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The Indiana Pacers were right there.
The No. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference, the team nobody believed could hang with the first-seeded Chicago Bulls in this first-round NBA playoff series, did just that Saturday at United Center.
The Pacers just couldn’t finish the deal, falling 104-99 after allowing the Bulls to go on a 16-1 run in the final 3:38.
By Drew Allen
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Fans in Area 55 weren’t going to be left out in the cold.
The rowdiest spectators in Conseco Fieldhouse remained in the Roy Hibbert-sponsored section well after the final buzzer of the Indiana Pacers’ 136-112 rout of the Washington Wizards to watch the final minutes of the Orlando Magic’s overtime victory against the Charlotte Bobcats on the arena’s jumbo screen.
And sure enough, those fans were the first to know their team had clinched its first berth in the NBA playoffs since the 2005-06 season.
By Drew Allen
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Some guys really do play with chips on their shoulders.
That seems to be the case with Indiana Pacers forward Tyler Hansbrough, who arguably has been the team’s most reliable player in terms of production during a recent 1-8 skid that left Indiana hanging on for dear life in eighth place in the Eastern Conference.
Hansbrough’s current season averages of 10.5 points per game and 4.9 rebounds per game certainly aren’t indicative of how the former North Carolina standout has played recently. He recorded back-to-back career-high scoring nights in a home-and-home sweep of the New York Knicks, posting 29 points Sunday at Madison Square Garden and one-upping that tally with the first 30-point game of his pro career Tuesday at Conseco Fieldhouse.
Surprised? Those who follow the Pacers regularly shouldn’t be.
By Drew Allen
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Who’s to blame?
Who is responsible for the no-go on a trade that would have sent Memphis Grizzlies guard O.J. Mayo to the Indiana Pacers in exchange for forward Josh McRoberts and Indiana’s first-round pick?
Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley blamed the Pacers, reportedly saying they took too much time trying to organize a concurrent deal that would have sent guard Brandon Rush to the New Orleans Hornets.
The Pacers argued that Memphis pulled out of the deal at the last minute.
Whoever is at fault, the deal didn’t get done.
By Drew Allen
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The Indiana Pacers fired coach Jim O’Brien on Sunday midway through the fourth year of O’Brien’s contract and named assistant Frank Vogel interim coach for the rest of 2010-11.
O’Brien went 121-169 as Pacers coach and began this season 17-27 before being relieved of his duties.
The first thing to take away from Sunday’s news is that the Pacers are doing the right thing in parting ways with O’Brien. He wasn’t getting it done at a point in his contract when Indiana should be a solid playoff contender in a weak Eastern Conference. I’ll have more on that later, but O’Brien’s dismissal presents an opportunity for the Pacers to start fresh.
The question is, is it just the first one?
By Drew Allen
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Who says Chicago Bulls two guard Ronnie Brewer is only a defensive specialist? He looked pretty offensive here, at least to the Indiana Pacers Josh McRoberts, who got dunked and owned. It was deemed Sportscenter’s #1 highlight of the night. And even more entertaining than the dunk was television announcer Stacy King’s exclamated gibberish.
His effervescent, nutbar ramblings make this clip all the more fun. Hat tip to Docksquad Sports for this video.
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