 |
||
 Diener |
Point Guard |
 Kidd |
 Dunleavy |
Shooting Guard |
 Stackhouse |
 Granger |
Small Forward |
 Howard |
 Foster |
Power Forward |
 Nowitzki |
 Murphy |
Center |  Dampier |
 O'Brien |
Coach |  Johnson |
Dunleavy revealing tough-guy side
By Conrad Brunner | March 12, 2008
Friday, 8:30 p.m. American Airlines Center TV: FSN-Indiana Radio: WFNI 1070-AM |
And then, he'll have you right where he wants.
As opponents have taken a more aggressive approach toward the red-hot Pacers wing, Dunleavy has responded with his best prolonged stretch of the season. Though he carries a mild manner outwardly, Dunleavy has displayed a gritty toughness and competitive will, particularly since the All-Star break.
When he was smacked in the mouth by Milwaukee's Michael Redd on March 2, he needed to go to the locker room for stitches in his lower lip (which, coincidentally, gave him a scar to balance the one on his upper lip from earlier in the season). Not only did he return to the game, he racked up 36 points to spark a victory over the Bucks. Against Seattle Tuesday, he limped to the locker room in the second quarter after spraining his left ankle but came back to score 18 of his 32 in the second half -- during which he took an elbow to the face -- to lead another victory.
"Being 6-9 and thin, he's not going to be a banger but anybody in their right mind can't question his toughness," said Coach Jim O'Brien. "He's started in every game, he's sprained his ankle, his face has been split open a number of times, he takes charges, he gets walloped taking the basketball to the basket. There's no question about his passion for the game of basketball and how hard he plays and how tough he plays. It's evident."
Since the All-Star break, the Pacers have won four games, thanks largely to the otherworldly efforts of Dunleavy, who scored at least 32 points in each, averaged a staggering 34.5 and shot .597 from the field and .693 from the 3-point line. Overall, Dunleavy has scored at least 30 seven times and the Pacers are 6-1. No Pacers player has had as many 30-point games since Jermaine O'Neal's 11 during the 2004-05 season.
When Dunleavy has been a mere mortal, the Pacers have been vulnerable. In the other seven games, all losses, he averaged 15.3 points and shot .424. Indiana (25-39) enters a challenging weekend 1½ games out of eighth place in the Eastern Conference, but facing daunting road games in Dallas Friday and Orlando Saturday.
"It's always nice to have somebody that can put a lot of points on the board," said O'Brien, "but teams are recognizing his ability to do that and now all of a sudden they're putting their best defensive player on him because he can hurt you off the dribble a lot and off pick-and-rolls. We run offense through him so he's getting a lot of attention. We need to get Danny (Granger) and him always playing at a high stride so one of them is guarded by a player they can beat every night."
After entering the season as the third option (behind Jermaine O'Neal and Danny Granger), Dunleavy has risen to the go-to scoring role. In the Pacers' 25 victories he has averaged 22.2 points and shot .520 from the field; in their 39 losses he has averaged 15.6 points and shot .449.
The Mavs (42-23) struggled initially after the trade-deadline acquisition of Jason Kidd from New Jersey, losing five of nine, but appear to have found their stride with three wins in a row. They're coming off a 118-93 rout of Charlotte Wednesday night.
KEY TO THE GAME
As well as Travis Diener has played as the fill-in starter, he hasn't run into Jason Kidd yet, and this will be a major challenge for the Pacers' energetic young point guard. Diener will need to stay aggressive against Kidd, not get frustrated if he struggles to get to his preferred spots on the floor and continue to attack. The Pacers will not only need the tempo he provides but some perimeter shooting to stretch the defense, as well.
TRENDS
Travis Diener has averaged 12.3 points, 6.9 assists and 1.3 turnovers in the last seven games. Since the All-Star break, Jeff Foster has averaged 9.7 rebounds, Danny Granger has averaged 22.0 points and Troy Murphy has averaged 16.1 points and 6.4 rebounds on .513 shooting. Flip Murray has averaged 10.0 points on .426 shooting in five games with the Pacers. The Pacers are 16-5 when they score at least 110 points. The defense has yielded 107.1 points in 11 games since the break.
SERIES
The Pacers snapped a four-game losing streak to the Mavs with a 111-107 victory on Nov. 23 in Conseco Fieldhouse as Danny Granger and Jamaal Tinsley combined for 49 points and the defense held Dallas to .417 shooting, including 3-of-19 from the 3-point line. The Mavs lead the overall series 31-22 and are 18-8 at home.
INJURIES
Pacers - F-G Mike Dunleavy (sprained L ankle) is probable; F-C Jermaine O'Neal (bone bruise, L knee) and G Jamaal Tinsley (sore L knee) are out.
Mavericks - F Devean George (lower back soreness) and G Tyronn Lue (L calf strain) are day-to-day.
