Pacers' task: Quickly get playoff-ready

432 Views 6 Replies 6 Participants Last post by MillerTime, Mar 27, 2006

Gonzo

Discussion Starter · Mar 24, 2006

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060324/SPORTS04/603240509/1088

"Nobody can make excuses now. We have everybody back," said shooting guard Stephen Jackson, the only Pacer to play in every game this season. "It's time to go to work and play like we know how."

Coach Rick Carlisle warned not to expect the Pacers to turn things around immediately.

"It's going to be a process," he said. "It's going to take some games to get guys acclimated and conditioned. It's not like we have a full team and that's it. There's an adjustment period. We have to make it happen as quickly as we can because we only have 16 games left in the season."

...

"We feel very good about our chances of making the playoffs," Pacers point guard Anthony Johnson said. "I really don't think that's a concern in this locker room. It is a concern that we are playing well going into the playoffs. We don't want to stagger in and barely make it."

...

O'Neal said win or lose, he will be part of the playoff push.

"I don't want any questions amongst myself and my teammates as far as waiting too long (to return)," O'Neal said.

...

"We've been running a lot more and we've been doing a lot more movement and we're going to have to continue that, but the ball is going to have to go through him on the inside," Carlisle said. ". . . It's doable. One of Jermaine's real strengths is that he's a 6-11 guy that is real light on his feet and plays great off movements."

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They better be in playoff mode or we're be dead before we can even enjoy the playoffs.

As it looks like now, we'll be playing either Cleveland or New Jersey, and we have a long history of poor play against both of those teams in the playoffs, esspicially Cleveland. Remember when we were on top and Cavs always finished 8th or 7th when we finished 2nd, and they always gave us a run for our money.

With, Cavs or Nets will have home field advantage, and of course both have some lethal weapons. It's not gonna be easy playing Lebon in his first playoffs. Of course, the brightspot of playing the Cavs would be, we'd play at all the best times and best channels, no doubt the NBA will put Lebon on primetime tv as much as possible.

I do NOT want to play the Nets though. Kidd is finally playing amazing again, Krstic is playing very well, they can run and play defense, and lets not forget Jefferson or Carter, either of those can change a game at any time.

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PaCeRhOLiC

· #3 · Mar 24, 2006

Man I can't believe that there's only 16 games left, it feels like just yesterday that the All-Star weekend was here...

Go PaCeRs!!!!

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absolutebest

· #4 · Mar 24, 2006 (Edited)

We need to go 11-5 or 12-4!! That's what good NFL playoff teams do with 16 games... my Chiefs went 10-6 and missed the playoffs. We need to get back on a roll.

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Banjoriddim

· #5 · Mar 24, 2006

MillerTime said:
They better be in playoff mode or we're be dead before we can even enjoy the playoffs.

As it looks like now, we'll be playing either Cleveland or New Jersey, and we have a long history of poor play against both of those teams in the playoffs, esspicially Cleveland. Remember when we were on top and Cavs always finished 8th or 7th when we finished 2nd, and they always gave us a run for our money.

With, Cavs or Nets will have home field advantage, and of course both have some lethal weapons. It's not gonna be easy playing Lebon in his first playoffs. Of course, the brightspot of playing the Cavs would be, we'd play at all the best times and best channels, no doubt the NBA will put Lebon on primetime tv as much as possible.

I do NOT want to play the Nets though. Kidd is finally playing amazing again, Krstic is playing very well, they can run and play defense, and lets not forget Jefferson or Carter, either of those can change a game at any time.

Good post, I totally agree particulary with this Nets part. Playing against nets in first round is my biggest fear. They aren't that good on defense but we have bunch of payers who have serious off nights and they have home court, theire bench sucks but they have 4 really good starters (on offense and their benc isn't that bad). So since we are inconsistant and they have sick star power plus they play well lately.

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1 Penny

· #6 · Mar 27, 2006

If the Pacers can gather themselves and get back to their usual form, I think you guys can unsit the Pistons. It may sound ridiculous, but I think Pacers have a good chance of beating the Pistons, best chance anyways compare to anyone else.

But, I agree that over comming the small hurdles can be a problem, since the Pacers can be caught off guard by a team like the Cavs or the Nets. But Pistons wise, I think both play the same style as well and I think its actually 50/50 chance of un sitting them as EC champs.

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MillerTime

· #7 · Mar 27, 2006

1 Penny said:
If the Pacers can gather themselves and get back to their usual form, I think you guys can unsit the Pistons. It may sound ridiculous, but I think Pacers have a good chance of beating the Pistons, best chance anyways compare to anyone else.

But, I agree that over comming the small hurdles can be a problem, since the Pacers can be caught off guard by a team like the Cavs or the Nets. But Pistons wise, I think both play the same style as well and I think its actually 50/50 chance of un sitting them as EC champs.

As a Pacers fan, i have to say i disagree with you. I wish i was wrong, but i think this team is still a working progress of what Larry Bird wishes it was and theres still a few holes to fill. But, i'm a big believer that expierence is very important in the playoffs, and David Harrison and Danny Granger are going to be hurt most by this, but i don't think our guards can match the likes of Detriot or Miami, and even New Jersey, i don't see us matching up well against them. I think we can do better with a team like Cleveland, as long as we somehow contain Lebron James, but Detriot and Miami are excellent teams, build well all-around, depth, defense, speed, high scorers and lots of expierence.

No matter what Indiana does in the playoffs, i will be proud of them and i still believe that Larry Bird knows excectly what he is doing, despite getting knocked out in the playoffs in round 1 (knock on wood) but he hasn't really be dealt the best hand either in the past 2 seasons, with the whole fight, Artest sage, injuries, but i think slowly we are headed towards a very good road that will see the Pacers being contenders probably even next season and for many years to come, because from the looks of it, Bird always wants to have a contender and "re-build" on the fly with youth players who can step up on the rosters at all times.

I don't think we can even last 6 games with either Miami or Detriot in the playoffs.

But, like i said, i hope i am wrong.

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