Jimcs50
01-06-2005, 02:11 PM
Pacers ready for daunting stretch
Western swing pits Indiana against 3 of NBA's hottest teams, MVP candidates.
Key matchup
Pacers forward Jermaine O'Neal vs. Spurs forward Tim Duncan
Duncan, a two-time MVP, has slightly better numbers, and the Spurs are 9-3 against Indiana during his tenure, but he has never encountered a hotter O'Neal. The Pacers All-Star has averaged 29.4 points per game since his return, and 36.7 the past three games. Another big effort could extend the Pacers' winning streak to a season-high five games.
About the Spurs
San Antonio is scoring 11.78 more points per game than its opponents, the biggest margin in the league. The primary reason? Defense. The Spurs are allowing a league-low 85 points per game and holding opponents to 41 percent shooting. . . . Seattle is the only team to score 100 points against the Spurs this season, and eight teams have failed to reach 80. . . . Since Duncan joined the team in 1997-98, the Spurs have the best winning percentage of any major sports franchise (406-169, .706). :smokin
By Kristen Leigh Porter
[email protected]
January 6, 2005
"1 (week), 4 games."
That was the message on the eraser board in the Indiana Pacers' locker room as a reminder of the task facing a team starting to resemble its early-season self.
Reggie Miller
Beating Milwaukee on Tuesday was something from which to build, but forward Jermaine O'Neal said finishing the week at San Antonio (26-7), Dallas (21-10) and Phoenix (27-4) will show how good the Pacers are.
"We've got some of the cream of the crops going on this West Coast trip," said O'Neal, who is coming off a 55-point performance. "We just want to see where we're at defensively, mostly, because those guys have put up a lot of numbers. Obviously, offensively we can score some points, but stopping a team like Dallas, stopping a team like San Antonio, stopping a team like Phoenix is going to be tough to do."
The Pacers have won four of five games since O'Neal returned from a 15-game suspension and are just two games out of first place in the Central Division.
"The team is starting to find its mark," Reggie Miller said, "and I'm excited about that."
The challenge now, said coach Rick Carlisle, is to go on the road and play with balance.
"Teams are going to really pay close, close attention to Jermaine; I'm sure he's going to start seeing double-teams," Carlisle said. "We're going to have to be ready to move the ball and make plays in other places. That's a challenge we look forward to."
The Pacers are happy to have their All-Star when going against the likes of San Antonio's Tim Duncan, Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki and Phoenix's Amare Stoudemire.
On Wednesday, Nowitzki was named the Western Conference Player of the Month after averaging 27.2 points and 9.0 rebounds in December. Stoudemire had his first 50-point performance Sunday and is averaging 26.6 points and 10 rebounds.
Tonight? A date with two-time MVP Duncan, who is averaging 21.8 points and 11.9 rebounds per game.
"And now at this stage of his career, he's demonstrating a level of patience that is allowing their team to play with an unbelievable balance," Carlisle said of Duncan.
Carlisle considers San Antonio the best in the West. O'Neal isn't so sure.
"I think Phoenix is probably playing the best basketball offensively, but I think overall team basketball, (the Spurs) may be playing . . . best," O'Neal said. "But you've got to go with the best record, and that's the Phoenix Suns right now."
Either way, it makes for a tough trip.
Indiana is 7-7 on the road this season. Last season, the Pacers tied for the best road record in the NBA with the Minnesota Timberwolves, going 27-14.
"We just go into every arena with a lot of confidence," Fred Jones said. "We feel like we can beat anybody at any given time."
Western swing pits Indiana against 3 of NBA's hottest teams, MVP candidates.
Key matchup
Pacers forward Jermaine O'Neal vs. Spurs forward Tim Duncan
Duncan, a two-time MVP, has slightly better numbers, and the Spurs are 9-3 against Indiana during his tenure, but he has never encountered a hotter O'Neal. The Pacers All-Star has averaged 29.4 points per game since his return, and 36.7 the past three games. Another big effort could extend the Pacers' winning streak to a season-high five games.
About the Spurs
San Antonio is scoring 11.78 more points per game than its opponents, the biggest margin in the league. The primary reason? Defense. The Spurs are allowing a league-low 85 points per game and holding opponents to 41 percent shooting. . . . Seattle is the only team to score 100 points against the Spurs this season, and eight teams have failed to reach 80. . . . Since Duncan joined the team in 1997-98, the Spurs have the best winning percentage of any major sports franchise (406-169, .706). :smokin
By Kristen Leigh Porter
[email protected]
January 6, 2005
"1 (week), 4 games."
That was the message on the eraser board in the Indiana Pacers' locker room as a reminder of the task facing a team starting to resemble its early-season self.
Reggie Miller
Beating Milwaukee on Tuesday was something from which to build, but forward Jermaine O'Neal said finishing the week at San Antonio (26-7), Dallas (21-10) and Phoenix (27-4) will show how good the Pacers are.
"We've got some of the cream of the crops going on this West Coast trip," said O'Neal, who is coming off a 55-point performance. "We just want to see where we're at defensively, mostly, because those guys have put up a lot of numbers. Obviously, offensively we can score some points, but stopping a team like Dallas, stopping a team like San Antonio, stopping a team like Phoenix is going to be tough to do."
The Pacers have won four of five games since O'Neal returned from a 15-game suspension and are just two games out of first place in the Central Division.
"The team is starting to find its mark," Reggie Miller said, "and I'm excited about that."
The challenge now, said coach Rick Carlisle, is to go on the road and play with balance.
"Teams are going to really pay close, close attention to Jermaine; I'm sure he's going to start seeing double-teams," Carlisle said. "We're going to have to be ready to move the ball and make plays in other places. That's a challenge we look forward to."
The Pacers are happy to have their All-Star when going against the likes of San Antonio's Tim Duncan, Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki and Phoenix's Amare Stoudemire.
On Wednesday, Nowitzki was named the Western Conference Player of the Month after averaging 27.2 points and 9.0 rebounds in December. Stoudemire had his first 50-point performance Sunday and is averaging 26.6 points and 10 rebounds.
Tonight? A date with two-time MVP Duncan, who is averaging 21.8 points and 11.9 rebounds per game.
"And now at this stage of his career, he's demonstrating a level of patience that is allowing their team to play with an unbelievable balance," Carlisle said of Duncan.
Carlisle considers San Antonio the best in the West. O'Neal isn't so sure.
"I think Phoenix is probably playing the best basketball offensively, but I think overall team basketball, (the Spurs) may be playing . . . best," O'Neal said. "But you've got to go with the best record, and that's the Phoenix Suns right now."
Either way, it makes for a tough trip.
Indiana is 7-7 on the road this season. Last season, the Pacers tied for the best road record in the NBA with the Minnesota Timberwolves, going 27-14.
"We just go into every arena with a lot of confidence," Fred Jones said. "We feel like we can beat anybody at any given time."