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PACERS at MIAMI HEAT Tonight, 7:30, AmericanAirlines Arena TV: FSI Radio: 1070 The Fan Injury Report presented by Ortho Indy |
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 Jim O'Brien |
Scouting Report
Though their opponents have been challenging at least the Pacers had the comfort of playing seven of their first 11 at home. That changes drastically. Beginning tonight in Miami, the Pacers play three in a row and 10 of the next 13 on the road. Seven of those 10 road games are against teams at .500 or better, including Boston, Cleveland and Detroit. To stay afloat, the Pacers will need to re-establish their struggling offense. Indiana has lost three of the last four despite holding opponents to .404 shooting because the offense has bogged down. While the Pacers (5-6) are playing the second night of a back-to-back, Miami (6-6) hasn't played since Wednesday night. Protecting the ball will be critical; Miami thrives on turnovers, averaging 20.8 points from opponents' miscues.
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 Erik Spoelstra |
 T.J. Ford |
Point Guard
This is a matchup the Pacers must win, preferably big. Despite his obvious speed, T.J. Ford has not pushed the tempo nearly enough, averaging 3.3 assists in the last three games and shooting .373 in the last four. He's having a solid season (16.2 points, 5.6 assists, 4.9 rebounds) but the offense won't take off until he steps on the accelerator. Mario Chalmers has the difficult task of starting at point guard as a rookie and he's experiencing the typical ups and downs. He set a Heat record with nine steals in one game so he obviously can be disruptive.
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 Mario Chalmers |
 Marquis Daniels |
Shooting Guard
Coming off his season high scoring game of 25 points, Marquis Daniels just keeps rolling along. He's been the team's most consistent scorer primarily because he doesn't rely on jump shots, preferring to weave his way to the basket and finish with a variety of shots. He has a major defensive challenge in Dwyane Wade, who has averaged 29.3 points, 9.7 assists, 4.0 rebounds, 3.33 blocked shots and 2.33 steals in the last three games.
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 Dwyane Wade |
 Danny Granger |
Small Forward
Though the numbers hint that Danny Granger is having a big year, a deeper look reveals a troubling pattern of inconsistency. He's hit half his shots in just three of 10 games; in those three he has averaged 33.3 points on .655 shooting overall and .500 from the arc. In the other seven he has averaged 20.0 points on .383 shooting overall and .316 from the arc. The Pacers need Granger to find a more reliable groove, and that could start with less reliance on his jump shot. Shawn Marion is one of those rare players capable of scoring 20-plus points while serving as a defensive stopper and his athleticism remains in the top tier of the NBA.
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 Shawn Marion |
 Troy Murphy |
Power Forward
Though he has been rebounding very effectively (14.0 in the last three games), Troy Murphy has not been involved in the offense as much as the Pacers would like. In his last five games he has averaged just eight shots and has struggled to make those, hitting .350 overall and 3-of-15 from the arc. He also has endured a mysterious struggle at the free-throw line, missing 12 of 15 in those last five games. Michael Beasley is an explosive rookie but has totaled just 13 points on 12 shots in the last two games.
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 Michael Beasley |
 Rasho Nesterovic |
Center
Though Rasho Nesterovic is coming off his worst shooting game with the Pacers (3-of-14), he should be a focal point of the offense against the much smaller Udonis Haslem. Nesterovic did have eight assists against Orlando as he continues to be solid with his all-around contributions. Haslem is an energy player, not really a post threat, who does a lot of work in scramble situations. If he's making his mid-range jumper he can cause big problems.
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 Udonis Haslem |
 Jarrett Jack |
Bench
The Pacers will lean more heavily on their reserves tonight, likely going 10 or 11 deep and they'll need to be ready. Beyond veterans Jarrett Jack and Jeff Foster there has been no consistency. That's likely to remain the case until rookies Brandon Rush (.338 shooting) and Roy Hibbert (seven minutes in the last four games) can find some level of consistency. Miami's biggest bench weapon is Daequan Cook, a player with a habit of toasting the Pacers.
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 Daequan Cook |
