| ||
 |
vs. |  |
 J. Tinsley |
Point Guard |
 R. Mason |
 M. Dunleavy |
Shooting Guard |
 D. Stevenson |
 D. Granger |
Small Forward |
 C. Butler |
 T. Murphy |
Power Forward |
 A. Jamison |
 J. ONeal |
Center |  B. Haywood |
 M. Daniels |
Sixth Man |
 N. Young |
 J. O'Brien |
Coach |  E. Jordan |
Focus shifts to inconsistent defense
By Conrad Brunner | Dec. 22, 2007
Tonight, 7 p.m. Conseco Fieldhouse TV: FSN-Indiana Radio: WIBC 1070-AM |
The Pacers don't have to be great but neither can they be as bad as they've been on occasion, including a 131-118 loss in Minnesota Friday night.
Indiana leads the East in scoring (104.9, sixth in the league) but is last in the conference in points allowed (104.8, 27th in the NBA).
"No matter how you grind statistics, if you look at the last 15 years of teams that have gone to the Eastern Conference Finals or the Western Conference Finals, every team that got to that level except one, I think, was in the top 10 defensively in field goal defense," said Coach Jim O'Brien. "It's not a coach's clichι, it is exactly right: you either play defense or you go home. You probably don't make the playoffs. If you play defense and keep the other team off-balance offensively, then you have a chance to advance in the playoffs.
"It's something we work on probably 75 percent to 25 percent offense. When we get a chance, that's what we do, we spend three-quarters of our (practice) time on defense."
The Pacers entered the Minnesota game on one of their best defensive stretches of the year, holding consecutive opponents below 100 points. But a couple of troubling trends from early in the season resurfaced in Minnesota: the tendency to relax with a big lead and the inability of the defense to stop, well, anything.
The Pacers led 43-22 early in the second quarter but were outscored 76-45 in the second and third periods by a Minnesota team with the NBA's worst record. It marked the fifth time the Pacers have blown a double-digit lead to lose, and the second time they've blown a lead of at least 20 points.
"It is a trend that we have to correct," said Danny Granger. "We get up so big that I think we stop doing what we did to get the lead."
The Wizards (13-12) are coming off their second consecutive loss, 97-92 at home against Atlanta Friday night. They're scrambling at point guard because of injuries to Gilbert Arenas and Antonio Daniels.
KEY TO THE GAME
With Gilbert Arenas and Antonio Daniels both injured, the Wizards are without their primary point guards and are thus prone to backcourt pressure. The Pacers will need to capitalize on this vulnerability but must also be very careful not to let their energy lapse because Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison are explosive scorers and Brendan Haywood tends to give them fits on the boards, particularly the offensive glass.
TRENDS
Travis Diener scored seven points in 3 minutes in his first appearance in five games Friday in Minnesota. Ike Diogu scored 10 points with three rebounds in 10 minutes in his first appearance since Nov. 3. Mike Dunleavy has averaged 28.3 points on 30-of-50 shooting (.600) in the last three. In the last 13, Dunleavy has averaged 20.7 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists on 95-of-181 shooting (.525) overall and 25-of-56 (.446) from the 3-point line. Danny Granger has shot 54-of-138 (.391) in the last 11 games. Jermaine O'Neal failed to score in double figures for the first time since Nov. 17 and the second time this season Friday. Kareem Rush has averaged 11.0 points on 26-of-50 shooting (.520) overall and 13-of-26 (.500) from the arc in the last six. Jamaal Tinsley has shot 4-of-18 in his last two appearances but has averaged 9.8 assists in his last 17. The Pacers allowed their second-highest point total of the season (131) to the Timberwolves. Indiana has been outrebounded 105-78 in the last two games.
SERIES
This is already the third meeting this season, with each team winning on its home floor. Danny Granger, Mike Dunleavy and Jamaal Tinsley combined for 65 points in the Pacers' 119-110 win on Oct. 31 in the season opener, while Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler totaled 55 as the Wizards won 103-90 on Nov. 14. Indiana leads the all-time series 73-64 and is 48-20 at home.
INJURIES
Pacers - C David Harrison (back spasms) is day-to-day.
Wizards - G Gilbert Arenas (knee surgery), G Antonio Daniels (ligament sprain, right knee), F Oleksiy Pecherov (fractured right ankle) and C Etan Thomas (heart surgery) are out.
