2009-10 Season Preview: Indiana Pacers
How soon Mike Dunleavy is able to return and the progression of Brandon Rush and Roy Hibbert will indicate whether or not Indiana is able to enter the playoff conversation.
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Foster Withstands Turnover In Indiana
Jeff Foster has gone from little-used rookie on a championship-caliber team to elder statesmen on a middling club.
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Peers Like What Pacers Are Doing
A rival general manager had some very positive things to say about how the Pacers have set themselves up for the future.
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Greater Expectations?
Should the Pacers expect to break through and end their playoff drought if Mike Dunleavy returns early?
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Patience Will Pay Off For Pacers
It's increasingly hard to be patient, but the restoration of the Pacers is a flip that just might be worth tuning in to watch.
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Grading The Deal: Pacers Land Jones
Agreeing to terms with Dahntay Jones was a minor detail, but it perfectly fits with what Larry Bird and David Morway are trying to accomplish in Indiana.
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Is Daniels Still An Option For Indiana?
The Pacers couldn't afford to pay Marquis Daniels $7.35 million in 2009-10, but re-signing him to a long-term deal isn't out of the question.
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Pacers Opt For Hansbrough's Pedigree
It wasn't a popular pick, but the Pacers are very happy to have drafted Tyler Hansbrough with the 13th overall selection.
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Pacers Need To Focus On A Big Man
Assuming the Pacers hold into the 13th pick, they need to focus on drafting a big man even if a point guard tempts them.
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30 Teams, 30 Days: Indiana Draft Preview
DeJuan Blair gives the Pacers exactly what they need, and is a good bet to be called 13th next Thursday assuming Indiana isn’t worried about his knees or weight.
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Will The Pacers Take A Point Guard?
Ty Lawson said on Thursday afternoon the Pacers may not be happy with T.J. Ford and Jarrett Jack at point guard. Does his claim have merit?
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What Does Winning MIP Mean For Granger?
Historically, winning the Most Improved Player award doesn't always lead to a successful career. What will it mean for Danny Granger?
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Pacers Enter Summer Of Importance
The Pacers have to decide what to do with Jarrett Jack and Marquis Daniels, while also preparing for the probable reduction of both the salary cap and luxury tax threshold.
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Pacers Remain Committed To Indiana, Winning
It may not be reflected in their record, or by the headlines in the mainstream media, but the Pacers are on the right track.
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Problems Abound For Pacers
The Pacers have an All-Star in Danny Granger, a double-double machine in Troy Murphy and an outside shot at a playoff berth, but financial matters have clouded their future.
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Murphy Provides Rare Consistency
Troy Murphy has been labeled as an overpaid role player ever since he landed in Indiana two seasons ago, but his play this season should silence all critics.
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Murphy Provides Rare Consistency
Troy Murphy has been labeled as an overpaid role player ever since he landed in Indiana two seasons ago, but his play this season should be silence all critics.
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The NBA's Resident Seesaw
The Pacers have beaten the Celtics, Lakers, Cavaliers and Magic, but have also been known to lose to teams like the Grizzles, Wizards and Clippers.
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Why The Tinsley-Felton Trade Won't Happen
The rumored trade between Indiana and Charlotte would rid the Pacers of Jamaal Tinsley, but is it the right deal to make?
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Pacers Can’t Take Advantage Of Opportunity
Two weeks ago the Indiana Pacers appeared to be on a moderate upswing, but heading into the All-Star break their chance to gain ground in the East appears to have come and gone.
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No Plans To Add Reggie To Front Office
These days NBA front offices are full of former players, but the Pacers haven't had any discussions with Reggie Miller on a possible executive gig.
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Let's Send Granger To Phoenix!
Pacers' president Larry Bird and coach Jim O'Brien are doing their parts to help get forward Danny Granger the recognition he needs to make the Eastern Conference All-Star team.
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Has There Been Any Improvement?
The Pacers would like to believe that they are better than their dismal 15-27 record, but it's hard to make such a claim as we pass the season's midpoint.
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Two Years Later: The Indiana-Golden State Trade
Exactly two years ago Saturday, on Jan. 17, 2007, the Indiana Pacers and Golden State Warriors pulled the trigger on a massive eight-player trade.
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Changes Coming For Granger?
How will Danny Granger adapt to the highly-anticipated return of Mike Dunleavy to the Pacers' lineup?
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The Wheels Come Off
The Pacers are 3-10 in their last thirteen games, with two losses coming in overtime and four others by fewer than four points.
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Daniels Knows Demotion Is Coming
Marquis Daniels has been a pleasant surprise in Indiana this season, which has helped lessen the blow delivered by Mike Dunleavy's lingering knee injury.
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The Golden Tip-In
RealGM caught up with the Pacers less than twenty-four hours after their shocking, last-second win over the Lakers on a Troy Murphy tip-in.
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First Half Gold, Second Half Blue
Maybe Pacers coach Jim O'Brien should remind his players that when they break at halftime, the game is far from over.
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An Anniversary Forgotten
For the first time since 2004, the date Nov. 19 meant nothing to me and a majority of people who either play, work or cheer from the Pacers.
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Back Down To Earth
Things weren't supposed to be so positive for the Pacers at the start of the season, which explains why a brief bout of optimism ended on Saturday when they suffered their second-straight loss.
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Early Returns
Just six games into the new season, Indiana is experiencing some early returns on their offseason investments.
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How The Pacers Got Where They Are
After falling only one game out of the playoffs while playing shorthanded, should Pacer fans assume that the offseason upgrades at point and on the perimeter will translate into a winning record and a playoff berth?
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Month-By-Month Preview Of The Pacers
We'll break down Indiana's schedule month-by-month in hopes of pinpointing their 2008-09 record, just a season after coming within two wins shy of hitting it right on the head.
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Mark Your Calendars
We may not know exactly who will be on the court when the season tips off for the Pacers on Oct. 29 against the Pistons, but we have a good idea of what the most interesting matchups will be.
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Is It Time To Worry?
Training camp is less than four weeks away, and the Pacers still haven't signed Danny Granger to an extension or gotten rid of Jamaal Tinsley.
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In Search Of A Taker
A handful of teams are in need of a point guard, which should allow the Pacers to accomplish their goal of unloading Jamaal Tinsley and the three years left on his contract.
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Reliving Eight Years Of Jermaine
Regardless of how happy he is to be out of Indiana, there will always be a part of Indiana in Jermaine O'Neal's 6’11” frame.
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Oh Danny Boy
Danny Granger, who has just three years of NBA experience under his belt, will undoubtedly be the man in Indiana beginning this summer.
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Mixed Reviews On Draft Night
The future is beginning to look bright in Indiana for the first time in quite a while, but some will forever wonder how Jerryd Bayless would have looked in blue-and-gold.
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The Desire To Change
The trading of Jermaine O'Neal hasn't just given the power forward a fresh start in Toronto, it has signified that the Pacers are no longer willing to stand pat.
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Picking Apart These Toronto Rumors
It seems as though both O’Neal and Tinsley have been on the trading block in Indiana for decades, but the truth of the matter is that they seem closer to being shipped out of town than ever before as draft night approaches.
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Is J.O. To Chicago A Good Idea?
This summer will undoubtedly be full of trade rumors involving Jermaine O’Neal.
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Morway Prepares For First Offseason As GM
David Morway, recently given the title of general manager in Indiana, spoke with RealGM about some of his goals this offseason.
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Lottery Summit: Indiana Pacers
Indiana fans are nearly split down the middle regarding their confidence in the front office, but one thing is for certain - they need some changes at point guard.
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Auditing The Pacers 2007-08 Season
Mike Dunleavy and Danny Granger had nice seasons, but they appear to be in that limbo between being good and being bad enough to get help in the lottery.
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Replacing Indiana’s Engine
The Pacers have now missed the playoffs for two straight years, but a solution for the Indiana's problems might be currently playing just a few hundred miles north in Toronto.
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Bird Flies Solo In Indiana
In just a few months we'll know whether or not Larry Bird can hold his own as a front office executive in the NBA.
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Rotation Issues In Indiana
With the team’s two most-established stars spending more time on the bench than the court, the rest of Indiana’s ‘rotation’ issues have appeared.
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Danny Granger: Headed To Phoenix?
Chris Bosh may have started his All-Star campaign a little late in Toronto, or was it Texas, earlier this season. So it’s never too early to start tooting your own horn regarding your merits for a position on your conference’s squad. Too bad Indiana’s Danny Granger isn’t one to boast.
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Looking Deeper Into The Pacers’ FIC
The Floor Impact Counter (FIC) is being used extensively by RealGM these days as a tool to evaluate hundreds of NBA players from each of the league’s thirty teams. Take a look as Andrew dives deeper into the numbers behind each of Indiana's players.
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The End Could Be Near For Harrison
Strangely enough, David Harrison seem to be productive for the Pacers when he’s on the court. He leads the team in plus/minus for the season (+30), and is the only player with a per game plus/minus average higher than +0.6. Still, Harrison is known more for his locker room antics and the mohawk he sported during the 2005 playoffs than anything he has accomplished on the court.
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Stumbling Into The New Year
The first month of the season was a lot better than the second for the Indiana Pacers. Things started relatively well for Indiana in December, but they stumbled down the stretch and into the New Year.
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Is Indiana Really Better Without J.O.?
While it’s true that Indiana has been more successful without Jermaine, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they are a better team without him for good.
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A November To Forget
The first month of the season wasn’t exactly one to remember for the Indiana Pacers. The games came and went with the uneasy flow of a Six Flags’ roller-coaster, ending on a sour note with a loss to the lowly Supersonics (3-14), who earned their first home win of the season against the Pacers on Nov. 30.
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The Other Shoe Has Dropped
As many expected, Jamaal Tinsley’s numbers seem to coincide with whether or not Indiana wins or loses. They have now lost five in a row, and Tinsley's numbers clearly reflect that.
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Fast Start For The Pacers
To say the Pacers are playing better than expected would be an understatement, but to say they are all of a sudden a force in the East would be an even greater injustice. These Pacers might turn out to be a fun team to watch in 2007-08, but to place unfair expectations upon them because of a hot start would impede their maturation.
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Month-By-Month Preview Of The Pacers
Pacer fans aren’t accustomed to missing the playoffs, so they’re hoping last season’s disappointing effort was a rarity rather than a regular occurrence. However, if you’re reading any one of the prestigious season previews (Sports Illustrated, ESPN, NBA.com or CBS Sports) then you probably expect Indiana to miss the postseason for the second-straight year.
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The Curse Lives On
I’ve used these words twice since the departure of Ron Artest, but enough is enough. Trading Artest to the Kings was supposed to rid the Indiana Pacers of their thuggish image and permanently remove their name from all embarrassing headlines. Instead it seems to have opened the floodgates.
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Reggie Pulls Back
For a while there it seemed as though Reggie Miller, Mr. Pacer himself, was going to wear the green-and-white of the Boston Celtics. However, roughly two weeks after admitting that he was considering coming out of retirement at the age of forty-two, Miller told The Indianapolis Star that he had decided against it.
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Time To Say Goodbye
It’s been a nice run. Jermaine O’Neal has spent two seasons as the face of the Indiana Pacers, even though he has been their best player for quite some time (Reggie would have remained the face of the team as long as he decided to play). He dealt with a lot of crap, and he did so professionally.
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Summer Of Dread
Entering the offseason after missing the playoffs for the first time since the early part of the nineties, things aren’t as bright as usual in the Heartland. Ron Artest, and even Stephen Jackson, might be long gone, but instead of character issues the Pacer now suffer from an anemic roster.
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30 Teams, 30 Days: Indiana Draft Preview (None)
With their frontcourt looking fairly solid, it’s their backcourt – whether it be a passer or a shooter – that they need the most help at this summer.
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A Different Postseason
Pacers' fans aren't really accustomed to watching 16 other teams battle it out in the playoffs, but might it be more enjoyable?
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Mercy Rule
For the first time in ten seasons, the Pacers will not see playoff basketball. With their offseason here so early, Andrew Perna has lined out a plan for what Larry Bird, Donnie Walsh and company should do to turn things around.
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Coming Up Blank
Andrew Perna has never been a fan of people rooting against their own team to get a better draft pick, a la Bill Simmons, but in this case the Pacers need to lose miserably just to get any draft pick because it is going to Atlanta if it isn't in the top-ten.
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Playing Against Themselves
In recent seasons, they have played through mass suspensions and injuries that came months at a time. As bad as things have been for the Indiana Pacers since the fall, or should I say brawl, of 2004 – they have never been this horrific.
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Dear Reggie.. (Again, unfortunately)
Just when Andrew Perna thought he didn't have to worry about Reggie Miller putting on a Mavericks uniform, he read a piece this weekend quoting Miller as saying not having a ring 'eats away' at him.
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Dear Reggie...
News out of Dallas is that Mark Cuban and Avery Johnson would love to have you fill their vacant roster spot. They feel you’re in terrific shape, that a guy like you never loses his ability to shoot. They would give you the chance to finally get that ring, albeit as a Maverick. Hold on, I need to go throw up.
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Typical Embarrassment
It was over. The brawl was over two years old and Ron Artest hadn’t been seen in an Indiana jersey in well over a year. These kinds of things were done. The incident outside ‘Club Rio’ in downtown Indianapolis was before the season even began, and Stephen Jackson (the main felon) had been shipped to Golden State.
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Post-Trade Grades
A lot has been said about the Indiana Pacers following their blockbuster trade with Golden State just over two weeks ago. Some think the Warriors got the better end of the deal, while others believe the Pacers acquired players who will better fit into their system. In the end, only Indiana’s record will tell the story of whether or not they became a better team through the historical eight-player deal.
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A Golden Trade
The only thing that has been constant in Indiana over the past few years has been change. The Pacers, who were once known as one of the NBA’s most stabile franchises, have turned over nearly their entire roster in less than eight months.
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Pacer Points: Holiday Edition
Indiana is a very average 13-13 through their first twenty-six games of the season. Between Peja's injuries in New Orleans, a doghouse built for Stephen Jackson and Corey Maggette still on the block, there are plenty of heartland issues to hit on.
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Getting Comfortable With Danny Granger
In Danny Granger’s second year with the Pacers, he is averaging 11.5 points and 4.3 rebounds per game. He’s started fourteen of Indiana’s nineteen games this season and has played the third most minutes of any Pacer player this season and spoke recently with RealGM.
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What’s Going Wrong?
Through the first eight games of the season the Indiana Pacers have been average at best. This is reflected in their 4-4 record, and current two-game losing streak. While their record isn’t something to be completely ashamed of, it’s one that could easily be a lot better.
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In The Post With David Harrison
On Saturday night I spent a few minutes with Indiana’s third-year center David Harrison. Drafted in 2004 with the 29th overall selection, the former Colorado standout has yet to play an everyday role on a Pacers team that’s stacked long the front line. Despite that, Harrison’s contract was extended this summer through the 2007-2008 season.
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A.R. Year Two
When the Pacers open up their season against the Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday it will mark the beginning of the second year since Reggie Miller retired. Thus, I have dubbed the season `The Year 2 A.R.', with A.R. standing for `After Reggie.' Similar to the way time has been kept following the death of Christ, I have decided to use this method to keep track of Indiana's seasons.
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Point-Counterpoint: Pacer Style
Marquis Daniels is not only a better shooting guard, but a more all-around player than Stephen Jackson, so ideally a Pacers' line-up would consist of Daniels with the starting unit of O’Neal (center), Harrington (power forward), Granger (small forward), and Tinsley (point guard).
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Simply Embarrassing
Enough is enough. My patience has finally run out and my loyalties are now in question. I have been a Pacers fan for nearly my entire life and not once has my love for the team been tested. I’ve been through losing seasons, playoff debacles, and even the Ron Artest saga. Throughout my allegiance has always remained strong, never once have I ever felt embarrassed to be a fan of the Indiana Pacers.
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Stability Returns
The picture of stability in the eyes of Pacer fans is, was, and always will be Reggie Miller. He spent an amazing eighteen years in Indiana, and it’s unlikely that another player will spend that amount of time with the same franchise ever again. While the Pacers and their fans may have been lucky enough to keep Reggie for nearly two decades, they’ve been punished with several years of revolving locker room doors.
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Position Battles
The Indiana Pacers seem to have a football-sized roster under contract with the 2006-2007 season quickly approaching. Somewhere along the line a handful of them are going to have to be cut, and the starting position will have to be decided. With the Pacers offseason in a rare lull I’ve decided to forecast my expectations on who will make the team, who will start, and who will be sent packing.
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Why Isn’t The Harrington Deal Done?
To pass the time while things remain idle in the Al Harrington saga, Andrew Perna and his trusty sidekick have come up with ten reasons for the constant delay in this now epic deal, for your entertainment.
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Jasikevicius Being Lured Back to Maccabi?
It didn’t work out how Larry Bird planned when his Pacers signed Euroleague star Sarunas Jasikevicius last summer. Sarunas was supposed to back-up starting point guard Jamaal Tinsley, but Tinsley started only twenty-seven games. Then Anthony Johnson became the starter, and had one of the best seasons of his career.
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Welcome Back?
It’s been a long couple of weeks and Al Harrington is still in Atlanta. While other teams have conceded and pulled themselves out of the race for Harrington in response to league wide belief that Al will be a Pacer sooner or later, the deal is still far from official.
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The Winds Of Change
The last summer Indiana saw this much change was 2000, just months after having made their `first NBA Finals appearance in franchise history. This Pacers team isn’t coming off the same fulfilling experience, but rather a few years of disappointment that have brought about the calling for change within the organization.
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Time To Say Goodbye
It was announced two weeks ago that the Pacers would be trading Austin Croshere to the Dallas Mavericks for Marquis Daniels. The move became official just under a week ago, and after a fortnight of reflection, it’s finally time for me to formally say goodbye to Austin.
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Attention: Indiana Executives
Fans and players alike have to be getting nervous with all these moves having gone down in the NBA, and nothing to show for it in Indianapolis. Making a move for either Harrington or Wells would solve all of that. We can’t go into the season with virtually the same roster we had when Artest was serving his season-long suspension in 2004.
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Bird Gets His Man
Many talented players were available when the Pacers were due to pick – Quincy Douby, Rajon Rondo, Marcus Williams, and even the highly coveted Renaldo Balkman, but Bird wasn’t affected by the temptation of grabbing the draft’s best point guard prospect in Williams, and grabbed one of the other Williams and reveled in his good fortune.
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Can Jermaine Be The Main Man?
The question remains – Can Jermaine become ‘The Man’ once again? If Indiana makes the right offseason moves this summer, then there’s no reason to believe that he can’t. Why you may ask? He’s been the same old Jermaine, just in smaller doses, over the last two rocky seasons in Pacerville.
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RealGM’s Advice To Indy
Everyone loves to play the role of general manager. Fans around the globe embrace the job of Monday morning quarterback, armchair referee, assistant coach, and of course suggesting offseason moves for their favorite sports team. So when I decided to feature some of my fellow Pacer fans’ trade ideas in my latest column what better message board to visit than RealGM’s own Pacer forum? I mean the site’s name is RealGM, as in General Manager. Or at least that’s what I think it means.
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The Tin Man
It’s not often that a player’s nickname is actually a precise description of their career, but in Jamaal Tinsley’s case it couldn’t be more appropriate. After bursting onto the scene during the first few months of his career in 2001, Tinsley’s brilliance has been shown only in short flashes because of an injury-riddled career that has been giving GM Donnie Walsh indigestion for five years.
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The Walsh Report
Pacers CEO Donnie Walsh sat down with Mark Montieth of The Indianapolis Star this past Wednesday. He expressed his desire not to blow up Indiana’s current roster, and touched on many other things in his interview. The question remains – What does it all mean?
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Will A Wild Season Lead to A Wilder Summer?
Not even a Reggie Miller-like 40-point performance from Anthony Johnson could save the Pacers from beginning their summer early. An endless list of injuries and poor chemistry allowed Indiana to squander a 2-1 series lead for the second straight postseason.
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The Road Back To Jersey
The Pacers had the opportunity to push the Nets onto the verge of elimination. They stole Game 1 and enjoyed an impressive double-digit home win in Game 3. If Game 4 turned out to be anything like the second half of Game 3, the Pacers were going to cruise to a 3-1 series lead heading into Game 5 at the Continental Airlines Arena.
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The Boys Come Back to Town
The Pacers are headed back to Indiana having stolen home-court advantage from the heavily-favored New Jersey Nets, but facing questions about their health and their desire.
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Touching Base With Danny Granger
Danny Granger, the Pacers rookie small forward, has taken full advantage of the opportunity given to him after the departure of Ron Artest. Granger, who is averaging 7.6 points and 4.9 rebounds for Indiana this season, is among the rookie leaders in both categories. RealGM's Andrew Perna recently had the opportunity to speaking with Granger on his teammates and his rookie season.
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Croshere Bides His Time
Austin Croshere, who has missed 28 of the Pacers’ last 34 games, has finally shrugged off the nagging complications from back-to-back concussions he suffered earlier this year. He has played over twenty minutes in consecutive games for the first time since January.
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Travel Log - Indianapolis
I was lucky enough to make a journey to the basketball capital of the world during its busiest time of year this past weekend. The trip of male bonding with my father was initially just about witnessing the Pacers retire Reggie Miller’s #31, but it turned into a vacation in basketball heaven. I decided to chronicle my travels in Indianapolis for RealGM.com.
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March Madness
This weekend the Final Four will conclude in Indianapolis, but as crazy as the NCAA Tournament has been thus far, the month of March has been even crazier for the Indiana Pacers.
With two games remaining this month the Pacers are a dreary 7-9 this March.
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The Franchise Returns
In the past, O’Neal has rushed back to the court too early in order to help his struggling Pacer teammates. While the Pacers do have a solid grasp on one of the Eastern Conference’s playoff spots, they have lost seven of their last twelve games – including embarrassing losses to New York, Houston, Boston (twice), and Toronto. I just hope O’Neal isn’t returning too soon in an attempt to bring some consistency to this Indiana team.
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A Team Made For The Playoffs
The Pacers bring their best basketball when it’s needed most. With all do respect to the NBA’s cellar-dwellers, the Pacers could probably get by without playing their absolute best basketball and defeat teams like New York and Charlotte, or at least come close to it.
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Pacer Points
The Pacers, inconsistent at times, have put themselves in position to finish as high as fourth, and as low as ninth in the Eastern Conference. Indiana, having just suffered back-to-back disappointing losses to New York and Houston, will travel to New Orleans on Friday before concluding their three-game road trip in Toronto this Sunday. With the playoffs beginning in a little over a month here are my Pacer Points for the rest of the regular season.
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Paging Dr. Jasikevicius
Sarunas Jasikevicius is having a strong rookie campaign. He’s averaging 8.6 points and 3.1 assists per contest for his Pacers, both numbers put him in the top ten among all NBA rookies. The 29-year old guard has given Indiana much needed help along the perimeter, but he has been almost invisible in the team’s last dozen or so contests.
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Four Out Of Five Ain’t Bad
Over the last five games newcomer Peja Stojakovic has looked more comfortable in the Pacer offense – averaging 19.2 points and 7.8 rebounds during the stretch. Indiana’s team offense has taken off as well. The Pacers averaged nearly 99 points a game over the last five contests, almost six points above their season average.
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Auditing Indiana
The small market Indiana Pacers have put themselves on the NBA map. Having made the playoffs for eight straight, and fifteen of the last sixteen seasons the Pacers have become a perennial contender for the league championship. How have the done it?
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Dear Ron...
We’ve all had enough of the drama you have created not only in Indiana, but in each of the cities you were reportedly headed. Nearly a month and a half after you told Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star that you wanted the Pacers to trade you, it appeared as though they were finally going to grant your wish.
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This Is How Ron Reminds Me
In light of the Ron Artest saga entering its final month (the trading deadline is one month away). Andrew Perna decided to put his feelings about the situation into the most passionate form of human expression, song.
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Brighter Times Ahead
Despite the fact that the Indiana Pacers are a mediocre 5-5 over their last ten games, they are on the verge of trading one of the NBA’s most talented players, their starting point guard is once again injured, their franchise cornerstone is recovering from pneumonia, and they are relying heavily on two rookies, the Indiana Pacers may be finally getting themselves on the right track.
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A New Year In Indiana
Millions of Americans make resolutions at the start of every New Year. The Pacers are a little busy struggling through their holiday schedule, so Andrew Perna figured he should make their resolutions for them.
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Will A Trade Solve Things?
Ron Artest has changed his tone, but it has been off-key from the start. Less than a week after publicly requesting a trade during an interview with the Indianapolis Star, Artest is now saying that he would like to return to the Pacers. During a phone interview Artest said, “I should have been a man.”
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As The Pacers Turn
With the Pacers, Ron became known as the league’s most off-the-wall player. However, through it all the Pacer organization, players, and fans stood by him. Even Larry Bird endorsed Artest, who he affectionately calls “Ronnie,” because he admires his relentless style of play.
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State Of The Pacers Address
At 10-6, the Pacers are in a tie with the Cleveland Cavaliers for second place in the highly competitive central division – the only division in the NBA where all teams are above .500. They have played fairly inconsistently, but that comes along with minimal playing time together. Ron Artest is working himself back into the mix, as rookies Sarunas Jasikevicius and Danny Granger are adjusting to the NBA.
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Rookie Report
Indiana possessed one of the basketball’s deepest rosters last season. And while Reggie Miller retired and James Jones was shipped to Phoenix, the Pacers added even more depth when they acquired Danny Granger and Sarunas Jasikevicius this summer.
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Give Them Time
All right, the Pacers aren’t exactly where they should be after their first nine games. Their first two losses were by a combined three points, and they were recently drubbed in Charlotte by 32 points. As for the positives, the Pacers beat Miami twice in a week, and they have 73 games to improve before they make their playoff run. So don’t panic, they’ll get themselves together.
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Let It Be
Reggie Miller began his TNT career by predicting that the Detroit Pistons would win the NBA’s Eastern Conference this season. He went on to say that if the Pacers, his former team of 18 years, were to contend for the Eastern Conference title that they would have to improve their team chemistry.
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Ron’s Return Results In Win
It wasn’t perfect, emphatic, or surprising. They didn’t dominate, make their free throws, or rebound very well. But they won. For the third straight year the Pacers opened their season with a victory. They were able to defeat the Orlando Magic, 90-78, on Wednesday night with a well-balanced offensive attack.
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Pacer Predictions
Finally, the 2005-2006 NBA season has arrived. Both training camp and the preseason have concluded, and the Pacers have a good idea of how they will be beginning the season. Unfortunately, for the second straight year they won’t be able to open the season with their projected starting line-up, center Jeff Foster is out with an injured Achilles tendon.
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An Artest By Any Other Name
There is no denying the similarities between Ron Artest and Dennis Rodman. Both Artest and Rodman were considered the “Bad Boys” of their era. Rodman earned the title in the nineties as a member of the Pistons, Spurs, and Bulls. Artest has recently earned the title with the Pacers. Ron has done plenty to earn this image, with countless suspensions and his ever-important career as a rap artist. Rodman earned his image as a party boy who was once seen dressed up in public as a blushing bride.
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Pacers’ Fantasy Analysis
With the NBA season only two weeks away, I decided that the millions of fantasy basketball managers around the country might need help analyzing the fantasy possibilities of the Indiana Pacers. Most NBA teams possess only a few players that are worth drafting in a fantasy league, but the Pacers have quite a few interesting options on their roster.
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Championship Or Bust
The Indiana Pacers are entering training camp with high aspirations. Players, management, and fans feel that a championship is a real possibility for these Pacers. The team is relatively healthy for the first time in awhile, and they have improved through both free agency and the draft. But, what makes this seasons’ Pacers different from last seasons, or from the 2003-2004 version?
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31 Ways to Prepare for the Season
The 2005-2006 season is only a month away for the Indiana Pacers, that means it’s time to prepare. The Pacers will begin the season with brand new uniforms, a new starting shooting guard, and the newly re-instated Ron Artest. Its common knowledge that the Pacers have some of the greatest fans in all of basketball, however I have decided to come up with a list of 31 ways to prepare for the upcoming season.
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He’s Got Your Back
He’s a well-traveled NBA veteran who has played for four teams in his short five-year career. Drafted in 1997 by the Phoenix Suns with the 43rd overall pick, he didn’t make his NBA debut until 2000 when the New Jersey Nets signed him as a free agent. He went on to win a title with the San Antonio Spurs in 2003, and then left for Atlanta as a free agent the following summer.
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The Ron Artest Equation
If the Pacers return to the dominance they enjoyed in the 2003-2004 season – 61 wins and a trip to the Conference Finals – then Artest’s value to the Pacers will be displayed for the entire basketball world to see.
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What Will Reggie Do?
For the first time in almost twenty years Reggie Miller will not be seen practicing at Conseco Fieldhouse every morning this fall. Over the past few months a lot has been discussed as to what his retirement means to the Indiana Pacers, but little has been mentioned about what retirement means for Reggie himself. As a known workaholic Reggie already has laid the groundwork to make for a busy post-NBA life.
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Will They Or Won't They?
The Pacers are one of the NBA’s elite franchises. They are just two years removed from an Eastern Conference Finals appearance and have become a perennial playoff team over the past two decades. After having a successful 2005 season, considering what they endured, they have improved nicely through the draft and with the signing of Lithuanian guard, Sarunas Jasikevicius.
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Tinsley's Town
Jamaal Tinsley deserves some credit. He’s a former first round draft pick. He’s been an intricate part of one of the NBA’s perennial playoff teams. He’s been given the vote of confidence from team president Larry Bird and CEO Donnie Walsh time and time again. Bird, an NBA legend, even went on record saying that he felt Tinsley had the potential to become an All-Star point guard. So why isn’t Indianapolis Tinsley’s town?
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Ten Games to Look Forward To
With the announcement of the 2005-2006 NBA schedule, there are certain games that fans and players are already looking forward to. The Indiana Pacers will be seen on national television early and often this coming season, beginning on November 3rd when the Pacers visit the Heat in Miami on TNT.
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J.O. For MVP In ‘06
I can just see it now. Game One of the 2006 NBA Finals and the Indiana Pacers are hosting the defending champion San Antonio Spurs. Just minutes before tip off the commissioner of the NBA, David Stern, leads Pacer forward Jermaine O’Neal onto the court.
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Why Ron Must Stay
Without Ron Artest the Pacers, as they currently stand, aren’t likely to win an NBA championship. He’s as valuable as Jermaine O’Neal to the blue and gold. While they can’t always control his actions, as far as the Pacers are concerned – they need Ron Artest to remain on the court in every sense of the expression.
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Center Of Attention
So far this summer, the Pacers have addressed several roster issues. They drafted Danny Granger to give them even more depth at forward, and they recently signed Lithuanian guard, Sarunas Jasikevicius to help address problems with the guard position. Is it me or is there one more position that the Pacers have failed to address?
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Pacers Off-Season Progress Report
Rick Carlisle and the Pacers are planning to make a run at a title with their current roster, making few moves this off-season, with the exception of a man named Sarunas.
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Keeping Croshere
There has been a lot of debate by NBA analysts and Pacer fans as to whether Austin Croshere is worth his hefty contract. He is due $8.9 million dollars this upcoming season, second only to Jermaine O’Neal on the Pacers list of highest salaries. Croshere signed his lucrative contract after his breakout 1999 season during which he averaged 10.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game.
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Fashion Mystery In Indiana
Rumor has it that the Indiana Pacers will be sporting new jerseys this October. When Pacer fans and the general public will get to see the new design, remains to be seen. The decision to change the team’s jersey design comes after fans voted Indiana’s uniform as best looking in the league on an NBA.com poll.
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Depth At Small Forward
The Indiana Pacers added something interesting, depth at the small forward position in this year’s NBA Draft. The selection of former New Mexico forward Danny Granger with the 17th pick in last months draft has likely signaled the end of Pacer forward James Jones’s career in Indiana. The Pacers have the option of picking up his contract for a third and final year this summer.
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The Artest Dilemma
If the rumors involving a Pierce-for-Artest trade are true, the Pacers need to do everything within reason to make it happen.
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Meet The Pacers
The Indiana Pacers went into the 2005 NBA Draft looking to improve their already promising roster. With the 17th and 46th overall selections, the Pacers did just that. Indiana hopes to continue their previous draft success with Danny Granger and Erazam Lorbek.
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Wanted: Living Legend
The 2006 Indiana Pacers won’t need to make up for Reggie Miller’s 14.8 points a game, his 93.3 percent free throw shooting, or even his timely three- point bombs. The Pacers need to make up for his leadership, professionalism, and his competitive nature.
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Pacers’ Possibilities
In the coming weeks the Pacers will be gearing up for the NBA draft. Along with drafting young talent the Pacers should be looking to make a few trades this off season. Using RealGM.com’s very own Trade Checker, Andrew Perna came up with a few deals Indiana can make to improve their chances at winning the NBA title in 2006.
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Off-season Begins With Change
We know that the 2006 Indiana Pacers were going to be slightly different than the 2005 version. We know that Reggie Miller wouldn’t be on the 2006 Pacers, and that Ron Artest would be returning to play. We figured that there would be a few new draft picks, but we didn't expect Mike Brown to leave for Cleveland.
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A Season In Review
This article wasn’t supposed to be written. Not yet. Not until the middle of June. Not until confetti was falling from the rafters of Conseco Fieldhouse. Not until the Pacers were riding on a float through downtown Indianapolis. Not until we saw Reggie’s tears of joy as he finally got his championship ring.
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Blaze of Glory
Even though Reggie’s career didn’t end with a victory, it couldn’t have played out any better. For the final time, Miller left his blood, sweat and tears on the basketball court.
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Indy On The Ropes
The task at hand for Indiana now is to win back-to-back games against the Pistons to advance to the conference finals. Yes, they won back-to-back games against Detroit last week but following the Pacers’ Game 3 victory last Friday the Pistons have been running on all cylinders.
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Pacers Lose Momentum
Rasheed Wallace opened his big mouth for the second straight year, and for the second straight year the Pistons delivered on his promise. The Detroit Pistons got an important victory in Indianapolis on Sunday afternoon in Game 4 winning 89-76. The Pacers playoff shooting woes continued as they shot 37 percent and turned the basketball over 19 times.
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Pacers Hold Off Pistons
Friday night the Pacers continued their storybook playoff run and shocked the basketball world yet again. After thoroughly dominating the Detroit Pistons for three and a half quarters, the Pacers decided their work was done.
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Pacers Pull Even
The Indiana Pacers came out onto the court after halftime of game two and played the best 24 minutes of basketball we’ve seen them play in the 2005 playoffs. Trailing by ten heading into the third quarter, the Pacers added a sense of urgency and great energy to their game and were able to pull within one point of Detroit by the end of the third quarter.
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Pacers Pounded By Pistons
The Indiana Pacers got there wish Monday night in Detroit. Game one was solely about basketball, unfortunately it was Pistons basketball. What was a close game in the second quarter, got out of reach quickly in the third quarter. The Pacers had no answer for Ben Wallace or Richard Hamilton as the Pistons cruised to a 96-81 win.
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Pacer Points: Semi-Final Breakdown
Caution – This may be the only article or column you will read that will not mention anything other than basketball regarding the Pacers-Pistons rivalry. The players have expressed their feeling that this series is solely about basketball, and I have the utmost respect for that decision.
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Pacers Earn Rematch with Champs
The Indiana Pacers won a round-trip flight to Detroit, instead of one-way ticket home to Indiana. They thoroughly dominated the Celtics in Boston during the second half en route to a 97 to 70 blowout. Pacer guard Steven Jackson scored 24 points and had the hot hand from outside as he canned five three point shots. Just 48 hours removed from one of the most deflating playoff home losses in team history, the Pacers came together as a team much like they have all season.
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A Letter To The Players
Before the crucial fifth game of the Pacers playoff series with the Boston Celtics I wrote a column offering up some suggestions to the Pacers coaching staff. Chances are that neither Rick Carlisle nor any of his coaching staff read my piece, yet I am going to take a similar approach by addressing the players before Saturday’s do-or-die game seven in Boston.
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Green Crush
The Pacers had the Boston Celtics on the ropes Thursday night, on more than one occasion. They played excellent defense down the stretch and had multiple opportunities to take the lead in the final three minutes. Paul Pierce even lost his cool at a very inopportune time and got tossed.
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Tinsley Key For Pacers
On Tuesday night Pacer point guard Jamaal Tinsley returned to the lineup after missing nearly two months, and quickly become the floor leader the Pacers were missing. Tinsley was the key for the Pacers as he led them to a 90-85 win over the Celtics in game 5 of their best-of-seven playoff series. Playing in his first game in well over two months he scored just 6 points, but dished out 7 assists and totaled 5 steals.
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Five Keys To Winning Game Five
Indiana Pacer head coach Rick Carlisle may have finished third in this years NBA Coach of the Year voting but after the disaster that was Game 4, even Vince Lombardi would be in need some advice. Don’t worry Rick. You can thank me after Game 5 for providing you with these keys to helping the Pacers prevail in Game 5 on Tuesday.
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Without Walker, Celtics Run Over Pacers
The NBA had given the Pacers a lot to work with. On Thursday night, all the calls were going the Pacers way. On Friday afternoon, the league suspended Celtic forward Antonie Walker for laying his hands on a referee. It seemed as though Saturday the Pacers should have had all the momentum and confidence. They were facing a young and Walker-less Celtic team, just play hard and earn a 3-1 series lead, right?
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Reggie Powers Pacers to 2-1 Lead
Someone should really tell Reggie Miller that he’s turning 40 this August, not 30. On Thursday night in Indiana, Miller put on another show scoring 33 points en route to a 99-74 win over the Boston Celtics.
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Reggie Powers Pacers to 2-1 Lead
Someone should really tell Reggie Miller that he’s turning 40 this August, not 30. On Thursday night in Indiana, Miller put on another show scoring 33 points en route to a 99-74 win over the Boston Celtics.
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Diary Of A Pacers' Columnist/Fan In Boston
The accounts of a Pacers' columnist/fan as he travels to Boston for Reggie Miller's final playoff stand.
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Saturday Night Fright
It couldn’t have been any easier for the Boston Celtics to win Game 1 of their best of 7 series with the Pacers, unless Indiana had forfeited during their pre-game shoot around. Things looked promising for the Pacers during the first quarter, and then things got ugly. I’m trying to think back and remember a shot that the Celtics didn’t make.
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Emotional Overload
During Wednesay night's game, there was a sense of happiness to see Reggie get his recognition. Getting credit and positive press from the national media isn't something Pacer fans or Reggie are used to.
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Regular Season Finale Of Epic Portions
The Pacers have only one regular season game left, but between Reggie Miller's finale and the fight for playoff seeding, this will be their biggest game of the year.
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Surprise Return, Pacers Likely Sixth
Jermaine O'Neal is back and so are the Pacers chances of moving on in the playoffs.
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Welcome America, But You’re 17 ½ Years Late
Welcome to what millions of Indiana Pacer fans have been enjoying longer then they can remember, watching Reggie Miller do the amazing things that he has done over the past month for almost two decades.
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Pacers Playoff Snapshot
The Indiana Pacers could face the Detroit Pistons in the first round of this year's play-offs.
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Vintage Reggie
Reggie Miller had a classic night, scoring 39 points in a 103-97 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.
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FAN ARTICLE: Why I Love The Pacers
I have never hated the Pacers and I never will, I have been disappointed with some of the stuff they do and how they play some games out but I have never hated them.
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The Wait For Stephen Jackson Is Over
On Wednesday, Stephen Jackson is eligibile to play in his first game after a 30 game suspension for being involved in “the Malice at Auburn Hills,” as some have called it.
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Jermaine Returns And Thus So Does The Pacers' Swagger
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Depleted Pacers Pull Off Big Win
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Kobe Opting Out Should Not Be a Surprise
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Kobe Opting Out Should Not Be a Surprise
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Coach Isiah?
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A Tribute…
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Pacers' State of the Union Address
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Eric Maynor is an increasingly rare four-year, small college rookie. He sat down with RealGM to discuss how his first few weeks of NBA life has gone and what he has learned from Deron Williams and Jerry Sloan.
LeBron James already plays for a perennial underdog in Cleveland, but moving to the Clippers would allow him to do so in a huge market and with a core that will immediately compete for championships while also having an encouraging long term outlook.
The Heat have been plagued by inconsistencies, making it difficult to determine how good they really are this season.
After a week that included wins against Denver and Boston, people around the league are starting to get the feeling that this Hawks team might be better than initially thought.
The Warriors unloaded Stephen Jackson before he cratered his trade value and now Don Nelson gets to use a simplified rotation as they try to turnaround their season.
For a team that has every reason to question the direction of the franchise, the New Orleans Hornets are actually saying all the right things.
Arron Afflalo spoke to RealGM about how he is making the most of his new opportunity with the Denver Nuggets.
The 08-09 Blazers transitioned into a young, perennial playoff team and they will need to prove themselves to be a fringe championship contender this season before competing for that distinction in earnest during the 10-11 season.
The Washington Wizards are probably the toughest team to predict in the NBA this season, but we saw good indicators despite a rough night against Atlanta. 
The Lakers have the best team in the NBA by a fairly wide margin and are the prohibitive favorites to repeat. Phil Jackson's toughest job will be to keep a team this good interested for the 100+ games they'll play this season.
The Thunder could find a way into the playoffs, but Sam Presti's refusal to deviate from his long term plans when he had cap space to utilize this past summer makes that an order too tall for the impressively rapid development of their core.