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2007-08 Season
Question for Jermaine O'Neal | Oct. 3, 2007
Q. I was wondering if you had any friends that played in the NFL or more specifically the Colts; if so, who? (From Mark in Missoula, Mont.)
A. I have a lot of friends that play in the NFL. Richard Seymour from the New England Patriots, I played high school ball against him, he was in my conference in South Carolina so we’re very good friends. Quite a few of the Colts players, actually two of them are my neighbors, Dwight Freeney and Reggie Wayne. Me and Peyton are pretty cool with each other. Bob Sanders and I got a chance to really hang out quite a few times this summer, grab dinner and stuff. I know a lot of people. One thing about basketball is you get the opportunity to mingle not only with athletes, but different entertainers, different actors and actresses. It’s kind of a big circle. You tend to find yourself at different functions meeting new people all the time.
Question for Donnie Walsh | Oct. 2, 2007
Q. I live in a rural area and for 15 years have not had cable TV. Yes, I could get it but chose not to. Last year I was only able to see one Pacers game due to them being on Fox Sports. My question is, what is your TV contract this year? Don’t you believe even though you might make more money with the cable deal you are losing fans? (From Jerry in Carthage, Ind.)
A. I'm always concerned with that, when you end up doing the type of deal we've done. But with over-the-air television, it's harder for teams to be able to occupy the space they need – meaning 30 or more dates every year – on a station that has other programming they want to put on. Conflicts develop and it gets difficult, even though we had a great arrangement with Channel 4, to continue to do that and to meet their expectations as well as ours.
Question for Larry Bird | Sept. 27, 2007
Q. What impact do you think the Kevin Garnett trade will have on the landscape of the Eastern Conference, specifically towards the Pacers? (From Lee in Huntsville, Ala.)
A. It'll have a big impact. You get three top players on one team, it's going to make the East tougher to win. Still, we feel a team can beat a few individuals. On paper, they look very good but until the season starts you never really know what's going to happen.
Question for Larry Bird | Sept. 24, 2007
Q. I understand J.O. has three years remaining on his contract and that the 2007-08 is a player-option year for him. As such, has there been a definitive "drop-dead date" as to when a decision might be made on his tenure? (From Lee in Hunstville, Ala.)
A. Jermaine is under contract for one more year with us and then he has a player option for two years, which would allow him to opt out of his contract after this year. We look forward to him being here the next three years.
Question for Larry Bird | Sept. 21, 2007
Q. We are less than six weeks from the tipoff to the '07-08 regular season. Is the Pacers roster closed or the fans can wait for surprises? (From Paulo in Joinville, Brasil)
A. I don't know about surprises but we're always looking to make our team better. Whether it's from now to the start of the season or throughout the season, we'll do whatever we can to make this team better.
Question for Larry Bird | Sept. 16, 2007
Q. As a Travis Diener fan, I am excited in his move to Indianapolis. He's now going to have the chance to showcase his skills in front of a much more basketball-savvy crowd. But I have two questions I would like for you to answer. What did you see in Travis during your pursuit of signing him? Among all of the NBA players you played with or against, who does he most closely resemble? (Enrico from San Jose, Calif.)
A. Travis is the type of player we're looking for in the fact he can shoot the ball, he can get us into our offense, he's quick, he can make plays for other players. I've been following Travis since he was in college and I've always had the utmost respect for his game. He brings a lot of things to our team that we don't have. He sort of resembles Mark Price a little bit. I always had a lot of respect for Mark as far as his ability to dribble the ball, shoot the ball and make plays for other people. Travis has got all those same qualities.
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Question for Conrad Brunner | Sept. 13, 2007
Q. During the last couple of seasons, injuries have been one of the biggest problems that the Pacers have faced. Could you please give us an update on the injured Pacers, (I.E. Jermaine O'Neal, Marquis Daniels, David Harrison) and others? (From B.J. in Sullivan, Ind.)
With the opening of training camp a little more than two weeks away, the Pacers appear to have no major health issues in the way. O'Neal (left knee cartilage) and Harrison (shoulder/collarbone) both are fully recovered from arthroscopic procedures performed in late April. Both have been regulars for workouts at Conseco Fieldhouse the past few weeks. Daniels has been remarkably diligent in his recovery from a knee problem that cut short his 2006-07 season, going through rehab and conditioning work with the Pacers' training staff in the early months of the offseason and likewise has fully recovered. Both O'Neal and Daniels, in fact, have said they feel better heading into camp than they have in years, fueling optimism about what they can accomplish in 2007-08, both in terms of production and health maintenance.
Question for Jim O'Brien | Sept. 7, 2007
Q. I have never felt we have had great rebounding teams but the last few years seem to be worse than usual. Do you have any thoughts on how you might go about helping this area? (From Dave in Logansport, Ind.)
A. I'd be very shocked if we weren't one of the better rebounding teams in the league. I think we're going to be long, we're going to be big at the wing spots, Jermaine's a strong rebounder, Ike Diogu's strong, Foster's strong. I think we can be a real factor on the offensive glass and we will not take too kindly to giving up second shots. It's always a point of emphasis and I think we're positioned to be a pretty darned good rebounding team.
Question for Donnie Walsh | Sept. 4, 2007
Q. I see that we've been affiliated with a D-League Team in Fort Wayne, Ind., this year. Will the shortened travel time, the northern Indiana marketing opportunity, or our change in coaches make us any more willing to assign players there this year? (From Frank in Indianapolis)
A. I think that's a good thing for us. We haven't had the kind of players that you would send to the D-League but if we do and we feel like we should do that, I'd much rather it be in Fort Wayne because it's closer, we can get to see them, they're within driving distance. All of the advantages of geography are on our side.
Question for Jim O'Brien | Aug. 30, 2007
Q. How will you change things for the Pacers? Will it start with defense or will you be focused on offense? (From Pat in Richmond, Ind.)
A. I don't think you can necessarily focus on one area over the other. Our philosophies of offense and defense are very different in this respect. We have a very systematic form of playing defense that basically allows for very little innovation on the players' part. Everybody's got to be on the same page. If one person breaks down, the whole system breaks down. Offensively, the people that have the ability to put the ball in the basket at a higher level and a higher efficiency than others will be guys that I would anticipate get the most shots and score the most points. Not everybody, in my mind, is created equally at the offensive end. You have to go with what the talent level is there. Defensively, nobody has any faces to me; they're all expected to give the exact same effort and the exact same rotations are all expected. As a way of gauging things for our fans, our goal is to be in the top five in the league, field-goal defense-wise. We were 13th last year. Our offense was 30th in field-goal offense. If we can move up 11 spots this year in terms of field-goal efficiency, and that's counting 3s, then I think we'll be a playoff team.
Question for Donnie Walsh | Aug. 27, 2007
Q. When you look at Kevin Durant, is he essentially what you felt that Jonathan Bender would become when you drafted him in 1999? I keep reading scouting reports on Durant and he reminds me of what I thought Bender had the potential to become if injuries had not kept him down. Do you see what I'm seeing, or are there notable differences? (From Mark in New Castle, Ind.) A. I see what you're seeing. I think Durant is a little more skilled at this point, offensively. But Jonathan was three inches taller and probably much more athletic, so I would say I expected Jonathan to be the kind of player I expect Durant to be – and that's a very high-level player.
Question for Jim O'Brien | Aug. 22, 2007
Q. I watched your teams in Boston and Philadelphia play a fast tempo with a high volume of 3-point attempts and enjoyed the crispness of such an offensive attack. Are you looking to get the same thing out of this roster or will it be a healthy medium between slowdown set offense and Phoenix-style up-tempo offense? (From Bradford in Avon, Ind.)
A. Nobody's going to be like Phoenix but I think the fact we were 30th in the league in field-goal offense would tell anybody that there's got to be some changes in how this team attacks offensively. We believe the best way to score in the NBA is to push the tempo and attack defenses before they're set up. It will be a tremendous point of emphasis for our basketball team and we will shoot I would say a high volume of 3s because that's going to make people like Jermaine O'Neal and Jamaal Tinsley much more productive players. We have done a really good job of signing people like Travis Diener, Andre Owens, Kareem Rush, Stephen Graham, guys that are maybe not household names in the NBA but all can space the court. I think this will make Jermaine a better basketball player because people will not be able to clog him up and it will open up the middle for people like Jamaal and Marquis Daniels.
Question for Donnie Walsh | Aug. 20, 2007
Q. I know for many years we have given Jamaal Tinsley the starting point guard spot with the Pacers. For the past few years he hasn't lived up to his capabilities; some believe that it was the offense that Rick (Carlisle) ran before which limited a point guard to play his role. Do you believe that with Jim (O'Brien) in as coach now, Jamaal will live up to his potential? (From Sidhu in Toronto)
A. I think we're going to find out because the style will be more conducive to Jamaal's game. Because of that, I think Jamaal will have to show not so much the skill or talent level because he's shown that, but to be consistent with it for an entire year. He has the opportunity to show that now.
Question for Jim O'Brien | Aug. 15, 2007
Q. Do you believe there are players (from the summer-league team) that will get a good portion of playing time -- for example, Andre Owens and Kareem Rush? (From Dawit in Fishers, Ind.)
A. I said this to Andre, I said this to Kareem, Stephen Graham and I'll say the same thing to Travis (Diener). They're new players on the team and playing time is earned. I have a real good feeling that Jermaine O'Neal is going to be a guy that gets a high volume of minutes. I certainly anticipate Jamaal Tinsley getting a high volume of minutes. If one of these guys like Andre Owens or Kareem or Stephen Graham can beat out older guys for playing time, so be it. A couple of years ago, I had a team that had a perennial All-Star in Glenn Robinson at the small forward spot and in training camp a rookie, Andre Iguodala, beat him out handily. So I just went with the guy I thought was going to serve the team better in that particular year. My job is to put a winning basketball team on the court. I don't care how old they are or how much they're getting paid, the guys that earn the playing time will play.
Question for Larry Bird | Aug. 13, 2007
Q. Since the first day Danny Granger came to town, I felt that he had the potential of being something special for the Pacers. Do you think that Granger has the potential of being a great player/leader on this team? (From Jeff in Indianapolis)
A. It all depends on how hard he works and how far he comes in his development the next few years. Obviously, he's got a lot of skill, he can shoot, he can pass, rebound. He's got the package, but he has to get better. When he first came in here, we thought we got a great pick at No. 17. We know we did, it's just that he's got to develop. As far as being a leader, Danny does a good job. He's a quiet leader right now but in the near future you'll see him be more and more vocal.
Question for Larry Bird | July 31, 2007
Q. I know you have said that you don't plan on rebuilding this franchise; however, after discussions with many Pacers fans the overall consensus seems to be to start over. The team may struggle at times over the next couple of years, but watching young players grow and seeing them progress would be much more entertaining than watching the current team (Danny Granger is a perfect example of watching a player grow and enjoying it). So, would you ever consider making some deals to bring in youth and future draft picks in order to build for the future? (From Aaron in Indianapolis)
A. If you look at our team now, we're very high on Ike (Diogu), we're very high on (Danny) Granger, we're very high on Shawne Williams. We've got a core of young guys here we think we can develop with our veteran players to move forward. If we can make some trades to get some draft players and go after players we want, we'll do that.
Question for Larry Bird | July 27, 2007
Q. I have taken notice recently that pure shooters are becoming harder and harder to find. Recently, the players that come to mind are Michael Redd, Ray Allen and Ben Gordon. Being a pure shooter yourself, why do you think the number of players that can really shoot the rock is dwindling? (From Mark in Missoula, Mont.)
A. Usually, your best shooters are one-dimensional players. From what I've seen in the last 15 years, percentages really don't mean anything anymore. Back when I played, I always felt if you shot around 47 percent, you weren't considered a good shooter. Now, if you shoot 43-44 percent, they consider you good. I don't think a lot of emphasis is put on percentages now. I just think the art of shooting the basketball is a matter of guys practicing on it. Years ago, you used to have pure shooters like Rick Mount and Billy Keller and those guys from around here. They were real shooters. Now, guys spend more time on other parts of their game and their bodies, and dribbling and other things, and shooting just isn't second nature.
Question for Larry Bird | July 25, 2007
Q. I am wondering what was wrong with Darrell Armstrong last season in that (backup point guard) role. He was a veteran leader who always made an impact when he was on the floor. He was also a very good long-range shooter which is another area of need. Will Darrell be back next season and if so in what role? (From Jake in Indianapolis)
A. We haven't made that decision as of now. Darrell provided a lot of energy last year and gave us good backup for some short minutes off the bench. We also feel that if Marquis Daniels can stay healthy this year, we'll probably use him at the point for short minutes. We're going to play a different style this year where it really doesn't matter who makes the entry pass to start the offense, it's going to be a lot of players. You might see (Mike) Dunleavy, Marquis, Jamaal (Tinsley, of course, and even (Danny) Granger can get the ball up the court and get us into our offense.
Question for Donnie Walsh | July 23, 2007
Q. You have been around the NBA for quite a few years and I am sure you know many (contacts) inside the league office. A couple of years ago, the NBA gave a one-time chance for teams to cut one player to get rid of a burdensome contract. Have you heard from any of your NBA insiders if the NBA is planning to do this again any time soon? Is there any way you could call in a favor to get them to do it again? (From Jeremy in Fishers, Ind.)
A. No. This was a one-time-only adjustment that teams could make if they were caught, at the time of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, with salaries that were prohibitive, they had the opportunity to get them off there (Editor's note: the Pacers exercised their one-time option to clear the final season of Reggie Miller's contract from their salary cap figure). It was done because that provision came so fast, the luxury tax, that a lot of teams would have been up over (the threshold).
Question for Larry Bird | July 18, 2007
Q. There are two players from last year's team that are now free agents (Keith McLeod and Rawle Marshall). I don't know the difference between unrestricted and restricted but I was wondering if you plan to keep those two. (From Mike in Indianapolis)
A. We just let Rawle Marshall go last week before training camp. He's a restricted free agent, which meant we had a right to match any offer that came his way. If you're unrestricted, you're free to go anywhere. Keith McLeod's an unrestricted free agent so he can go anywhere he wants. We're still talking about bringing another point guard in and he's one of the guys we're talking about.
Question for Jim O'Brien | July 16, 2007
Q. The Pacers finished this season with the worst field goal percentage in the NBA. Why did this team struggle on the offensive end and what can be done to improve their shooting percentage? (From Nick in Dallas)
A. I think our team this past year was too predictable on offense. They did not create the type of tempo that was necessary to get a few cheap baskets every game. In the NBA, if you always allow the defense to set up, then your weaknesses will be exposed over the course of 82 games. We have to have a substantial part of our offense that is unpredictable and will allow people like Jamaal Tinsley and Marquis Daniels and Danny Granger to get in the open court. There's no reason why we should not be a very, very good rebounding team and if you're a very good rebounding team that should open up chances to run. All of our staff's teams in the past have always been close to the top in turning over our opponents and the best way to get a fast break is off of turnovers.
Question for Jim O'Brien | July 8, 2007
Q. I’m just wondering, how are you going to utilize our young players who have the potential to become superstars? What I mean is, if Danny Granger (whom I think will be a superstar) needs to play a lot of minutes to develop, would you do it if you have other players like (Troy) Murphy, (Mike) Dunleavy, and (Jermaine) O’Neal who are the starters? (From Machete in Puerto Rico)
A. The first priority that we have is to win this year, but closely behind that is our ability to develop a group of people that some time in the future will be able to compete for an NBA championship. Since you bring up Danny Granger's name, Danny is going to be a very, very important part of both this year and the future and he will play extended minutes this year. Shawne Williams is a very important part of our future but we do not give out minutes unless they're earned. Our players will understand that. In most businesses, the cream rises to the top and I believe that is the case in professional basketball.
Question for Jim O'Brien | June 26, 2007
Q. You wasted no time naming your long-time assistants to be on your staff now. Specifically, what do they bring to the table? (From Alan in San Diego)
A. They bring a past record of success in turning around teams that were not doing very well prior to the staff's arrival and quickly getting teams back into the playoffs and focused on what is important in the NBA, and that is simply winning. Our staff is experienced, extremely hard-working and have tremendous loyalty to the organizations they work for.
Question for Jim O'Brien | June 22, 2007
Q. In what summer league will the Pacers participate? What players do you expect to take part and what do you hope to accomplish? (From Steve in Greenfield, Ind.)
A. We're participating in the summer league in Orlando the second week of July and we will have some of our players go with us. Shawne Williams and Danny Granger will practice with us and play a couple of games in Orlando. Orien Greene, if we decide to pick up his option, will be with us, as well as some players we want to get a thorough look at. In the case of the players that will be on our team this year, it will give them a great advantage in understanding what we expect offensively and defensively prior to training camp.
Question for Donnie Walsh | June 18, 2007
Q. I know the obvious thing to say is we are trying to win now. However, I am concerned that no matter what happens with personnel, this year's team won't be competing for a championship. I guess my question is, what are your plans, as far as time goes, to get this team back to the Finals? (From Greg in New Castle, Ind.)
A. I'm not sure I agree with some of your suppositions. I think the league is as close to parity as it has been in a long time and if you make the right move during the summer you can become a contending team – but you have to make the right move. I don't put any time limit on when we can get there. We're going to get there as fast as we can get there.
Question for Conrad Brunner | June 11, 2007
Q. Given that he is athletic, has the ability to get to the basket and is able to defend the more physical guards around the league, is it possible the Pacers are looking at Marquis Daniels to fill the starting point guard role next year? How did he perform at the point when he was asked to do so with the Mavericks? If it is not a possibility, what are the Pacers best options through free agency or trade? (From Darin in Sullivan, Ind.)
A. The idea of Daniels as a point guard has intrigued management since he was acquired a year ago but a variety of circumstances – primarily the injury that kept him out the entirety of training camp and the preseason – set him back and he was never able to earn the confidence of former Coach Rick Carlisle at the point. It appears new Coach Jim O'Brien will take a look at Daniels in a variety of rules, possibly including the point. While with Dallas, he did fill in as a starter on a few occasions and fared well. As for external options, if a change is to be made at the point it most likely will need to come via trade, because the Pacers don't have much money to spend in free agency. The draft is a possibility, although more as a long-term option.
Question for Larry Bird | June 8, 2007
Q. What is your top priority for the 2007-08 season? To re-establish the credibility of the organization that has been lost in the past few years since the Detroit incident, or to deal for players to get back to the playoffs next season? Do you really think we can do both? (From Chad in Chattanooga, Tenn.)
A. I think we can do both. We're a lot better team than what we ended up. Changing the culture around here a little bit will help. Every coach I talk to, that's the No. 1 thing. We're going to change the culture, get players in here that want to play every night and practice every day. But you've got to start somewhere. I think we've got a good enough team to make the playoffs but we've got to change the culture a little bit.
Question for Larry Bird | June 4, 2007
Q. I was just wondering how serious the organization is at delving into the free agent market? I see names like Chauncey Billups, Bonzi Wells, Jason Kapono, James Posey, Primoz Brezec, Mike Bibby, Luke Walton and Austin Croshere, just to name a few. Do you feel there are any guys out there that could come in here and fill a void, and if so, how serious of a push will be made to get the necessary pieces? (From Jeff in New Castle, Ind.)
A. When you talk about Chauncey Billups, it'll be virtually impossible to pull him away from Detroit. There's a lot of players out there that I like but it'd have to be a sign-and-trade. We're not going to use the mid-level and we're not going to spend a ton of money but we will make changes.
Question for Larry Bird | May 31, 2007
Q. What do you do you see as Shawne Williams' role in the upcoming season? Is this dependent on the new coach, or do you expect him to play a major role or at least crack the rotation? Is this something you will stress to the new coach, to play the younger guys like Williams more? (From Aaron in London, England)
A. That's totally up to the coach. If Shawne puts a good summer in, I think he'll improve a lot. He's a multi-skilled player that can play two positions. After watching him last year, he was coming along pretty well. If he continues that, he should get more minutes, no question about it.
Question for Donnie Walsh | May 29, 2007
Q. As opposed to the other professional sports leagues, why is it so hard for teams in the NBA to get to the elite level, much less stay there? It seems like the vast majority of franchises never get above mediocrity despite changing players, coaches, and GMs, while in the other professional sports many teams are viable contenders when their seasons begin. I know the differences in the Collective Bargaining Agreements plays a big part, but what is your opinion? (From Tom in Westfield, Ind.)
A. If that's true, I'm sure it's got something to do with the fact the NFL for the most part doesn't have guaranteed contracts so they can go out and sign almost a new team every year. That's something an NBA team cannot do. If you have a poor team, have a lot of contracts and don't have enough room to make changes by signing free agents, you then must go out and rely on being able to trade some of the players away in order to improve that team. That can make it a longer process than would take place in the NFL.
Question for Donnie Walsh | May 24, 2007
Q. What's your opinion about how Mike Dunleavy has played after the trade? I know he's not as consistent as your hopes but I believe he could be better. I've seen a lot of his early years at Duke and the Warriors and think he could be an incredible all-around player, especially with his unselfish play. (From Frank in Beijing)
A. I think Mike Dunleavy got better and better from the point he got here and his statistics will bear that out. He's got a bright future. He's 6-9, he can play one, two or three. His shooting improved from the point that he got here to the end of the season and I think it will continue to improve. I also think he'll add strength, which can make him a unique player with his skill set. He did very well here particularly because I thought there was a lack of confidence coming in and he seemed to overcome that on a daily basis. I think he'll be a very, very good player.
Question for Larry Bird | May 21, 2007
Q. This offseason the team is looking to make some personnel moves and hire a new coach. Coaches usually are known to coach certain styles of basketball for example either half court or run and gun. Are the Pacers going to get a coach and then make roster moves to fit his coaching style or is the team looking to get a certain type of player and find a coach that fits those types of players? I understand that a player may not want to come to a team before he knows who the coach is. I can also understand a coach not rushing to take a job when he does not know what the roster is going to look like. I just wanted to know your philosophy and which way the team is heading. (From Jeremy in Fishers, Ind.)
A. Usually the coach, but we're in no hurry. We said it was going to be a long process. We've interviewed a number of guys. We've interviewed some guys twice so far. Personnel changes usually come in the summer. Some might come around the draft, but probably not, because everybody wants to see who they got in the draft. The personnel changes will probably come in July. Every coach has his own style and a player we might be in love with, the coach might not be. It's difficult but when you go out and talk to these coaches you try to get an idea, going through your roster, who they like and who they don't. The ones I've interviewed think we're a lot better than we showed last year and that's a plus.
Question for Donnie Walsh | May 15, 2007
Q. What two positions do the Pacers have to improve in order to get back to championship contenders? (From Ira in New York)
A. I'm not sure it's positional, although you could make a case it is because we have a lot of players that can play different positions. I think we need more speed at certain positions, we need much better shooting at certain positions and we need players who can create their own play. Hopefully, you can get all of those things in one or two players.
Question for Donnie Walsh | May 10, 2007
Q. How do you prepare for the upcoming offseason? We know after the trade the team has long-term contracts. But the team doesn't expect to be in danger with the luxury tax. So could we sign one or two free agents that could help our team by using the mid-level exception? (From Frank in Beijing)
A. First of all, we have to get to the lottery and even though we don't have, percentage-wise, a great chance of getting a top-three pick, the chance is there and we have to see how that goes and what our draft position will be if we have one at all. After that, we'll go into the free agent period which begins in mid-July. I'm sure we'll be involved in discussing trades, I'm sure we'll be involved with looking for free agents through the mid-level or through sign-and-trades. My feeling is after the trade, while we liked the players we got, it did call for us to add some players that can create their own play. That will be our emphasis as we go forward.
Question for Conrad Brunner | May 3, 2007
Q. What is the status of that second-round pick we made a couple years ago – the guy that won the "most promising young European player" award or something like that. We opted to let him develop in Europe. Is he available? Is he ready? (From Alan in San Diego)
A. Erazem Lorbek was the Pacers' second-round pick in 2005, No. 46 overall, but has remained in Europe to develop his body and his game. A 6-11, 240-pound power forward, Lorbek won the EuroLeague Rising Star award in 2005. The same award was won by Andrea Bargnani in 2006. After averaging 9.2 points and 5.0 rebounds with Climamio Bologna (Italy) during the 2005-06 season, Lorbek signed with Unijaca Malaga in Spain. Neither comfortable nor productive there, he was "loaned" to Benetton Treviso in Italy. When the Italian Basketball Federation voided that move, Lorbek signed with Lottomatica Virtus Roma. Between the two Italian teams, he averaged 14.5 points and 6.1 rebounds, shooting 60.1 percent from the field and 37.1 percent from the 3-point line. Considered a gifted shooter but an average athlete, Lorbek, now 23, is expected to compete with the Slovenian National Team in the European Championships this September in Spain, and much of his summer will be devoted to preparations for that important event. He's under contract with Unijaca Malaga for one more season, and it's uncertain if he'll have an opportunity with the Pacers in training camp.
Question for Conrad Brunner | April 30, 2007
Q. What areas do you think call for the most improvement? I think that a deadly 3-point shooter is something this team is in dire need of. Most teams in the league don't have a dead-eye shooter, but it seems as if a lot of teams' second-best shooters are better than anyone on the Pacers. (From Eric in Union, Ky.)
A. Though there is an obvious need for at least one more 3-point shooter, the Pacers' most obvious offensive shortcoming last season was the lack of players capable of making something from nothing. When the shot clock is winding down or the play called didn't achieve the desired result, they often were left with a desperate heave because there was no one on the court with the requisite creativity and skill to break down the defense on his own. Marquis Daniels was just such a player and was beginning to come into his own when sidelined by the knee injury. The devastating effect his absence had on the offense clearly illustrates how badly the Pacers need help in this area. Daniels' return to health will help, and Danny Granger could become that kind of player but there still is a major need for a creator -- a player that can create either for himself or a teammate when all else fails.
Question for Larry Bird | April 24, 2007
Q. You of all people should know what constitutes a player that can literally take over games and will the team to win, since you qualified as (that kind of) player before. What are those qualities that constitute players that can take over? Who are the top three players in the Pacers today that can take over games (the whole game or at least in the clutch)? (From Reggie in Parañaque City, Philippines)
A. First of all, you have to have a lot of confidence in your game. You have to know, when a game gets tight, you've got to make a play for somebody else to get a good shot or you're going to have to score yourself. I think we've got some young guys that, in the next year or two, will be able to do that. The one thing I see with our guys is they give into the jump shoot too much when we need a basket instead of taking it to the hole. If we just learn to be more patient, we could take our man off the dribble and get to the rim. But if you don't, you've got to make a play for somebody else.
Question for Public Information Director David Benner | April 23, 2007
Q. How is it possible that a player get an injury of any kind that is caused by (still and video photographers) on the floor? Time and time again, I see NBA players get tangled up in the media personnel on the floor during NBA games. Shouldn't the media personnel be pushed back several feet? Is a photograph for the newspaper so important that it is worth risking an injury? (From David in Lynchburg, Va.)
A. Per NBA rules, all photographers and television camera operators must stay at least four feet behind the baseline at all times. League rules also require that on each side of the basket stanchion, a space of two feet will be reserved for television camera operators. Immediately next to those spaces is a three-foot escape lane that has to be clear throughout the game. In Conseco Fieldhouse, these areas are clearly marked and the rules are enforced. Unfortunately, due to our seating configuration, photographers can’t be pushed any farther back than they already are. It’s a situation that can go either way because I’ve seen many players use the photographers as a buffer from falling into the stands where there could more of a serious injury caused by seating or obstacles around the floor. It also must be noted that the primary photography positions under the basket are occupied by experienced television cameramen and still photography cameramen who do their best to get out of the way.
Question for Larry Bird | April 20, 2007
Q. Do you think that all your moves towards a more run-and-gun approach has worked out for the Pacers or do you think that the team should head back to a more halfcourt set offense? (From Philip in Sydney, Australia)
A. We really haven't run as much as we thought we were going to. One of the reasons is getting the right players on the court at the right time. I like to run and get easy baskets but when I talk about running, I'm talking about off long rebounds and steals. It's easy to talk about but it's something you've got to implement in training camp and make a commitment to running. You can't run one night and not run the next night. The teams in our league that run, run every night. But I don't want to get into a run-and-gun style game because our team isn't geared toward that. We like to run off turnovers, mistakes and long rebounds because we don't want to give up a lot on the defensive end. This year, our defense has not been good at all. And you can't defend anybody, you can't run.
