that he won't be defending it because his trainers said he should relax.

clownskull · 02-17-2005, 09:46 AM

this is great news. fred will take time off to rest up. i would say if this were bender- then yeh go ahead and do this. but, fred has a shot at really having a meaningful career in the nba and taking a risk which could hurt him (perhaps permenantly) then i would have to say - no, not a chance.

good move fred for taking the dvice of the doctors.

**StephenJackson** · 02-17-2005, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by clownskull!
this is great news. fred will take time off to rest up. i would say if this were bender- then yeh go ahead and do this. but, fred has a shot at really having a meaningful career in the nba and taking a risk which could hurt him (perhaps permenantly) then i would have to say - no, not a chance.

good move fred for taking the dvice of the doctors.

Yeah I agree. As much as I know we all want to see Freddie out there defending his championship, he realizes that there's a bigger picture to look at. That's one thing that I am growing to love about Freddie, his team first mentality.

**Turkish Delight** · 02-20-2005, 06:34 AM

It would have been nice to see Fred out there last night, but I guess he didn't have much to prove. He's already shown everyone that he's capable of winning this thing.

naptownpimp · 02-20-2005, 08:46 AM

i wish it woulda been fred instead of chris andersen, that guy really sucked

i guess he provided some good laughs

my other opinions on the dunk contest: it was actually a good one, shoulda been JR and josh though, amares first dunk was wack and jrs shoulda been a 50...amare didnt even impress me, but steve nash did. oh well it was still tight

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