Pooh
10-27-2003, 05:57 PM
By Mark Montieth
[email protected]
October 27, 2003
The Indiana Pacers have a new coaching staff with an offensive system that's significantly different from last season. They have a new starting center. They'll probably have a new starting point guard. Some of their key players are recovering from injuries.
And yet the NBA's schedule-makers insist they start the season on Wednesday in Detroit.
"I have concerns," coach Rick Carlisle said Sunday. "We're getting a little better, but we're light-years from being a really good basketball team."
That was obvious by their performance in the preseason, in which they lost five of their last six games and showed only hints of chemistry and consistency.
Carlisle's primary concerns are erratic defensive intensity and offensive carelessness. His team shot 40 percent from the field, allowed 45 percent shooting and averaged 19.3 turnovers per game.
The Pacers aren't alone in struggling to adapt to a new coach's system. The Pistons, who replaced Carlisle with Larry Brown after last season, averaged 18.9 turnovers in the preseason. Still, it's not acceptable for a possession-oriented coach who wants to limit turnovers to less than 14 per game.
That's why Carlisle appears to be leaning toward starting Kenny Anderson ahead of incumbent Jamaal Tinsley at point guard.
Anderson is a free agent signee who missed the first six exhibition games because of a pulled hamstring. But he has more history with Carlisle than Tinsley, and might bring a steadier hand to the offense.
Anderson averaged 6.5 assists and 1.5 turnovers in the preseason while shooting 45.5 percent. Tinsley averaged 4.4 assists and two turnovers while shooting 37.5 percent.
Carlisle said he has not decided who will start at Detroit, but Anderson has worked more with the starters than the reserves in practice and the assumption within the team is that he will get the call. If he starts, he'll join center Scot Pollard as new additions to the lineup.
"We want our point guards to be aggressive, but we need their decision-making to be sound," Carlisle said. "I showed Jamaal a tape a few days ago of him making plays off the move. Generally, when he got himself in the air he got in trouble, but when he stayed on the ground he made great plays. It's an adjustment for him to understand exactly what we're asking of him, because our system is significantly different than what they did last year. Everybody's going through an adjustment period."
Anderson, 33, has started every season of his 12-year career except last season, when he came off the bench for Seattle and New Orleans.
"I'll just do whatever, man," he said. "Whatever you want me to do."
Anderson and Carlisle have been together for five seasons during Carlisle's formative years as an assistant coach -- four in New Jersey and one in Portland. Tinsley started his first two seasons in the NBA under previous coach Isiah Thomas.
Still, Anderson is adapting to a new system like everyone else and learning the tendencies of his teammates.
"Everybody's trying to figure out the same stuff," he said. "You just have to play through it. It's going to be rough for us in Detroit. But whatever you do, you do it hard. Do it aggressively."
Brewer survives cut
Carlisle finalized his roster Sunday by waiving Omar Cook, Carl English and Michael Smith to reach the maximum limit of 15 players.
That means third-year veteran Jamison Brewer, who appeared in danger of losing his job early in training camp, is safe for now. He played 58 minutes in the eight preseason games, hitting 1-of-10 shots and scoring six points.
"Jamison Brewer grew on me because of his competitiveness and his professionalism," Carlisle said. "I took a real liking to him as a kid."
Brewer also had the advantage of a guaranteed contract. The Pacers would have to pay him if they release him.
Cook, however, seemed capable of unseating Brewer from the fourth point guard position early in training camp. Cook, a second-round pick two years ago when he left St. John's after his freshman season, had a strong first week of practice and then scored 13 points while hitting all four field-goal attempts in the opening preseason game against Chicago.
He quickly became a suitable subject for a whatever-happened-to story. He scored just seven points on 2-of-20 shooting in the remaining seven games.
"Sometimes success can be a form of adversity," Carlisle said. "It might have been better for him if he had gotten gradually better as the games went along. The fact he had a great game right away might have made it a little tough for him to live up to that.
"But this is a (21-year-old) youngster who's on the cusp of being ready for this league. It wouldn't surprise me if he got picked up right away. I know a lot of people saw that first game."
Notes
Austin Croshere, who sat out preseason play after pulling a hamstring in the opener, said he expects to be able to play on Wednesday. . . . Anthony Johnson, who broke his left ring finger in practice before exhibition play started, will be examined by team orthopedist Sanford Kunkel today. He's hopeful of being activated for Wednesday's game, but could start the season on the injured list. . . . Ron Artest missed Sunday's practice for personal reasons related to his family.
[email protected]
October 27, 2003
The Indiana Pacers have a new coaching staff with an offensive system that's significantly different from last season. They have a new starting center. They'll probably have a new starting point guard. Some of their key players are recovering from injuries.
And yet the NBA's schedule-makers insist they start the season on Wednesday in Detroit.
"I have concerns," coach Rick Carlisle said Sunday. "We're getting a little better, but we're light-years from being a really good basketball team."
That was obvious by their performance in the preseason, in which they lost five of their last six games and showed only hints of chemistry and consistency.
Carlisle's primary concerns are erratic defensive intensity and offensive carelessness. His team shot 40 percent from the field, allowed 45 percent shooting and averaged 19.3 turnovers per game.
The Pacers aren't alone in struggling to adapt to a new coach's system. The Pistons, who replaced Carlisle with Larry Brown after last season, averaged 18.9 turnovers in the preseason. Still, it's not acceptable for a possession-oriented coach who wants to limit turnovers to less than 14 per game.
That's why Carlisle appears to be leaning toward starting Kenny Anderson ahead of incumbent Jamaal Tinsley at point guard.
Anderson is a free agent signee who missed the first six exhibition games because of a pulled hamstring. But he has more history with Carlisle than Tinsley, and might bring a steadier hand to the offense.
Anderson averaged 6.5 assists and 1.5 turnovers in the preseason while shooting 45.5 percent. Tinsley averaged 4.4 assists and two turnovers while shooting 37.5 percent.
Carlisle said he has not decided who will start at Detroit, but Anderson has worked more with the starters than the reserves in practice and the assumption within the team is that he will get the call. If he starts, he'll join center Scot Pollard as new additions to the lineup.
"We want our point guards to be aggressive, but we need their decision-making to be sound," Carlisle said. "I showed Jamaal a tape a few days ago of him making plays off the move. Generally, when he got himself in the air he got in trouble, but when he stayed on the ground he made great plays. It's an adjustment for him to understand exactly what we're asking of him, because our system is significantly different than what they did last year. Everybody's going through an adjustment period."
Anderson, 33, has started every season of his 12-year career except last season, when he came off the bench for Seattle and New Orleans.
"I'll just do whatever, man," he said. "Whatever you want me to do."
Anderson and Carlisle have been together for five seasons during Carlisle's formative years as an assistant coach -- four in New Jersey and one in Portland. Tinsley started his first two seasons in the NBA under previous coach Isiah Thomas.
Still, Anderson is adapting to a new system like everyone else and learning the tendencies of his teammates.
"Everybody's trying to figure out the same stuff," he said. "You just have to play through it. It's going to be rough for us in Detroit. But whatever you do, you do it hard. Do it aggressively."
Brewer survives cut
Carlisle finalized his roster Sunday by waiving Omar Cook, Carl English and Michael Smith to reach the maximum limit of 15 players.
That means third-year veteran Jamison Brewer, who appeared in danger of losing his job early in training camp, is safe for now. He played 58 minutes in the eight preseason games, hitting 1-of-10 shots and scoring six points.
"Jamison Brewer grew on me because of his competitiveness and his professionalism," Carlisle said. "I took a real liking to him as a kid."
Brewer also had the advantage of a guaranteed contract. The Pacers would have to pay him if they release him.
Cook, however, seemed capable of unseating Brewer from the fourth point guard position early in training camp. Cook, a second-round pick two years ago when he left St. John's after his freshman season, had a strong first week of practice and then scored 13 points while hitting all four field-goal attempts in the opening preseason game against Chicago.
He quickly became a suitable subject for a whatever-happened-to story. He scored just seven points on 2-of-20 shooting in the remaining seven games.
"Sometimes success can be a form of adversity," Carlisle said. "It might have been better for him if he had gotten gradually better as the games went along. The fact he had a great game right away might have made it a little tough for him to live up to that.
"But this is a (21-year-old) youngster who's on the cusp of being ready for this league. It wouldn't surprise me if he got picked up right away. I know a lot of people saw that first game."
Notes
Austin Croshere, who sat out preseason play after pulling a hamstring in the opener, said he expects to be able to play on Wednesday. . . . Anthony Johnson, who broke his left ring finger in practice before exhibition play started, will be examined by team orthopedist Sanford Kunkel today. He's hopeful of being activated for Wednesday's game, but could start the season on the injured list. . . . Ron Artest missed Sunday's practice for personal reasons related to his family.