Rest of December schedule

Pacers Forever · Post #1 » by **Pacers Forever** » Tue Dec 19, 2023 4:38 am

Looking ahead it’s gonna be a tough finish to the month of December.

Hornets @ Pacers should be a win even though they won the first shootout! I think they are banged up as bad as us maybe more. I give this one to the Pacers.

Pacers @ Grizzlies probably results in a loss with Ja back for Memphis.

Magic @ Pacers is a loss as the Magic are just better even with Goga starting and Pacers struggle against them.

Pacers @ Rockets is a toss up because the Rockets are a hot and cold team of young talent.

Pacers @ Bulls should win but they beat the Pacers
already this season. Probably lose another close one.

Knicks @ Pacers feels like a loss because Knicks coach stresses defense.

I hope I’m wrong but this could be a continued skid into a losing record and out of the top 10 in the East.

With the injuries to Smith and Nembhard the Pacers have lost their depth advantage and we all see just how young and inexperienced but talented this roster is still.

I think changes are needed and inevitable at the trade deadline.

IF they can pry away a star or budding star in exchange for a consolidation of our players, or maybe they just go for more youth. Even choosing to move $$ looking to more flexibility next season all make more sense to me than thinking this roster construction works in the long run.

Post #2 » by **Scoot McGroot** » Tue Dec 19, 2023 2:26 pm

I think this is a team that is getting all the right pieces in place, but has beyond no margin for error when those pieces are injured. Missing Nembhard and Jalen for awhile hasn’t been great. Missing Haliburton and Myles for games is a killer. It’s been nice to see Jackson get some run and do pretty well with it, but we need the rest of this team back to be any sort of competitor on a nightly basis.

Tom White · Post #3 » by **Tom White** » Tue Dec 19, 2023 3:51 pm

You could almost feel this bad streak coming. Too much hype for the team and Hali leading up to and during the mid-season tourney. It always seems to work this way.

Pacers_Freak · Post #4 » by **Pacers_Freak** » Tue Dec 19, 2023 4:15 pm

Pacers Forever wrote:Looking ahead it’s gonna be a tough finish to the month of December.

Hornets @ Pacers should be a win even though they won the first shootout! I think they are banged up as bad as us maybe more. I give this one to the Pacers.

Pacers @ Grizzlies probably results in a loss with Ja back for Memphis.

Magic @ Pacers is a loss as the Magic are just better even with Goga starting and Pacers struggle against them.

Pacers @ Rockets is a toss up because the Rockets are a hot and cold team of young talent.

Pacers @ Bulls should win but they beat the Pacers
already this season. Probably lose another close one.

Knicks @ Pacers feels like a loss because Knicks coach stresses defense.

I hope I’m wrong but this could be a continued skid into a losing record and out of the top 10 in the East.

With the injuries to Smith and Nembhard the Pacers have lost their depth advantage and we all see just how young and inexperienced but talented this roster is still.

I think changes are needed and inevitable at the trade deadline.

IF they can pry away a star or budding star in exchange for a consolidation of our players, or maybe they just go for more youth. Even choosing to move $$ looking to more flexibility next season all make more sense to me than thinking this roster construction works in the long run.

Changes are needed. This team is still very young and ahead of schedule. We aren't one guy away. We have a lot of valuable assets. I hope we use these as a move to become a contender one day and not to make us a playoff team this year. Keep building and learning and when the right move appears we can pounce.

Wizop · Post #5 » by **Wizop** » Tue Dec 19, 2023 7:33 pm

January schedule is difficult too.

Wizop · Post #6 » by **Wizop** » Tue Dec 19, 2023 7:38 pm

Pacers_Freak wrote:Changes are needed. This team is still very young and ahead of schedule.

yes, but my question is when to make the changes. do we do something soon even though we're ahead of schedule, or do we wait until summer to see what the draft gives us.

personally, I want to see what Walker can do before I rush to judgment. he's playing well at the G-League level but still has a lot to learn to contribute at the NBA level.

Pacers_Freak · Post #7 » by **Pacers_Freak** » Tue Dec 19, 2023 7:59 pm

Wizop wrote:
Pacers_Freak wrote:Changes are needed. This team is still very young and ahead of schedule.

yes, but my question is when to make the changes. do we do something soon even though we're ahead of schedule, or do we wait until summer to see what the draft gives us.

personally, I want to see what Walker can do before I rush to judgment. he's playing well at the G-League level but still has a lot to learn to contribute at the NBA level.

My answer is vague but whenever the right deal is there. If it is at the deadline, cool. If it is this summer, cool. I will root for the team and want them to do well the rest of the year, but honestly this season has been and will be a building block.

Wizop · Post #8 » by **Wizop** » Tue Dec 19, 2023 8:06 pm

Pacers_Freak wrote:My answer is vague but whenever the right deal is there.

makes sense to me. it's sort of like the draft where mistakes are made by reaching to fill a need. we can be patient.

JMaster5K · Post #9 » by **JMaster5K** » Wed Dec 20, 2023 11:03 pm

Wizop wrote:
Pacers_Freak wrote:Changes are needed. This team is still very young and ahead of schedule.

yes, but my question is when to make the changes. do we do something soon even though we're ahead of schedule, or do we wait until summer to see what the draft gives us.

personally, I want to see what Walker can do before I rush to judgment. he's playing well at the G-League level but still has a lot to learn to contribute at the NBA level.

I think we make a deal, when the right deal comes along. We don't want to waste any time with Hali, but he is 23. We don't have to deal for this year, or make a deal in the summer. We continue to grow, improve, gain experience. If we finally get a deal that really moves the needle for the club at the 2024-25 deadline, or the 2025 draft. We are still way better than just ok.

I think this FO has us in the best position imaginable. We have a legit star. We have a solid rotation & support pieces. If we get the deal we want now, we have the assets to take it. We don't have to make a deal now to maximize the potential of the current roster. The current team hasn't capped out it's organic growth. I can't remember the Pacers being in this position in quite a while, if ever.

basketballwacko2 · Post #10 » by **basketballwacko2** » Fri Dec 22, 2023 1:56 am

Tom White wrote:You could almost feel this bad streak coming. Too much hype for the team and Hali leading up to and during the mid-season tourney. It always seems to work this way.

They're getting crushed right now.

JMaster5K · Post #11 » by **JMaster5K** » Fri Dec 22, 2023 8:57 pm

basketballwacko2 wrote:
Tom White wrote:You could almost feel this bad streak coming. Too much hype for the team and Hali leading up to and during the mid-season tourney. It always seems to work this way.

They're getting crushed right now.

I guess this highlights my real issue with the in season tournament,... the scheduling. Final game on the 10th. Pacers start a 4 game, 5 day road trip on the 11th. Team has to be exhausted, physically and a bit emotionally. We aren''t a finished team. We aren't a championship contender,.. yet. We are deep, but we are also young. This is one of the elements of playing in the NBA. It's a long season.

I have similar issues with the All-star game. Have it after the season, before the draft. Give a bit more time & flexibility during the season. I have to believe the league would have fewer injuries, not with an extended break, but with more 'breathing space' during the season. I could be utterly wrong,.. it just seems to make sense?

Post #12 » by **Scoot McGroot** » Tue Dec 26, 2023 3:56 pm

Read on Twitter

?s=61&t=4P34sFh22Otrr6CybjJQ_g

JMaster5K · Post #13 » by **JMaster5K** » Tue Dec 26, 2023 5:24 pm

Scoot McGroot wrote:

Read on Twitter
?s=61&t=4P34sFh22Otrr6CybjJQ_g

'Adds that "everything is on the table" for changes and we will find out what those could be "very soon.'

Great! Finally get to a day after the holidays when I can catch a nap,.. and won't be able to doze off from anticipation!...Couldn't Coach have just said that 'at some point' we'll make some changes?..... LOL 8/

Post #14 » by **Scoot McGroot** » Tue Dec 26, 2023 6:57 pm

JMaster5K wrote:
Scoot McGroot wrote:

Read on Twitter
?s=61&t=4P34sFh22Otrr6CybjJQ_g

'Adds that "everything is on the table" for changes and we will find out what those could be "very soon.'

Great! Finally get to a day after the holidays when I can catch a nap,.. and won't be able to doze off from anticipation!...Couldn't Coach have just said that 'at some point' we'll make some changes?..... LOL 8/

Well, he didn’t say “day to day” or “week to week” so how will we know if it’s in a month or next summer? :lol:

JMaster5K · Post #15 » by **JMaster5K** » Tue Dec 26, 2023 11:34 pm

Scoot McGroot wrote:Well, he didn’t say “day to day” or “week to week” so how will we know if it’s in a month or next summer?

LOL - Thanks Scoot,.. needed that,... going to sleep now,..... LOLOL =]

basketballwacko2 · Post #16 » by **basketballwacko2** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 2:59 am

Pacers giving the rockets a tough game.

Wizop · Post #17 » by **Wizop** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 3:35 am

basketballwacko2 wrote:Pacers giving the rockets a tough game.

Toppin had 7. The other 8 guys who played all were in double figures. That's balance.

basketballwacko2 · Post #18 » by **basketballwacko2** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 3:42 am

Wizop wrote:
basketballwacko2 wrote:Pacers giving the rockets a tough game.

Toppin had 7. The other 8 guys who played all were in double figures. That's balance.

Toppin looks like he should be a decent player, but he's a weak rebounder.

Post #19 » by **boomershadow** » Wed Dec 27, 2023 4:03 pm

I had actually been really hoping to see some Turner/Smith/Nesmith minutes and wasnt optimistic they would go that route again.

JMaster5K · Post #20 » by **JMaster5K** » Thu Dec 28, 2023 11:55 am

boomershadow wrote:I had actually been really hoping to see some Turner/Smith/Nesmith minutes and wasnt optimistic they would go that route again.

I was surprised (pleasantly) to see Stix/Turner - Stix/I-Jax rotations. With Houston playing essentially a double-big line-up, and defending Hali with one of those bigs, it made a lot of sense. Stix or Turner were able to make them pay for the cross-match, by posting who ever had the smaller forward. Myles had a couple really nice drop-steps, that we don't see that often. Really impressed with the game plan from the coaches and the execution from all the bigs.

I did think that the Rockets got a LOT more at the rim than they should have (even being a larger team that has excellent post play). They just seemed to have quicker, better hands near the rim. When they got a hand on the ball, they generally controlled it. The Pacers got a hand on the ball, they only managed to keep it maybe half the time?

After this game,... I am confirmed on the Tari Eason bandwagon. Man, he would make such a nice fit at 4 for the Pacers. LOLOL (sorry,... I broke my record,. it keeps repeating,.... ) LOL =}

A Happy New Year to one and all here! A great New Year to the Pacers!