| ||
 |
vs. |  |
 Diener |
Point Guard |
 Ginobili |
 Granger |
Shooting Guard |
 Finley |
 Dunleavy |
Small Forward |
 Bowen |
 Murphy |
Power Forward |
 Oberto |
 Foster |
Center |  Duncan |
 O'Brien |
Coach |  Popovich |
Pacers hope to resolve fourth-quarter issues
By Conrad Brunner | Feb. 4, 2008
Tuesday, 7 p.m. Conseco Fieldhouse TV: FSN-Indiana Radio: WFNI 1070-AM |
In each of the last six games, the Pacers have been in position to win in the fourth quarter, either leading or trailing by four or fewer points at some point. But they've lost all six. If the Pacers (19-29) are to avoid a season-high seventh consecutive loss Tuesday against San Antonio in the final game of their longest homestand, they'll need to solve the mystery that the fourth quarter has become.
Coach Jim O'Brien believes the problem is twofold: a defense that doesn't get enough stops to fuel an offense that must push the tempo to succeed, acutely so in the absence of low-post threat Jermaine O'Neal.
"It comes back to what has been our main challenge down the stretch, stepping up and consistently getting key stops," he said. "If we're not getting key stops and teams are scoring, you're not as good a fast-break team when you have to throw it in, so you're not going to get the movement that you need."
"I hope were not learning how to lose or accept losing," said Rush. "But we've just got to learn how to finish games. We got it down to (a four-point deficit) in the fourth (against Orlando) and we just didnt make the necessary plays down the stretch to win the game. We missed some shots that we usually, probably hit, and I dont have an answer for you to tell you the truth. We've just got to buckle down and try to get a win."
Not only have the Pacers been without O'Neal, they've had limited access to their primary penetrator, point guard Jamaal Tinsley, who has missed nine of the last 18 games with left knee pain. When he's played he hasn't been aggressive, offensively, averaging just 3.3 points and 4.3 field goal attempts in his last six outings. Since attempting 26 shots in an overtime loss to Phoenix on Jan. 9, Tinsley has totaled 26 shots.
"I think we just dont run as well (late) as we do early," said Travis Diener, who has started the last five games at the point. "I think maybe because we dont want to take that quick shot or we want to make sure that we get the greatest shot. We've just got to keep running. Were going to wear teams down with the way we play. When the other team scores we've got to push it just as fast. We've got to run more late in games because other teams are going to wear down."
O'Brien has been working to keep up the spirits and confidence of his struggling players the Pacers have dropped 16 of 20 but clearly, this is a team that desperately needs one big shot, or defensive stop, to reverse its downward spiral.
"We just have to look at it, when we sit down and look at the game tape, look at the positives from it, because were right there in the middle of games and then at the end it seems like, you know in the fourth quarter toward the second part of the fourth quarter, we get out of character and we kind of break down," said Danny Granger. "So we need to get that fixed because the rest of the game we played well."
The Spurs (29-16) have lost three of four and are playing the fourth of their nine-game, 17-day "rodeo road trip." They're playing without starting point guard Tony Parker, who has a bone spur in his left heel, but recently signed veteran Damon Stoudamire for support.
KEY TO THE GAME
With Parker out and Damon Stoudamire a brand new addition, the Spurs are thin in the backcourt. With 6-6 Manu Ginobili and 6-7 Michael Finley starting, they're not exactly short on talent, however. Both can shoot the three or get inside a defense off the dribble and thus are well-suited to the Spurs' halfcourt offensive approach. Even if they start a big lineup, which seems likely given the Spurs' size, the Pacers must drive the tempo to push the Spurs out of their comfort zone.
TRENDS
The Pacers have shot better beyond the 3-point line (.463) than in side the arc (.439) in the last three games. The defense has yielded an average of 110 points in the last 14. Diener has averaged 11.0 points, 5.6 assists, 1.4 turnovers, .400 shooting overall and .417 from the 3-point line in starting the last five. Mike Dunleavy has shot 11-of-31 (.355) in the last two. Jeff Foster has averaged 11.6 points, 10.6 rebounds and .688 shooting from the field in his last five starts. Granger has averaged 22.4 points and 6.4 rebounds in 10 games using the small lineup. Rush has shot .447 from the 3-point line but .281 inside the arc in the last seven. Shawne Williams has totaled 45 minutes, 29 points and 12-of-17 (.706) shooting in the last two. The Pacers haven't been called for a technical foul in the last eight games after 36 in the first 40.
SERIES
The Spurs have won three of the last four, although the Pacers won the most recent meeting 100-99 in April 1, 2007, on Jamaal Tinsley's bucket with 1.1 seconds remaining. The overall NBA series is tied 35-35, with the Pacers leading 20-15 at home. The teams meet 92 times during the ABA era, with San Antonio holding a 49-43 advantage.
INJURIES
Pacers - G Travis Diener (sore R foot), G Jamaal Tinsley (sore L knee) are day-to-day; F-C Jermaine O'Neal (bone bruise, L knee) is out.
Spurs - G Brent Barry (L calf strain) and G Tony Parker (bone spur, L heel) are out.
