Pacers News

After loss to Pacers, Jamison blasts effort
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November 7
Washington Times
 
"The one-armed team captain stormed from the locker room alone after unleashing a vicious, expletive-laced tongue-lashing. Antawn Jamison, still recovering from a partially dislocated right shoulder, had just watched suit-clad from the end of the bench as his Washington Wizards stumbled and fumbled their way through a 102-86 loss to the Indiana Pacers at Conseco Fieldhouse on Friday night. And as if the poor performance - marked by 19 turnovers and 58 percent shooting from the free throw line - weren't cause for enough frustration, the nonchalant response the two-time All-Star power forward observed from some of his teammates sent him over the edge. Meanwhile, first-year coach Flip ..."
Washington minus two starters equals yuck
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November 7
Washington Examiner
 
"Four thoughts about the Wizards' 102-86 loss at the Pacers, which was (a) simply an abomination, (b) moved Washington one step closer to legitimate concerns about this season's prospects, or (c) was simply an exclamation point demonstrating how much the Wiz are hurting with two starters (Antawn Jamison and Mike Miller) sidelined by shoulder injuries [Update before I post -- Jamison apparently berated his teammates afterward, making the answer (a)]: At least Caron Butler got some of his scoring mojo back, with a team-high 24 points to go with 12 rebounds. His three-pointer was still off (1 for 5) and he committed the first of Washington's seven first-quarter turnovers. Tonight, it wasn't ..."
Not a bad start for Hansbrough
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November 7
Indianapolis Star
 
"Tyler Hansbrough definitely didn't disappoint in his first game. The rookie out of North Carolina doesn't look for style points when he plays. He just wants to get the job done. Hansbrough looked like a fullback when bullied his way to the basket for 13 points and five rebounds in 14 minutes. Coach Jim O'Brien said before the game that Hansbrough wouldn't play more than 16 minutes. The stat that stood out was the 10 free throw attempts. Hansbrough's either going to get called for an offensive foul or he's going to get fouled when he goes up for a shot in the paint. "I had a couple of jitters with it being my first time on the NBA stage," Hansbrough said. "I got to attack the rim, I was ..."
Pacers recognize man who helped keep them in Indy
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November 7
Indianapolis Star
 
"Mel Simon, one of the two people responsible for keeping the Indiana Pacers in Indianapolis, became the sixth person to be recognized in the rafters at Conseco Fieldhouse by the organization during a ceremony before Friday's game against the Washington Wizards. "It's fair to say none have contributed more than Mr. Simon," emcee Mark Boyle said. "Without Mr. Simon and his brother, we may not have an NBA franchise here." Simon joined Reggie Miller, Roger Brown, George McGinnis, Mel Daniels and former coach Bob "Slick" Leonard in being honored with a banner at the fieldhouse. Simon died Sept. 16 after battling pancreatic cancer. Simon's brother, Herb, his daughters, Deborah Simon and Cindy ..."
Pacers keep up defensive effort
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November 7
Indianapolis Star
 
"The message was written on the board when the Indiana Pacers arrived for their meeting at Conseco Fieldhouse late Friday afternoon. The message from coach Jim O'Brien said: "Just play with the defensive intensity you did the last nine minutes against New York and everything else will fall into place." Mission accomplished. The Pacers brought their defense back with them from New York and used it to beat the Washington Wizards 102-86 on the 10th anniversary of the opening of the fieldhouse. "That's huge," Pacers point guard T.J. Ford said. "It gives us a lot of confidence knowing we don't have to worry about scoring. The scoring will come; we just have to continue to play defense like we're ..."
Listless Wizards fall on the road
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November 7
Washington Times
 
"Flip Saunders threw darn near the entire kitchen sink at the Indiana Pacers on Friday night at Conseco Fieldhouse. He tried the traditional lineup (although it was his third different one of the season thanks to injuries). He tried a small lineup. He played Gilbert Arenas on the ball. He played him off the ball. He used all 12 players at his disposal. But none of that did the trick. The Wizards put on a listless performance and fell 102-86, their third straight loss. Although the score indicated otherwise, the Pacers' play couldn't exactly be described as dominant."
After loss to Pacers, Jamison blasts effort
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November 7
Washington Times
 
"The one-armed team captain stormed from the locker room alone after unleashing a vicious, expletive-laced tongue-lashing. Antawn Jamison, still recovering from a partially dislocated right shoulder, had just watched suit-clad from the end of the bench as his Washington Wizards stumbled and fumbled their way through a 102-86 loss to the Indiana Pacers at Conseco Fieldhouse on Friday night. And as if the poor performance - marked by 19 turnovers and 58 percent shooting from the free throw line - weren't cause for enough frustration, the nonchalant response the two-time All-Star power forward observed from some of his teammates sent him over the edge. Meanwhile, first-year coach Flip Saunders ..."
For slumping Wizards, it's three of a bad kind
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November 7
Washington Post
 
"The frustration could be heard moments after the Washington Wizards' 102-86 loss to the Indiana Pacers as a voice, shouting expletives, boomed from the locker room. It belonged to Antawn Jamison, who didn't play on Friday night but was infuriated by the lethargic and listless display of his teammates. Jamison didn't mince his words, challenging every player in the locker room, young and old, and peppered his speech with curse words to get his point across. Jamison stormed out of the locker room after his profanity-laced rant and shouted, "Ain't nothing funny about this!" The frustration could be seen upon entering the locker room, as a shattered fruit plate rested against a wall, ..."
Conseco Fieldhouse an Indiana shrine by design
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November 6
Indianapolis Star
 
"Ten years after Conseco Fieldhouse opened its doors, this shrine to Indiana basketball -- part museum, part arena -- remains one of the most revered basketball venues in the nation and has altered the idea of what an NBA arena should be. The retro-styled home of the Indiana Pacers -- a modern venue soaked in history -- has influenced other teams to rethink nondescript multipurpose buildings and embrace designs tied to basketball's past. Charlotte, Dallas, Memphis and San Antonio are among franchises that modeled specific elements of their new arenas after what they saw at Conseco. New Jersey, which has a new arena in the works, also is aiming in that direction. "We looked at probably 20 ..."
Hibbert is growing into low-post scoring presence Pacers need
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November 6
Indianapolis Star
 
"Roy Hibbert's time is coming. It could be this season. It might be a season away. But those associated with the Indiana Pacers' 7-2 center are convinced he's on his way to becoming a low-post force. "In the very near future, if not right now, he's going to be a dominant low-post scorer, a guy you can count on throwing the ball to and getting you points," Pacers veteran center Jeff Foster said. "He will be a presence," his college coach, Georgetown's John Thompson III, said, "at both ends of the floor in that league for a long time." Just four games into his second season, Hibbert has shown flashes of improvement. He is averaging 10.8 points and a team-high 10.3 rebounds. He is coming off ..."
Knicks lose to previously winless Indiana Pacers, 101-89, at Madison Square Garden
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November 5
New York Daily News
 
"And in other sports in New York Wednesday night ... If the Knicks can't beat the previously winless and porous Pacers, then how are they ever going to compete against Le-Bron James and Shaquille O'Neal Friday night? That's the ugly truth for Mike D'Antoni, whose team was an offensive wreck in the fourth quarter of its 101-89 loss to the Pacers at the Garden. D'Antoni didn't hide his disgust after his team missed 15 of its last 17 shots, and scored only 15points in the fourth quarter and just 33 after halftime against one of the league's worst defensive teams. When asked about his team's obvious lack of intensity after halftime, he said, "I don't want to say something when I'm so ticked ..."
Knicks president Donnie Walsh not surprised at Larry Bird's words about Lebron James
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November 5
New York Daily News
 
"Donnie Walsh didn't take it personally when his former subordinate, Pacers president Larry Bird, lobbied against Le-Bron James coming to New York next July as a free agent. "I have no problem with what Larry said," the Knicks president said Wednesday night before New York took on his old team at the Garden. "I love Larry. I'm not surprised he'd say that, either." Bird's contention is that James, an Akron native, means too much to Ohio and would be a catastrophic loss to the franchise. It's hard to argue with either of those points. "I like to see the great players stay in the cities and with the teams that drafted them," said Bird, who played his entire Hall of Fame career in Boston. "So ..."
Pacers' 1st win 'tastes so good'
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November 5
Indianapolis Star
 
"A.J. Price couldn't help himself. He had to do it. The Indiana Pacers' rookie point guard let out a loud yell inside what had been a mellow locker room at Madison Square Garden. "A victory. It tastes so good," Price blurted out. "It tastes so good." The Pacers can say they're no longer winless, and not even Danny Granger fouling out could stop them from getting a victory. The Pacers ended their three-game losing streak when they beat the New York Knicks 101-89 on Wednesday night in front of a crowd that appeared to be more interested in the New York Yankees' World Series game. "Finally," Granger said. "The first one is always the hardest one, unless you get it in the first game. I'm glad ..."
Indiana loses its way early, can't rally against Denver
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November 4
Indianapolis Star
 
"Fall behind early. Make a run to try to keep things interesting. Run out of a gas at the end. The Indiana Pacers aren't good enough to fall behind by double digits and expect to come back and win, especially against a team that reached the Western Conference finals last season. They found that out Tuesday night when the Denver Nuggets toyed with them for most of their 111-93 victory over Indiana at Conseco Fieldhouse. The Pacers (0-3), who play the New York Knicks tonight, are one of three remaining winless teams (New Jersey, Golden State). "We've got to find a way to get a win," Pacers coach Jim O'Brien said. "The first quarter we didn't make shots that we've made the last couple of ..."
Melo ready for rumble with ex-teammate Jones
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November 3
Denver Post
 
"For a few moments before and after tonight's game against Indiana, Dahntay Jones' 4-year-old son will steal the show in the Nuggets locker room, where last season he was a team favorite. During the game, Jones will try to steal the show from Carmelo Anthony. Anthony got a taste of Jones' tactics in two preseason games this season and says he'll be ready for it tonight when the Nuggets begin their six-game road trip at Indiana. Things got a bit heated when the two squared off in Beijing and Taiwan last month. Anthony, who scored 45 points in the second of the two exhibition games against the Pacers, shrugged it off. "It got a little chippy. That's him though," Anthony said. "That's his ..."
Larry Bird likes LeBron James as Cavalier, not a New York Knick
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November 3
New York Daily News
 
"Not that he wants his former boss, Donnie Walsh, to fail at rebuilding the Knicks, but Pacers president Larry Bird doesn't want to see LeBron James come to New York next summer. "I hope he stays in Cleveland," Bird said Monday. "He's from Ohio and he means so much to that team and that state. I used to love to go and play in Cleveland because they love the game. And, I like to see the great players stay in the cities and with the teams that drafted them. It means so much for the league and the state. So I would rather see him stay." Bird, who coached for Walsh and then joined the front office when the current Knicks president ran the Pacers, participated in a conference call with Magic ..."
Pacers like Jones' aggression
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November 3
Indianapolis Star
 
"Indiana Pacers guard Dahntay Jones is doing what coach Jim O'Brien wants. Defense was a given. His reputation is that of a defensive specialist. His offense has been a surprise. Jones is averaging 11.5 points through two games. He is attacking the basket and attempting to be a playmaker from the wing, something starter Brandon Rush is not doing. The only drawback: Jones has a team-high nine turnovers. "Dahntay is more of a playmaker," O'Brien said. "He's very aggressive going to the glass. We want him to be aggressive, but at the same time have a good assist-turnover ratio." Jones faces his former team, Denver, tonight at Conseco Fieldhouse, though the Nuggets rarely saw this version of ..."
Hibbert, Rush contracts extended...Foster Sprains ankle
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November 2
Indianapolis Star
 
"The Indiana Pacers will be without one of their veteran frontcourt players for at least two weeks, but their first-round pick could make his season debut this week. Veteran center Jeff Foster is expected to miss the next two weeks because of a high right ankle sprain, which he suffered in the first half of last Friday's loss to the Miami Heat. Foster's injury leaves the Pacers (0-2) with a relatively inexperienced frontcourt, which has been abused by Atlanta's Al Horford and Miami's Jermaine O'Neal in the first two games. Pacers coach Jim O'Brien said rookie Tyler Hansbrough could make his season debut Friday against the Washington Wizards as long as he has no setbacks in practice this ..."
Foster to miss 2 weeks with ankle sprain
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November 1
Indianapolis Star
 
"Indiana Pacers center Jeff Foster will miss at least two weeks after suffering a high right ankle sprain. The injury to the 6-11 Foster, a 10-year NBA veteran from Texas State, happened at Friday's loss to the Miami Heat at Conseco Fieldhouse. Meanwhile, Pacers rookie Tyler Hansbrough could be making his season debut Friday against the Washington Wizards as long as he has no setbacks in practice this week."
When teammates become foes
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November 1
Indianapolis Star
 
"Midway through his sixth season in the NBA, Troy Murphy was traded from his original team, the Golden State Warriors, to the Indiana Pacers. Twenty-one days later, he played against the Warriors. "It was really kind of odd," said Murphy, now in his fourth season with the Pacers. "You know those guys and spent so much time with them over the years, to go against them, it's just an odd situation." With so much player movement in the NBA, many end up facing former teammates, some of whom have become close friends. Dahntay Jones goes through it next, when the Pacers (0-2) play Tuesday night against Denver (2-0 heading into tonight's game against Memphis). It's the first regular-season game for ..."
Heat ends long skid in Indiana behind Wade, O'Neal
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October 31
Miami Herald
 
"The last time the Heat departed Indiana with a regular-season victory, second-year forward Michael Beasley was 12 years old. His vivid memory from 2001? ``I just graduated from sixth grade and was going to the seventh,'' Beasley said Friday. ``Thanks for bringing back bad memories. I got my bike stolen that year. Dang, it's been that long since we won here?'' Not anymore. Beasley was among the assailants this time. Miami built a 17-point lead in the second half to swipe a 96-83 victory from the Pacers and end a 14-game regular-season losing streak at Indiana. The man who was responsible for delivering Miami much of its misery during that stretch was also the one led it out of the Hoosier ..."
Wade, O'Neal help Heat end drought in Indy
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October 31
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
 
"It wasn't exactly the Indy 500. But the Miami Heat's 17 consecutive losses at Conseco Fieldhouse certainly felt like triple-digit misery. Now? Now there is a one-game winning streak in Indiana, with Friday's 96-83 victory over the Indiana Pacers. "It was gratifying," coach Erik Spoelstra said. "To have this feeling here hasn't happened very often for us." After 14 consecutive regular-season losses in Conseco, with three more in the playoffs, the Heat finds itself with its first 2-0 start to a season since it went 4-0 to open 2004-05. Both victim and former victimizer contributed for the Heat. Guard Dwyane Wade, who had lost all 11 of his previous Conseco visits, led the Heat with 32 ..."
Motivated O'Neal still a force inside
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October 31
Indianapolis Star
 
"Jermaine O'Neal played like he was at home. He looked like it after the game, too. The former Indiana Pacers center now playing for Miami gave his game shoes to a young fan in the stands after the Heat's 96-83 victory Friday night. He walked over to the Pacers' postgame television broadcast and gave former teammate Austin Croshere, now doing color commentary, a kiss on the cheek. O'Neal high-fived and hugged some of the Conseco Fieldhouse security guards. "It's good to be back home in Indiana," O'Neal said. "One thing that people haven't heard from me is that this will always be my family here, and this will always be my home. "I appreciate the support I've had over the eight years. You ..."
No time for Pacers to panic
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October 31
Indianapolis Star
 columnist Bob Kravitz
"In the end, it doesn't really matter if the Indiana Pacers read nursery rhymes to every kid in the city, open soup kitchens and eradicate the H1N1 virus. Yes, they've reconnected with the populace and managed to stay off the police blotter, and for that, they get high marks. But now it's time to win. Or, at the very least, play a lot better than they did in Friday's night's spirit-crushing 96-83 home opening loss to the Miami Heat. It might be time for Pacers coach Jim O'Brien to mimic Indiana Fever coach Lin Dunn, who, after two season-opening blowout losses to begin the season, pleaded for a "mulligan.'' What went wrong? We could save time and space and tell you what went right, but that ..."
Pacers stagger through opener, fall to O'Neal and the Heat
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October 31
Indianapolis Star
 
"At least the Indiana Pacers can't say their defense failed them this time. It turns out the best part of their game -- their offense -- did them in during their home opener Friday night against the Miami Heat. The run-and-gun Pacers were forced to slow things down and slug it out with the Heat, and that turned out to be a bad move because the Heat knocked the Pacers around and left them staggering at the end, winning 96-83. The loss ended a 17-game home winning streak for the Pacers against the Heat. "I think our players are trying to get comfortable with each other," Pacers coach Jim O'Brien said. "We certainly are not a solid basketball team right now. We will work to become one." ..."
Pacers' Granger is an All-Star. He wants to become a winner.
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October 30
Indianapolis Star
 
"The face of the Indiana Pacers was just another face in the crowd on this night. There were no autograph seekers or photo requests and very few whispers or finger-pointing as Danny Granger and his new bride dined at one of Indianapolis' premier steakhouses. Those who did tell Granger "good luck this season" as he exited toward his white Range Rover know the 26-year-old All-Star has to carry the Pacers if they hope to return to being a playoff regular. "I hear that a lot from people," Granger said, cutting into his 24-ounce porterhouse. "People ask me if we're going to get back to the playoffs." Granger's continued growth will be pivotal. Team president Larry Bird repeatedly has said there ..."
Ford, Rush still start
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October 30
Indianapolis Star
 
"Indiana Pacers coach Jim O'Brien doesn't consider his decision to go with Earl Watson and Dahntay Jones for most of the second half of Wednesday's loss to Atlanta as a message to starters T.J. Ford and Brandon Rush. O'Brien said it was a matter of staying with the players who were playing well. He wasn't referring to offense. He liked that Jones and Watson's defensive intensity helped the Pacers erase a 10-point deficit and go ahead by one in the fourth quarter. O'Brien might not see it as delivering a message, but Ford and Rush should see it as a reminder that playing time is not guaranteed. Ford (three points) and Rush (six points) started, but they combined to play 12 minutes in the ..."
Heat seeking first victory in Indiana since 2001
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October 30
Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel
 
"If not now, then when? If not after coming off a 22-point season-opening win with virtually everyone in the rotation contributing, then when? If not against a team that looked miserable in its own season opener, then when? The last time the Miami Heat won a game at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Rod Strickland was starting at point guard, Jim Jackson at small forward and Vladimir Stepania was coming off the bench. That was on Dec. 31, 2001. Since then, the Heat has lost 14 in a row in Indiana, 17 in a row when counting the postseason. "It's a hurdle we've got to get over one day," said guard Dwyane Wade, with the Heat's first road stop of the season coming Friday night at Conseco. ..."
Pacers' supposed defensive emphasis missing
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October 29
Indianapolis Star
 
"The offensive tempo and the point total were exactly as Indiana Pacers coach Jim O'Brien wanted them. But the Pacers' supposed new defense was nowhere to be found in the Atlanta metropolitan area Wednesday night. The Pacers showed not much has changed on the defensive end as the Atlanta Hawks picked them apart and took advantage of their turnovers, handing Indiana a 120-109 season-opening defeat at Philips Arena. "It's going to be the same as last year unless we decide we want to play defense," Pacers forward Troy Murphy said. "We have to really take care of that." The Pacers have stressed -- verbally at least -- the importance of being an improved defensive team, because any kind of ..."
Hawks outlast Pacers 120-109
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October 29
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
 
"Al Horford isn't ready to make any bold proclamations after just one game. But if the effort he and Josh Smith turned in during the Hawks' season-opening 120-109 win over Indiana is any indication, things could get really interesting at Philips Arena this season on the nights when they play their two-man game. They dominated the paint on both ends of the floor for long stretches, making sure the Hawks delivered what a boisterous crowd of 17,998 expected. "It's just the first game," Horford said smiling. "We can't make too many judgments. But we are trying to make an effort to play better and we needed to shut them down inside and we did a good job of that when it mattered late." It was ..."
Pacers All-Star Granger practices, might play
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October 28
Indianapolis Star
 
"All-Star forward Danny Granger participated in this morning's team shootaround, but the Pacers want to see how he responds before deciding whether he plays in the season opener tonight against the Atlanta Hawks. Granger is dealing with a right bruised heel."
5 reasons this season will be better
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October 28
Indianapolis Star
 
"The Indiana Pacers believe in taking it one step at a time. Team president Larry Bird and company have taken the necessary steps to gradually cleanse the roster. They've brought in "good guys," some of whom also are good defenders. The next step is to return to the playoffs, a tournament they haven't participated in since 2006. Will that happen this season? It will be difficult. Still, there are reasons for optimism. Five, in fact . . . 1. Upgrade on defenseOverlooking their recent preseason performance, the Pacers' defense can't get much worse than last season. Right? Fixing it was Bird's offseason priority. "We enter this season having looked at what we thought was a weakness from the ..."
Pacers in playoffs? Yep, count me in
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October 28
Indianapolis Star
 columnist Bob Kravitz
"After a cursory perusal of about a dozen preseason NBA magazines and Web sites, I can tell you that nine of 10 experts -- not to mention podiatrists, Wall Street stock traders, plumbers and entomologists -- believe the Indiana Pacers will miss the playoffs for a fourth consecutive year. That doesn't surprise me. But this might surprise you: I think they're going to make the postseason. At the very least, they're going to be a .500 basketball team. They will finish 41-41 and -- assuming that's good enough for the seventh or eighth spot in the East -- they're going to be in. The past three years at this time, I've gone out on a limb -- a small but still shaky limb --and told you the Pacers ..."
Pacers' mantra: Restore the D
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October 28
Indianapolis Star
 
"The Indiana Pacers have entertained fans with a free-flowing, high-octane offense the past two seasons. They've pushed the tempo and pulled up for 3-pointers on the fast break. They've scored more than most teams in the NBA. They're hard to guard. Problem is, they hardly guard. The Pacers insist this season will be different. This season, they say, they're restoring the D in InDiana. You've heard that line before . . . "People won't believe us until we show them, honestly," All-Star Danny Granger said. "We won't make believers out of people until we put together a string of wins and come up with big defensive plays by shutting teams down the last two or three minutes of games. When we do ..."
5 wacky minutes with Troy Murphy
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October 28
Indianapolis Star
 
"Indiana Pacers fans know Troy Murphy as a 3-point shooting, rebounding machine. Mike Dunleavy just thinks he's a Jersey goofball. Murphy and Travis Diener keep the locker room entertained with jabs at anybody in sight. Nobody is safe, whether it's veteran Jeff Foster's pregame rituals, All-Star Danny Granger's singing ability (or lack thereof) or Brandon Rush's haircut. What style is that, exactly? Nobody has more fun than Murphy, well, except when he encounters one of his idols. He sat down recently to clue us all in on what makes him tick. Consider yourself warned . . . Question: I assume you have to use some kind of alias to protect yourself at hotels on the road. What's yours? Murphy: ..."
Pacers' Granger doubtful for opener
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October 27
Indianapolis Star
 
"The Indiana Pacers could be without their leading scorer in their season opener at Atlanta on Wednesday night, as All-Star forward Danny Granger is listed as doubtful with a bruised right heel. Granger said today that he has been dealing with the heel problem all preseason, then aggravated it in Friday's game vs. San Antonio at Indiana University."
Pacers players have fun as preseason ends
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October 26
Indianapolis Star
 
"The Indiana Pacers closed their preseason with the annual Fan Jam in front of about 5,000 at Conseco Fieldhouse on Sunday afternoon. "I like (the team's) toughness and we have guys who all have tremendous work ethic," coach Jim O'Brien told the crowd during a Q&A session with the radio voice of the Pacers, Mark Boyle. A few fans got the opportunity to play the shooting game "Knockout" against the Pacers. Point guard T.J. Ford was the first Pacer eliminated. Luther Head won the competition. All-Star Danny Granger tied a young boy in a game of "Simon Sez." Granger had A.J. Price and Tyler Hansbrough perform for the crowd during the "Rookie Show." It's a good thing they have basketball. ..."
Pacers a work in progress
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October 25
Indianapolis Star
 
"The Indiana Pacers completed their preseason with a 4-3 record and having played games in three countries during a three-week span. The Pacers, who open the regular season Wednesday at Atlanta, showed signs of improvement in certain areas, while not looking so good in other facets of the game. "We've got a long way to go, brother, a long way to go," Pacers coach Jim O'Brien said. "We've just got a long way to go, just like every team in the NBA. We have things we have to get much, much better at." Here are five things that stood out in the preseason 1. Roy Hibbert needs the ball in the post. Hibbert showed he could be effective if he's fed the ball in the post on a consistent basis. He ..."
Pacers go small, and move pays off
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October 24
Indianapolis Star
 
"A shortage of healthy bodies forced Indiana Pacers coach Jim O'Brien to go with a small lineup to start the second half of Friday's preseason game against the San Antonio Spurs. The move paid off. Using a lineup that had All-Star Danny Granger playing power forward, the Pacers outscored the Spurs by 13 points in the third quarter to help them beat San Antonio 114-112 before 8,029 fans at Indiana University's Assembly Hall. "I thought we competed well and had a great third quarter," O'Brien said. "We went small because (Troy Murphy) only had seven more minutes he could play. I wanted to be able to start small and it seemed to work out." The Pacers wrapped up the preseason with a 3-4 record. ..."
No winners in Pacers' divorce with Daniels
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October 24
Indianapolis Star
 columnist Bob Kravitz
"The first inclination is to look for a Good Guy and a Bad Guy in this messy Indiana Pacers-Mel Daniels divorce. The first instinct is to hail Daniels, the team's now-former director of player personnel, and slam the Pacers, or defend the Pacers and rip Daniels. Somebody has to be right, and somebody has to be wrong, right? Not necessarily. As in any divorce, there's blame to be shared. I've talked to several people intimately involved in this sad and ugly affair, some on the record and some off, and what emerges is a muddied picture of a franchise that is like most businesses: There's a lot of nastiness and infighting inside the walls at Conseco Fieldhouse. The main event was Daniels ..."
Pacers fire Director of Player Personnel Mel Daniels
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October 24
Indianapolis Star
 
"Mel Daniels was a fierce but undersized center who didn't back down, no matter how big or fast the opponent. He used that determination to dominate the paint and lead the Pacers to three American Basketball Association titles and secure his place among the greatest players in franchise history. That's what those close to Daniels recalled Friday after learning he was fired as director of player personnel. Pacers officials refused to explain their decision, and Daniels offered no comment. His salary was not known. Daniels, 65, spent nearly 30 years in the organization as a player or member of the basketball staff in roles such as scout and assistant coach. He is one of four Pacers players -- ..."
Spurs fall in final preseason tuneup
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October 24
San Antonio Express-News
 
"There are myriad reasons why the NBA preseason can quickly begin to wear on many veteran players. For Spurs center Matt Bonner, disenchantment with this exhibition season boils down to just one thing. He's tired of hanging out in the women's locker room. For the second game in a row Friday night, the Spurs occupied a dressing room typically inhabited by a women's college team. This time, they dressed for a 114-112 loss to the Indiana Pacers in the Assembly Hall locker room usually assigned to the Indiana University women's softball team. "These are the only two times I've been in the women's locker room," Bonner said, changing in a stall belonging to a senior outfielder named Jennifer ..."
Pacers O'Brien wants fewer fouls, same aggressiveness
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October 23
Indianapolis Star
 
"Jim O'Brien doesn't have sweaty palms. There are no beads of sweat running down his face, either. The Indiana Pacers are allowing a league-worst 110.8 points this preseason, and while fans might have a "here we go again" feeling, the Pacers coach isn't panicking. He's pleased with the defensive progress. "Points per game is irrelevant," O'Brien said Wednesday, a day after his team gave up 117 points in a loss at Orlando. "If you're scoring more than the other team, it's irrelevant. Field goal defense without fouling is what's relevant." He is encouraged because opponents are shooting just 41.9 percent overall, fifth in the league. The Pacers were 15th last season. "Frankly, I think we're ..."
Pacers franchise is winning back fans, pollster says
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October 23
Indianapolis Star
 
"Indiana Pacers fans have a dramatically higher opinion of their team than they did two years ago, said pollster Frank Luntz. The percentage of Pacers fans who have a favorable opinion more than doubled. Ninety-four percent believe the Pacers are headed in the right direction, 92 percent say team president Larry Bird has built a team they can be proud of and 76 percent are confident the Pacers will make the playoffs this season. Luntz presented his results Friday to business leaders at the Skyline Club. The findings were based on responses from 551 people who identified themselves as Pacers fans. The October 2009 survey was the fourth conducted. The first was in April 2007 when the ..."
Pacers rookie Hansbrough, recovering from injury, practices for first time this preseason
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October 23
Indianapolis Star
 
"No one knows when Tyler Hansbrough will play in a game, but the Indiana Pacers rookie took a small step Thursday when he practiced for the first time this preseason. Hansbrough has been out since the end of July resting a right shin injury that occurred during his senior season at North Carolina. He was limited to half-court five-on-five drills Thursday. "He did some really good things," coach Jim O'Brien said. "He's very aggressive, pretty aware of what we're trying to do. It was great to have him be in any live activity." Hansbrough said it felt good to finally practice. "I've been wanting to get out there for a while," he said. "It's totally different when you get out there and actually ..."
TNT's Miller hopes LeBron stays
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October 23
Cleveland Plain Dealer
 
"Say thank you, Cleveland. TNT analyst Reggie Miller says he hopes LeBron James will stay with the Cavs after his contract expires next summer. "You're talking to a small-market guy who, for 18 years, was in one place in Indiana," Miller said, referring to himself, during a preseason conference call with NBA reporters from around the country on Thursday afternoon. "Personally, in my opinion, I want LeBron to stay in Cleveland. I think it's better for the league when you have superstars in smaller markets -- like Brett Favre in Green Bay. "You don't always have to be in L.A. or New York to get all the endorsements and be a superstar. Peyton Manning has been the face of the NFL and he's in ..."
Williams provides the spark off the bench as Magic whip Pacers
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October 22
Orlando Sentinel
 
"Someone yelled to Jason Williams while he was warming up an hour-and-a-half before the Orlando Magic faced the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night at Amway Arena. "White Chocolate!" said Pacers assistant coach Lester Conner. "White Chocolate's gone for good," Williams replied, with a smile. White Chocolate — the alias that Williams played under in his young, flashy Harlem Globetrotter-like days — might be gone for good. But J-Will — Jason Williams — is back. And back in a big way. After sitting out all last season, Williams appears to have secured the backup point-guard job behind all-star Jameer Nelson, beating out Anthony Johnson. Consider his comeback complete. Williams received all ..."
O'Brien would settle for consistency by Pacers
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October 21
Indianapolis Star
 
"Perfection is the last thing Indiana Pacers coach Jim O'Brien expected this preseason. Not with six new faces on the team. What O'Brien would like, though, is consistency. The Pacers have looked good in two games. The other three have been a different story. "We make daily strides, and we are not consistent at either end right now," O'Brien said. "Some games we pressure the ball the way we want to. Sometimes we run our offense very crisply without turning the ball over. "Sometimes we foul too much, turn the ball over too much. I don't think any team is going to be consistent right now, but I see almost daily strides out of our basketball team." The Pacers have two preseason games remaining ..."
Pacers hope Rush can start second season like he ended his rookie campaign
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October 20
Indianapolis Star
 
"The way Brandon Rush finished last season is the way the Indiana Pacers think he's capable of starting this one. Slated to start at shooting guard, Rush finished an up-and-down rookie season on a tear. In his final 13 games, Rush averaged 16.9 points and missed scoring in double figures only once. "If he plays like he did that last month, we'll be a very, very good basketball team," said All-Star forward Danny Granger, the Pacers' leading scorer last season. "He was scoring the ball. He was defending. He was playing very, very well." Rush scored 20 points once in his first 65 games as a rookie. He hit for more than 20 points five times in his final 10 games, including the final three. He ..."
Pacers release 3 players in roster trim
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October 19
Indianapolis Star
 
"The Indiana Pacers released Rod Benson, Demetris Nichols and Lawrence Roberts today to bring their roster down to the league maximum of 15 players. The Pacers will be shorthanded when they play the Orlando Magic on Wednesday because Mike Dunleavy (knee), Tyler Hansbrough (shin), Travis Diener (foot), Jeff Foster (back) and T.J. Ford (hamstring) all are out with injuries."