Hibbert, Rush give cause for optimism
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If the productivity of second-year players Roy Hibbert and Brandon Rush is integral to the Pacers' fortunes in 2009-10, get ready for a roller-coaster ride.
As the team emerges from the preseason and prepares to enter the regular season Wednesday in Atlanta (Fox Sports Indiana, 1070 The Fan AM), two of their biggest reasons for optimism are the prized 2008 first-round picks.
"A lot is going to be on their shoulders and it is only their second year," said Danny Granger. "They are still young guys and will carry a lot of responsibility for the team. Roy can score the ball in the low post and Brandon can do a lot of things.
"I just try to tell them a lot of times that you have to take what the coach says and apply it and not take it the way he says it. Many times young guys get discouraged early because the coach is on them and the older guys pick on them a little bit but they are going to carry a lot of responsibility on this team, so they need to come ready to play."
Hibbert was the team's second-leading scorer at 13.7 in the preseason and led the league in blocked shots (3.57), adding 5.4 rebounds in 24.0 minutes per game. He fouled out just once and in fact averaged fewer fouls (4.1) than Solomon Jones (4.6), his chief competition for playing time at center.
Rush averaged 12.4 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.29 blocks and 1.0 steals in 30.1 minutes, solid all-around numbers.
The averages, however, do not reflect average performances.
Hibbert scored at least 20 points three times. In three other games, he failed to reach double-digits.
Rush was a slow starter, totaling 24 points in the first half compared to 63 in the second.
Hibbert responsible for low-post offense
In the final two preseason games, Hibbert scored 20 against Dwight Howard and the Magic, and then 16 against Tim Duncan and the Spurs. He also blocked eight shots.As the primary low-post option on the roster, Hibbert's productivity will be vital to the offense. Without someone inside to draw the attention of the defense, life will be that much more difficult for the 3-point shooters outside.
That's a lot of demand, and expectation, for the young center from Georgetown.
"That's what I worked extremely hard for this summer. Danny's the go-to guy but when Danny's out of the game or if Danny's shot isn't hitting, they can throw it down to me and I can do some work down there," Hibbert said. "I have a lot more work to do but I'm up for the challenge."
Rush a slow starter but fast finisher
Rush's final preseason game was much like the rest. He missed all four of his shots in the first half, totaling two points from the free throw line. But in the second, he broke loose for 15 points, 10 in the fourth quarter as the Pacers held off a San Antonio rally for a 114-112 victory."I don't know, I always get going in the second half for some reason, start being more aggressive," Rush said. "I know it's my time to shoot."
O'Brien believes there's more to it than that.
"If somebody's not scoring, it's not necessarily that they're not being aggressive," he said. "Sometimes, our shot selection in the first half has not been the best and it hasn't been necessarily him. Sometimes we have quick-shot and taken challenged shots and we haven't moved and he's a guy that benefits with movement."
O'Brien has been encouraged by Rush's confidence, which often was in question last season when it appeared he'd go into a shell if he struggled with his shot. The coach would like to see him adopt a similarly aggressive mentality on defense.
"I still think Brandon has to convince himself he can be a great defensive player," said O'Brien, "and he's got to work toward that end."
Even with their inconsistency, both Hibbert and Rush have demonstrated marked improvement from their rookie seasons and are ready to accept greater responsibility.
"They better be," said O'Brien, "because they started for us the end of last year and they need to be effective starters for us this year."
Fast breaks ...
