OT: The Indiana Pacers

[Rastapopoulos]

Just a couple of seasons ago I remember thinking of them as one of the sadder franchises, stuck in mediocrity with unappealing players and taking reaches on players like Paul George and Lance Stephenson who would never develop. But here they are. They've proven masters of getting value out of mid first-rounders and must have the best development system in the league. They were so patient with Hibbert, George and Stephenson, and would be even better if it hadn't been for bad luck with Granger's knees. They've out-Thundered the Thunder. Who should take credit? Please don't let it be Kevin Pritchard.

 

[illmatic99]

Vogel and George, as well as Larry Bird deserve much of the credit. Fans here still don't give a shit though. They definitely don't deserve the team.

I got tickets for Monday's game vs the Grizz for $3.99.

 

[handiman]

Larry Bird might be the best mind in basketball, but he prefers to stay behind the scenes and is easily overlooked. He had just as immediate an impact on that team when he took over as coach. Oh, and he had some success as an unathletic player, too.

 

[julius]

Well done Kevin Pritchard!


wait...

 

[BBert]

The same smart, savvy basketball minds that built that team also chose KP. I think they know what they are doing.

 

[Boob-No-More]

I'm happy for the team and their fans. Nice to see a small market team achieve success through hard work, smart drafting and patience.

BNM

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Here's their draft history. Notice that they drafted Miles Plumlee, now kicking arse for the Suns. They did not draft Hibbert, Toronto did (two picks AFTER Robin Lopez). How'd they acquire him?

 

[Draco]

Here's their draft history. Notice that they drafted Miles Plumlee, now kicking arse for the Suns. They did not draft Hibbert, Toronto did (two picks AFTER Robin Lopez). How'd they acquire him?

The Blazers didn't draft LaMarcus or Roy either. They were all draft day deals.

 

[Strenuus]

Vogel and George, as well as Larry Bird deserve much of the credit. Fans here still don't give a shit though. They definitely don't deserve the team.

I got tickets for Monday's game vs the Grizz for $3.99.

I know Indiana is a basketball state... but has it turned more to football, or college basketball?

 

[VanillaGorilla]

Paul George and Lance Stephenson were always going to be good. I could tell from watching thwm in college, they have just always been straight up ballers. Indiana has been slowly building themselves up for years, I never thought of them as a "sad franchise".

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[VanillaGorilla]

Double post

 

[MickZagger]

Paul George and Lance Stephenson were always going to be good. I could tell from watching thwm in college, they have just always been straight up ballers. Indiana has been slowly building themselves up for years, I never thought of them as a "sad franchise".

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Except, Lance Stephenson isn't really a 'baller'..

 

[Natebishop3]

Just think if we would have been able to snatch Hibbert away....

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

I'm interested in seeing what they're gonna do with Stephenson and Granger. Personally I'd love Stephenson on this team.

 

[Boob-No-More]

They did not draft Hibbert, Toronto did[/URL] (two picks AFTER Robin Lopez). How'd they acquire him?

July 9, 2008: Traded by the Toronto Raptors with Maceo Baston, T.J. Ford and Rasho Nesterovic to the Indiana Pacers for Nathan Jawai and Jermaine O'Neal.

The trade was basically Jermaine for T.J. Ford and swapping draft picks. Jermaine lasted all of half a season in Toronto and Jawai played a total of 6 games for them. Toronto, not there's a sad sack franchise...

BNM

 

[handiman]

July 9, 2008: Traded by the Toronto Raptors with Maceo Baston, T.J. Ford and Rasho Nesterovic to the Indiana Pacers for Nathan Jawai and Jermaine O'Neal.

The trade was basically Jermaine for T.J. Ford and swapping draft picks. Jermaine lasted all of half a season in Toronto and Jawai played a total of 6 games for them. Toronto, not there's a sad sack franchise...

BNM

Let's not forget, Hibbert wasn't much of a prospect coming out of college. Just like with Marc Gasol, expectations were of a Priest Lauderdale career trajectory. Both guys got in shape and made a lot of people look foolish.

 

[illmatic99]

So far this season, they've just been dominating third quarters.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

But there's a deeper point here.

It's not a team of great all stars. They're overall talent level isn't top 8. They got the right parts and have good chemistry. We probably have the same overall talent.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Let's not forget, Hibbert wasn't much of a prospect coming out of college. Just like with Marc Gasol, expectations were of a Priest Lauderdale career trajectory. Both guys got in shape and made a lot of people look foolish.

Yeah, I remember Toronto fans not at all upset about losing out on Hibbert. They were actually excited to be getting Nathan Jawai.

BNM

 

[BrianFromWA]

I don't remember that. Gasol was a maaajor afterthought, a fat-kid younger brother of an NBA star. Hibbert was considered a stiff, little-offense guy with good defensive fundamentals and the untaught seven-foot-two. But still worthy of a mid-first pick

 

[jlprk]

Vogel and George, as well as Larry Bird deserve much of the credit. Fans here still don't give a shit though. They definitely don't deserve the team. I got tickets for Monday's game vs the Grizz for $3.99.

I'm moving to Indianapolis!

The same smart, savvy basketball minds that built that team also chose KP. I think they know what they are doing.

Bird hired himself a good secretary there, along with the other one, Vogel. It's Bird's brain that spins the Pacers' march. No one else.

 

[handiman]

I don't remember that. Gasol was a maaajor afterthought, a fat-kid younger brother of an NBA star. Hibbert was considered a stiff, little-offense guy with good defensive fundamentals and the untaught seven-foot-two. But still worthy of a mid-first pick

Put Gasol in a major NCAA program and his increased visibility would have resulted in similar ho-hum expectations. Neither dude was athletic enough to make much of an impact coming in.

 

[BlazerBeav]

Paul George and Lance Stephenson were always going to be good. I could tell from watching thwm in college, they have just always been straight up ballers. Indiana has been slowly building themselves up for years, I never thought of them as a "sad franchise".

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Well the folks in Indiana sure did.........they had a team that made the Jail Blazers look like choir boys for a while there (and lost even more than those teams on the floor). Attendance had dropped off the map for a while, and demand still hasn't recovered.