pooh
05-13-2005, 04:53 PM
Pacers hoping to make their homecourt an advantage.
Link (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylc=X3oDMTBpNWZic251BF9TAzI1NjY0ODI1BHNlYwN0 aA--?slug=ap-pistons-pacers&prov=ap&type=lgns)
By MICHAEL MAROT, AP Sports Writer
May 12, 2005
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Playing at home has hardly been an advantage for the Indiana Pacers in the playoffs.
To change that, the Pacers need to be every bit as physical, energetic and aggressive Friday night in Game 3 against the Pistons as they were Wednesday night in Detroit, when Indiana evened the series with a 92-83 win.
"If you can't play consistently well at home in the playoffs, you'll have a hard time winning,'' coach Rick Carlisle said Thursday. "One of our major concerns is that we have not played very well at home in the playoffs.''
Carlisle has all the evidence he needs to get Indiana's attention.
The Pacers lost two of three home games to Boston in the first round and blew home-court advantage in last year's Eastern Conference finals against the eventual NBA champion Pistons. In Game 6 against Boston, they shot a miserable 26.9 percent from the field -- an NBA franchise low for a playoff game.
More proof? Just last week, after losing Game 6 -- a game that could have been Reggie Miller's last in Indianapolis, Miller suggested the Pacers were better on the road than at home.
Carlisle endorsed that theory Thursday.
"I think if you look at the circumstances, we've come back after big road wins and not played well or we've played carelessly,'' Carlisle said. "That's something you can't do, especially in the second round against the defending champs.''
Game 4 of the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series in Sunday at Conseco Fieldhouse.
Carlisle expects the Pistons to get more physical on the road -- and it sounds like that's the Pistons' plan.
"When I was leaving last night, I thought they just played good,'' guard Chauncey Billups said. "Once we watched the tape, we realized that our effort was terrible. ... We know we can't do that Friday. You can't ever get complacent on the road.''
But this has been a curious series this season -- and not just because of the November brawl at the Palace or the March bomb threat.
The road team has won five of six meetings this season, with the lone exception being Detroit's 96-81 victory in Game 1.
Detroit blew an early 15-point lead in Game 2 and was surprisingly outrebounded.
"Sometimes, it doesn't pay to get out to a big lead,'' Detroit's Ben Wallace said. "You start taking plays off, and before you know it, you are losing. It's about staying focused and poised and doing what we know we have to do.''
Another issue for Detroit is Richard Hamilton's right calf injury. Although Hamilton had an uncharacteristically poor second half Wednesday, shooting just 1-of-9, coach Larry Brown said Hamilton was sore but probable for Game 3.
Brown expects a more Hamilton-like game Friday.
"It was very unlike him the way he played. I think he got a little frustrated with the injury, but I've never seen him like that,'' Brown said. "He had five or six turnovers and he was getting beat on dribble drives. That's not how he plays.''
Carlisle is trying to make sure his players get the message after spending the past week on the road: They need to play more like they do at other venues.
"We know we can't take anything for granted just because we're coming home,'' he said. "Unfortunately, our trend at home has been to be a little more careless with the ball and not as focused.
"On the one hand, having the crowd in our favor is a good thing. On the other hand, at times, we've played too frantically.''
Link (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylc=X3oDMTBpNWZic251BF9TAzI1NjY0ODI1BHNlYwN0 aA--?slug=ap-pistons-pacers&prov=ap&type=lgns)
By MICHAEL MAROT, AP Sports Writer
May 12, 2005
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Playing at home has hardly been an advantage for the Indiana Pacers in the playoffs.
To change that, the Pacers need to be every bit as physical, energetic and aggressive Friday night in Game 3 against the Pistons as they were Wednesday night in Detroit, when Indiana evened the series with a 92-83 win.
"If you can't play consistently well at home in the playoffs, you'll have a hard time winning,'' coach Rick Carlisle said Thursday. "One of our major concerns is that we have not played very well at home in the playoffs.''
Carlisle has all the evidence he needs to get Indiana's attention.
The Pacers lost two of three home games to Boston in the first round and blew home-court advantage in last year's Eastern Conference finals against the eventual NBA champion Pistons. In Game 6 against Boston, they shot a miserable 26.9 percent from the field -- an NBA franchise low for a playoff game.
More proof? Just last week, after losing Game 6 -- a game that could have been Reggie Miller's last in Indianapolis, Miller suggested the Pacers were better on the road than at home.
Carlisle endorsed that theory Thursday.
"I think if you look at the circumstances, we've come back after big road wins and not played well or we've played carelessly,'' Carlisle said. "That's something you can't do, especially in the second round against the defending champs.''
Game 4 of the best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series in Sunday at Conseco Fieldhouse.
Carlisle expects the Pistons to get more physical on the road -- and it sounds like that's the Pistons' plan.
"When I was leaving last night, I thought they just played good,'' guard Chauncey Billups said. "Once we watched the tape, we realized that our effort was terrible. ... We know we can't do that Friday. You can't ever get complacent on the road.''
But this has been a curious series this season -- and not just because of the November brawl at the Palace or the March bomb threat.
The road team has won five of six meetings this season, with the lone exception being Detroit's 96-81 victory in Game 1.
Detroit blew an early 15-point lead in Game 2 and was surprisingly outrebounded.
"Sometimes, it doesn't pay to get out to a big lead,'' Detroit's Ben Wallace said. "You start taking plays off, and before you know it, you are losing. It's about staying focused and poised and doing what we know we have to do.''
Another issue for Detroit is Richard Hamilton's right calf injury. Although Hamilton had an uncharacteristically poor second half Wednesday, shooting just 1-of-9, coach Larry Brown said Hamilton was sore but probable for Game 3.
Brown expects a more Hamilton-like game Friday.
"It was very unlike him the way he played. I think he got a little frustrated with the injury, but I've never seen him like that,'' Brown said. "He had five or six turnovers and he was getting beat on dribble drives. That's not how he plays.''
Carlisle is trying to make sure his players get the message after spending the past week on the road: They need to play more like they do at other venues.
"We know we can't take anything for granted just because we're coming home,'' he said. "Unfortunately, our trend at home has been to be a little more careless with the ball and not as focused.
"On the one hand, having the crowd in our favor is a good thing. On the other hand, at times, we've played too frantically.''