Indiana
Pacers
Central
| Team Rating | |
| Offense | Defense |
| 108.1 | 110.3 |
| 18th Overall | 19th Overall |
Statistics through 1/25/09
W
17
L
27
PCT
.386
GB
19-0
CONF
10-16
DIV
1-6
HOME
11-9
ROAD
6-18
LinksStatistics | Tickets
|
Category | Grade | ||
 Danny Granger has been the saving grace for this team. At 25.8 ppg, Granger is fifth in the NBA in scoring. Troy Murphy has held his own, but the Bobcats have no offensive post presence and no intimidator on D.
|
B+ |
||
 They thought by bringing T.J. Ford, the point guard position had been settled, but he and Jarrett Jack have split time as starters. Mike Dunleavy has missed 34 games and Marquis Daniels has missed nine.
|
C |
||
 The Pacers play at the NBA's third-fastest pace, so they score a lot of points (104.3 per game, fourth in the league), but they give up a ton (106.9 ppg). Injuries have made defensive continuity difficult.
|
C- |
||
 Only Granger and Murphy have started every game in which they've appeared. The Pacers have been shuffling players in and out of the starting lineup making the second unit something of a mess.
|
C |
||
 Jim O'Brien has done the best he can with the healthy players he's had. The Pacers style of play -- push it and get a good shot early -- is in the DNA of all O'Brien teams.
|
B- |
||
C
Summary
Larry Bird made the right move in locking up Granger long-term before the season started. Granger was handsomely rewarded, and now he's rewarding the Pacers with his All-Star level play. The Pacers also got the better end of the T.J. Ford and Rasho Nesterovic for Jermaine O'Neal swap, but that's not saying much considering Ford is now sharing time with Jack.
Not having Dunleavy for the first third of the season and the general lack of defensive intensity has hampered the Pacers' overall progress. Because of the numerous injuries, O'Brien hasn't been able to settle on a regular rotation. The Pacers also lack a post presence on either end of the floor and a legitimate third scoring option behind Granger and Dunleavy.
Still, the Pacers play tough. They've lost 12 games in overtime or by three points or fewer. Winning those close ones should come with maturity. -- Rob Peterson
Explanation of Marking System
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