ducks
10-31-2005, 04:34 PM
Pacers ready, eager for regular season to begin
By STEVE HERMAN, AP Sports Writer
October 31, 2005
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The Indiana Pacers are tired of talking about the brawl, speculating on basketball without Reggie Miller and wondering whether Ron Artest will behave.
They're certainly ready and eager for the new NBA season to begin.
``Last year is kind of a blur, because I don't really remember it,'' Jermaine O'Neal said after practice Monday. ``This year our goals are to play as good as possible, play together and put ourselves in a great position for (the playoff finals in) June.''
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Those also were Indiana's goals last season, until the brawl with Detroit fans led to lengthy suspensions of Artest, O'Neal and Stephen Jackson. The Pacers still managed a 44-38 record, but lost to the Pistons in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The new season, with Artest back but Miller retired, begins Wednesday night at Orlando.
``Last year isn't even a thought anymore,'' O'Neal said. ``It's just another year for us and it's a bigger year. ... Personally, I don't think the Pacers have ever had a team like this as far as talent-wise. One thing we have this year to go with the talent is we have the mental toughness that's going to take us over the top.''
Besides Miller, the Pacers lost Dale Davis through free agency and James Jones through a trade. But they added first-round draft pick Danny Granger, veteran Samaki Walker and sharpshooter Sarunas Jasikevicius, a 29-year-old NBA rookie who played the past five years in Europe.
``In some ways, I think we're in great shape; in other ways, we have work to do,'' coach Rick Carlisle said. ``But I'm sure every coach in the league would say that. Every team is kind of a work in progress, even though you've had a month to prepare.''
The Pacers' second game will be on Thursday night at Miami, one of the other top picks this season in the East, before Indiana's home opener Saturday night against Philadelphia.
The biggest problem for Indiana so far has been injuries to some of the big men. Jeff Foster, the starter most of last season, is still bothered by a sore Achilles' tendon and might remain out several more weeks. David Harrison is back in the rotation, but Scot Pollard is still questionable and might not be ready for the opener.
In the meantime, O'Neal also is filling in at center.
``Without those guys in there, we can't be 100 percent now,'' O'Neal said. ``But we feel like we can win games pretty much against anybody, and if we play hard and together for those 48 minutes we should come back (from the opening road trip) 2-0.''
Carlisle said the Pacers don't talk about last season's turmoil.
``We talk about a lot of things,'' he said. ``We talk about playing with aggression and poise, about playing hard and smart and all that, but an extended discussion about what happened last year isn't necessary.
``We should be one of the better teams, but we know we have to go out and prove it every night.''
Jackson said the team's eagerness to begin this season has nothing to do with atonement for the last.
``We're tired of beating each other up in practice, we're tired of playing games that don't count,'' he said. ``We're definitely ready to go. Obviously, we still have stuff to work on; everybody's not completely healthy. But we have a great group of guys that's ready to go, to get the job done.''
By STEVE HERMAN, AP Sports Writer
October 31, 2005
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The Indiana Pacers are tired of talking about the brawl, speculating on basketball without Reggie Miller and wondering whether Ron Artest will behave.
They're certainly ready and eager for the new NBA season to begin.
``Last year is kind of a blur, because I don't really remember it,'' Jermaine O'Neal said after practice Monday. ``This year our goals are to play as good as possible, play together and put ourselves in a great position for (the playoff finals in) June.''
ADVERTISEMENT
[0]
Those also were Indiana's goals last season, until the brawl with Detroit fans led to lengthy suspensions of Artest, O'Neal and Stephen Jackson. The Pacers still managed a 44-38 record, but lost to the Pistons in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
The new season, with Artest back but Miller retired, begins Wednesday night at Orlando.
``Last year isn't even a thought anymore,'' O'Neal said. ``It's just another year for us and it's a bigger year. ... Personally, I don't think the Pacers have ever had a team like this as far as talent-wise. One thing we have this year to go with the talent is we have the mental toughness that's going to take us over the top.''
Besides Miller, the Pacers lost Dale Davis through free agency and James Jones through a trade. But they added first-round draft pick Danny Granger, veteran Samaki Walker and sharpshooter Sarunas Jasikevicius, a 29-year-old NBA rookie who played the past five years in Europe.
``In some ways, I think we're in great shape; in other ways, we have work to do,'' coach Rick Carlisle said. ``But I'm sure every coach in the league would say that. Every team is kind of a work in progress, even though you've had a month to prepare.''
The Pacers' second game will be on Thursday night at Miami, one of the other top picks this season in the East, before Indiana's home opener Saturday night against Philadelphia.
The biggest problem for Indiana so far has been injuries to some of the big men. Jeff Foster, the starter most of last season, is still bothered by a sore Achilles' tendon and might remain out several more weeks. David Harrison is back in the rotation, but Scot Pollard is still questionable and might not be ready for the opener.
In the meantime, O'Neal also is filling in at center.
``Without those guys in there, we can't be 100 percent now,'' O'Neal said. ``But we feel like we can win games pretty much against anybody, and if we play hard and together for those 48 minutes we should come back (from the opening road trip) 2-0.''
Carlisle said the Pacers don't talk about last season's turmoil.
``We talk about a lot of things,'' he said. ``We talk about playing with aggression and poise, about playing hard and smart and all that, but an extended discussion about what happened last year isn't necessary.
``We should be one of the better teams, but we know we have to go out and prove it every night.''
Jackson said the team's eagerness to begin this season has nothing to do with atonement for the last.
``We're tired of beating each other up in practice, we're tired of playing games that don't count,'' he said. ``We're definitely ready to go. Obviously, we still have stuff to work on; everybody's not completely healthy. But we have a great group of guys that's ready to go, to get the job done.''