Game 74: Spurs vs Pacers: Monday March 31, 2014 6:00 CT

[Ditty]

i have a feeling pepe le pew is going to tear up, and we will win by 10+

[RD2191]

Espn will have a fest if the Pacers win. Bring up or record against supposed top 5 teams and declare the Pacers beast from the east.

[Fireball]

Pacers are still 33-4 at home, so despite them playing poorly lately they still get Ws at home. No way this is gonna be an easy game. But I agree with some of them here that we should try to stomp them really bad if we get the chance ...

[rayray2k8]

After reading a little bit of the Pacers forum, those guys are ready to jump off the cliff. Some are being a little over dramatic on not being able to take regular season losses. I for one will be watching the game and won't really care if we lose that game. I'm actually hoping this winning streak ends soon because it kinda feels like it did 2 years ago and we all know how that turned out. Not too concerned with that because this team has a ridiculous amount of experience that they've gain in the last 2 years.
We'll see how this goes. Only less than 3 weeks to go before the playoffs start and the players and fans are right back where we were a year ago.
I think I speak for most fans when I say, whether the Spurs win it all this year or not, I just want the Spurs to get another shot at the Finals and if possible against Miami..

[MI21]

Pacers homecourt is very hard to win at not only because they are a good team, but because they get away with more than any other team in the NBA at home, tbh. Be prepared to be angry at the referees.

[Robz4000]

Gonna miss most, if not all this game...

Lets get W #18

[BillMc]

Pacers recent meltdowns have nearly all been on the road. This will be a tough game - but we'll pull it out.

[boutons_deux]

5-5 in the Last10 in March sure looks bad (Spurs have been there, for sure), like something broke.

Spurs win if Pop plays to win and doesn't screw around with weird lineups. Setting the Spurs' record of 18 straight at this Pacer team would be great.

[mando6599]

Do we know if the Red Rocket made the trip to INDY? If so, we lose. He's probably too involved with the NCAA's right now anyways with Florida in the Final Four, to even care. Go Big Blue!

[Old School 44]

As amazing is the Spurs win streak, is the falling off of the Pacers.

A still-recovering, rarely used Granger gets traded for Evan Turner, the signing of talented, but often-troubled Andrew Bynum, and maybe even that Lance Stephenson not making the All-Star team...I wonder if any of these things really had an impact on how the Pacers have fallen since the break? Or could it just be boredom, playing in the East, knowing you've clinched the 1 or 2 seed after the first month of the season?

[RD2191]

This has loss written all over it. Indy desperately needs a morale boosting win.

[boutons_deux]

David West: 'I Would Say' That Indiana Pacers Have Hit Rock Bottom

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2...m_campaign=nba

[buttsR4rebounding]

As amazing is the Spurs win streak, is the falling off of the Pacers.

A still-recovering, rarely used Granger gets traded for Evan Turner, the signing of talented, but often-troubled Andrew Bynum, and maybe even that Lance Stephenson not making the All-Star team...I wonder if any of these things really had an impact on how the Pacers have fallen since the break? Or could it just be boredom, playing in the East, knowing you've clinched the 1 or 2 seed after the first month of the season?

And they clinched a playoff spot a month ago. I remember thinking that the Spurs with the best record in the league were still weeks away from being able to clinch and they had clinched in January. Gotta be hard to stay focused when the compe ion in your conference is so weak.

[boutons_deux]

And they clinched a playoff spot a month ago. I remember thinking that the Spurs with the best record in the league were still weeks away from being able to clinch and they had clinched in January. Gotta be hard to stay focused when the compe ion in your conference is so weak.

they risk now losing #1 seed in EC.

[look_at_g_shred]

This has loss written all over it. Indy desperately needs a morale boosting win.

C'mon man we finna rape dees hoes.

[MeloHype]

Easy win

[Dex]

Indiana is definitely in a funk, but is gonna come out with something to prove tonight. I guess all we can do is wait and see which Pacers team shows up.

[Dex]

As amazing is the Spurs win streak, is the falling off of the Pacers.

A still-recovering, rarely used Granger gets traded for Evan Turner, the signing of talented, but often-troubled Andrew Bynum, and maybe even that Lance Stephenson not making the All-Star team...I wonder if any of these things really had an impact on how the Pacers have fallen since the break? Or could it just be boredom, playing in the East, knowing you've clinched the 1 or 2 seed after the first month of the season?

The players are all acting like they are on an episode of Dr. Phil over there, talking about "rock bottom" and "soul searching". Not sure exactly what the cause of the trouble is (although signing one of the biggest known cancers in the league could play into it), but there is definitely turbulence afoot.

[Mel_13]

Indiana winning at a 42 win pace on the road and a 73 win pace at home. They really need HCA to have any chance to beat Miami and they know it.

[BillMc]

We're playing them in Indiana. This won't be an easy game. There recent troubles have nearly all been on the road.

[Old School 44]

The players are all acting like they are on an episode of Dr. Phil over there, talking about "rock bottom" and "soul searching". Not sure exactly what the cause of the trouble is (although signing one of the biggest known cancers in the league could play into it), but there is definitely turbulence afoot.

Yeah, it's crazy. Can't say I recall ever seeing anything like it. Usually a drop off like this is due to an injury to a key player, but I haven't heard of anyone missing time. Stopping the Spurs streak could be HUGE to get off the doctor's couch or a decisive loss could spiral them further down the rabbit hole where they start publicly pointing fingers.

[Old School 44]

Indiana winning at a 42 win pace on the road and a 73 win pace at home. They really need HCA to have any chance to beat Miami and they know it.

I thought from the beginning it was huge mistake by Vogel and some of the players to publicly state that they needed HCA. Why add that pressure? They should have taken the Pop approach. Not sure if the Pop influenced him, but I heard a Spoelstra interview that sounded much like Pop. He said something like "the record/seeding is not so important, but playing well and having all our guys healthy going into the playoffs is what we hope for."

[Uriel]

I think we're all in agreement that we'd rather face Indiana than Miami in the Finals, right? If so, wouldn't it be in our best long-term interest to give Indiana a hand in the race to the 1 seed in the East by tanking this game?

[Dex]

I thought from the beginning it was huge mistake by Vogel and some of the players to publicly state that they needed HCA. Why add that pressure? They should have taken the Pop approach. Not sure if the Pop influenced him, but I heard a Spoelstra interview that sounded much like Pop. He said something like "the record/seeding is not so important, but playing well and having all our guys healthy going into the playoffs is what we hope for."

Spo is gonna get the #1 seed and he ing knows it. This is the East, and the Pacers are going down faster than a prom date.

[playbonner15]

I think we're all in agreement that we'd rather face Indiana than Miami in the Finals, right? If so, wouldn't it be in our best long-term interest to give Indiana a hand in the race to the 1 seed in the East by tanking this game?

Lol no. Spurs want the Heat so that Pop and Ginobili can finally ride into the sunset / sleep well at night