Setting The Pace
By Johnnie Clay – Pacers Insider
November 9, 2003
It's been a little over a week now since the 2003-2004 season began, for the Pacers it's been exciting time. Coming off a turbulent off-season, many people (including this writer) didn't know what to think about this group of Pacers. How were they going to mesh together?
Would Ron Artest blow a major fuse and begin collecting fine money for Commissioner Stern? And what about Jermaine O’Neal? His friend and Coach Isiah Thomas, fired just before camp in favor of former Pacers’ assistant and Detroit Pistons head coach Rick Carlisle.
Would Jermaine’s outburst about Isiah’s firing implode this team once again from within? Well after seven games, it appears the answers to all of these questions have been answered for the time being with a resounding no.
The Pacers right now are currently on a five-game winning streak. Their latest victim was the Philadelphia 76’ers on November 9th defeating them 85-74.
How are they doing it you may ask? Good question. It’s a lot of things really. Its’ origins go back to the opening night of the season.
Right after their opening night victory in Detroit, the Milwaukee Bucks trounced the Pacers. The loss caused Coach Rick Carlisle to make some quick changes; the first one had already been completed during the win over the Pistons.
Jamaal Tinsley had a good off-season. He worked out all summer long and by all indications, had an excellent pre-season. Apparently Carlisle didn’t like Tinsley’s performance during that game and Tinsley’s minutes began to deteriorate, and at this writing, Tinsley is now third, on the Pacers depth chart at point guard.
Kenny Anderson, who only played in Pacers’ final pre-season game, was made the starting point guard. Since then Anderson, and off-season pick up Anthony Johnson have been showing dividends already. The duo has helped the Pacers cut deficits and start the team off on the right track on games, something that was missing sorely last year.
The other change was at the center position.
Almost everyone thought Scot Pollard would be the starter and rest would just gather up minutes whenever he was tired. But you can learn a lot in the pre-season. Apparently, Pacers G.M. Larry Bird thought he was getting a steal when he traded All-Star center Brad Miller for Pollard earlier this summer. The real steal was sitting on the Pacers bench.
For three years now, Jeff Foster waited…and waited. During the opening night win against the Pistons, Foster showed Carlisle that he should be the one in the paint instead of Pollard.
Pollard’s erratic play during that win, coupled with Fosters’ hustle and aggressiveness, allow him to over seat Pollard and take the starting position away from him. And it’s paid off. Averaging close to ten boards a night, Foster has become what Pollard hasn’t.
Foster hustles after loose balls, Pollard stands and watches. Foster passes the ball and shoots when he gets a good look, Pollard moves around looking for a shot.
With his new “lineup’, Carlisle’s Pacers have won five straight, including a win over the two time Eastern Conference Champion New Jersey Nets. Their wins haven’t been spectacular, but to those who have seen them, they know that they biggest improvement on this team so far has been defense and team unity.
On this winning streak, the Pacers defense has been extraordinary, holding teams to fewer than fifty percent shooting. A lot of this can be attributed to Ron Artest, whose at ude has been put in check so far this season. He’s currently the leading scorer on the team, and in crunch time, it’s been Artest who has saved the day for the Pacers.
Artest’s most notable contribution came this past Friday night, when Jermaine O’Neal dumped the ball off to Artest with less than thirty seconds remaining. Artest weaved in and out of Cavalier defense and hit the shot, getting fouled in the process. The completion of the three-point play gave the Pacers a thrilling come from behind win against the Cavaliers
With the pieces of the puzzle coming together slowly, what next? Rumors have been swirling that someone will have to be traded. Can Foster play the whole year at center? What will happen to Tinsley? Who will be the first to be let go?
No one really knows, including myself. Right now it looks really good. The Pacers have been exciting this season. But for now it’s one game at a time, hopefully the momentum from this great start can be sustained throughout the season until June. Then we can really have something to cheer about.
If there are any trades i would like for croshere, pollard, or tins to be traded for a legitimate center. I don't like pollard's play at all. Tins has a little bit of trade value, and i wish we could just dump croshere. I would be very mad if, realistically, Al, Artest, or Bender are traded. I think are depth at F is valuable. Don't trade any of those guys inlcuding JO of course.
I think the ones who should be let go are Tins, Croshere and Pollard. I would however hold onto Bender and perhaps Primoz, mainly cause we haven't seen them play yet.
The only one of those mentioned who definately is on the way out is Tins.
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