Indiana Pacers News: Pro Sports Daily

February 4

Indianapolis Star

"Indiana Pacers President Larry Bird used to say during the team's rebuilding process that he didn't want a roster full of milk drinkers. He wanted players who weren't afraid to mix it up and play hard. Bird is getting his wish. The Minnesota Timberwolves -- in particular power forward Kevin Love -- became the latest team taking exception to the Pacers' style. "They're so tough," Love said after Wednesday's 109-99 Pacers victory at Minnesota. "They take those pills and they've got all that toughness. I don't know where that comes from. They all think they're tough guys. I just don't know where that comes from. That just blows my mind. They're all tough. And it makes me laugh." The Chicago"

George gives MVP effort in win

February 4

Indianapolis Star

"One sequence: a game-changing block on one end and a 3-pointer on the other end. That's all it took for Paul George to show why he's the most complete player the Indiana Pacers have had in years. That was just a glimpse of how George played throughout Friday night's 98-87 victory against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. George handled the ball like a point guard, shot it like an All-Star and carried the Pacers like an MVP. He scored a career-high 30 points, had nine rebounds, dished out five assists, tied his career high in steals with five and had no turnovers. His seven 3-pointers were one shy of the franchise record set by Pacers great Reggie Miller. "He's oozing"

Pacers' Price, Stephenson to see more playing time

February 3

Indianapolis Star

"A.J. Price ended the past two seasons as the Indiana Pacers backup point guard but has spent the majority of this season watching from the bench. Lance Stephenson is a talented second-year player and a favorite of team president Larry Bird. The 21-year-old is still considered raw, however, when it comes to learning the NBA game. Now both players are seeing their roles increased because of the injury to teammate George Hill."

Granger stoked to score big in Pacers' win over Timberwolves

February 2

Indianapolis Star

"It wasn't that long ago -- three weeks to be exact -- that Indiana Pacers small forward Danny Granger had the undistinguished honor of sitting at the bottom of the league in field goal percentage. Granger is doing his best to make that a distant memory while helping the Pacers win games. He didn't let Minnesota Timberwolves power forward Kevin Love slow him down Wednesday night. Granger, inspired by a skirmish with Love, continued his recent surge with a season-high 36 points to help the Pacers beat the Timberwolves 109-99 at the Target Center."

Hill's injury opens door for Price

February 2

Indianapolis Star

"Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel is going back in time. Vogel said George Hill's injury will cause him to go back to the rotation he used last season when he had two players at point guard, two at shooting guard and two at small forward. A.J. Price, who has had to bide his time on the bench, will back up Darren Collison at point guard. Lance Stephenson will follow Paul George at shooting guard and Dahntay Jones backs up Danny Granger at small forward."

Granger goes off while the Pacers add another enemy to the list

February 2

Indianapolis Star

columnist Mike Wells

"Danny Granger could have easily tried to play the role of Superman without thinking about his teammates. He could have used Kevin Love's hard (could have been a flagrant) foul as an excuse to disrupt the offense by jacking up shots. This isn't a few years ago, Granger says. Back track to last season and Granger would have definitely started trying to get back at Love and the Timberwolves by shooting the ball over and over again."

Pacers notebook: Focus is on winning, not Super Bowl 2012

February 1

Indianapolis Star

"The Indiana Pacers are casual about spinoff attention they could receive during Super Bowl week. They would rather be super later. "We just want to be a great team," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said before Tuesday night's game against the New Jersey Nets. "That's all our focus is on. If we get noticed, that's fine. "But really, we're just trying to get ourselves a good playoff position and make some noise come playoff time.""

Loss of George Hill takes gleam off Pacers' 14-6 start

February 1

Indianapolis Star

"George Hill said he must take the bad with the good. The Indiana Pacers had some of both Tuesday night. Hill was sidelined indefinitely by a small chip fracture in his left ankle during the Pacers' 106-99 victory over the New Jersey Nets at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. That injury, and letting an 18-point lead shrink to three, were negative notes for the Pacers in a game that otherwise featured a breakout by Paul George."

After full year on job, Vogel has re-energized Pacers

January 31

Indianapolis Star

"Positive. Intense. Funny. Ask any Indiana Pacers player who has been on the roster for the past two seasons and those are some of the adjectives used to describe coach Frank Vogel. It was a year ago this week that the Pacers organization changed. Former coach Jim O'Brien, criticized for his know-it-all attitude and failure to relate to younger players, had worn out his welcome. Enter Vogel, first as interim head coach, then as O'Brien's permanent replacement."

Orlando Magic suffer another blowout, this time at home against the Pacers

January 30

Orlando Sentinel

"Something ails the Orlando Magic. Is it fatigue created by a brutal schedule? Or is something deeper at work? Whatever the case, the team looks awful right now. The Magic lost for the fourth time in five games Sunday, falling 106-85 on their home floor to the Indiana Pacers. Even Orlando's normally placid fans rained boos down on the Magic during the final period, and the crowd had plenty of reasons to feel frustrated. The defense looked uninterested at times. The offense struggled to protect the ball. And, worst of all, the Pacers flat-out outhustled the Magic. "We're in a real tough stretch," coach Stan Van Gundy said. "We're playing very poorly. Guys know it, and we've got to fight"

George Hill and Indiana Pacers blow past the Orlando Magic 106-85

January 30

Indianapolis Star

"George Hill's first season playing for his hometown Indiana Pacers hasn't been an easy transition. The former Broad Ripple High School and IUPUI star has spent the better part of the early season trying to get a feel for his role. Hill hasn't wanted to be too aggressive, but he has also wanted to be able to play his game. He hopes he has finally found a happy medium."

Pacers end road trip with 106-85 victory at Orlando

January 30

Indianapolis Star

"George Hill will be the first to tell admit that his first season playing for his hometown Indiana Pacers has been a trying one. The former Broad Ripple High School and IUPUI star has spent the better part of the early season feeling his way out with his new team. He hasn't wanted to be too aggressive, but he's also wanted to be able to play his game. Hill hopes he's found a happy medium."

Nets' Stevenson out in Indy

January 30

New York Post

"The Nets will be down a man when they face the Pacers in Indianapolis tomorrow. After re-injuring his right knee in a fall early in the third quarter of last night's 94-73 loss to the Raptors at Prudential Center, DeShawn Stevenson told The Post he won't be making the trip. "Somebody tripped me up, and I fell on my knee," said Stevenson, who went scoreless in just over 12 minutes. When Stevenson left the game, the Nets said he was likely to return with a bruised right knee, and he played for less than two minutes in the fourth quarter before returning to the bench again."

Pacers' bench lacks spark

January 29

Indianapolis Star

"The Indiana Pacers' second unit dubbed itself the "Goon Squad" last season for its ability to bring energy off the bench. This year, the second unit has been more of a "Missing Squad." It has shown a knack for missing shots, missing energy and missing point production. "They're probably a little bit disorganized and they need to come together more and calm down and just continue to try and keep the tempo high and make the other team work," coach Frank Vogel said. The Pacers, who conclude a three-game trip today at Orlando, believe they are one of the deepest teams in the league. They bring George Hill and Tyler Hansbrough off the bench. Both have starting experience."

Pacers a Hoosier version of the Nuggets

January 29

Denver Post

columnist Benjamin Hochman

"So the Eastern Conference has a Nuggets team too. With their budding point guard from the 2009 draft, their lack of a superstar and their litany of scorers in the teens, the Indiana Pacers have cooked up ways to win — and win big games. Coach Frank Vogel's squad (be honest, did you even know Frank Vogel was their coach?) has defeated Boston twice, as well as wins against the Hawks, at the Lakers and this past week at Chicago, where the Pacers made a statement, giving the Bulls their first home loss. Asked if he sees comparisons between his Nuggets and the Pacers, Denver coach George Karl said: "Success-wise, I do. I don't think they play as fast as we play. "I think they're a pretty young,"

Pacers, not Celtics, look like fatigued team

January 28

Indianapolis Star

"The Indiana Pacers would be hard-pressed to come up with a good excuse for why they didn't beat the Boston Celtics on Friday night. They weren't without three starters, as the Celtics were. They hadn't worked hard to come back from 27 points down against Orlando the previous night, before arriving back in Boston in the wee hours like the Celtics had. You would have thought that was the case the way the Pacers played in their 94-87 loss to the Celtics at TD Garden. The Pacers made their victory over Chicago earlier this week an afterthought by playing in lethargic fashion most of the night against the Celtics. "Give credit to (Boston coach) Doc Rivers to continue to show that he is one of"

Bird's long-range plan for Pacers comes together this season

January 27

Indianapolis Star

"Indiana Pacers President Larry Bird's patience has been severely tested over the past three years. As hard as it was for him to watch his struggling team on the court, Bird did not want to make any drastic moves that would set the rebuilding franchise back any further as it climbed back to respectability. There were 141 losses, as well as a coach (Jim O'Brien) who wore out his welcome with the players during the first three years Bird had control of basketball operations. At times, it looked as if Bird might go down as another Hall of Fame player who had failed to make the transition to running a successful team."

Derrick Rose vows revenge after Pacers' victory celebration

January 27

Chicago Sun-Times

"Defeating inferior teams despite a rash of injuries is something the Bulls have proved they can do while racking up the league's best record. Beating one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference without two of their best players is a different matter, and the Indiana Pacers snapped the Bulls' eight-game home winning streak with a 95-90 victory Wednesday night. The Bulls were without Luol Deng and Taj Gibson but still had a chance against the Pacers, who pushed the Bulls during their first-round playoff series last season and rank among the league leaders in rebounding and opponents' field-goal percentage. And it was the Pacers who made the plays down the stretch to hold off the Bulls."

Pacers rally to hand Bulls 1st home loss

January 26

Indianapolis Star

"Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel didn't need to send text messages to remind his players what happened to them against the Chicago Bulls last season. The players recalled their inability to score against the Bulls in the fourth quarter of their first-round playoff matchup. The Pacers showed that's no longer an issue when they overcame a 10-point halftime deficit and came up with key baskets down the stretch to hand the Bulls their first home loss of the season, 95-90 on Wednesday at United Center."

Pacers' Hill, Hibbert must wait on contract extensions

January 26

Indianapolis Star

"Indiana Pacers guard George Hill and center Roy Hibbert will have to wait until the summer to get their next contracts and find out where they'll be playing next season. The deadline for contract extensions passed Wednesday night with neither player agreeing to a new deal. They will be restricted free agents, meaning the Pacers can match any offer made to them, this summer. "We'll just wait until this summer and see what we can do," Pacers President Larry Bird said."

Pacers flex muscle, beat Bulls

January 26

Chicago Sun-Times

"Defeating inferior teams despite a rash of injuries is something the Bulls have proved they can do while racking up the league's best record. Beating one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference without two of their best players is a different matter, and the Indiana Pacers snapped the Bulls' eight-game home winning streak with a 95-90 victory Wednesday night. The Bulls were without Luol Deng and Taj Gibson but still had a chance against the Pacers, who pushed the Bulls during their first-round playoff series last season and rank among the league leaders in rebounding and opponents' field-goal percentage. And it was the Pacers who made the plays down the stretch to hold off the Bulls."

Unlike Bulls, Pacers say there's a rivalry

January 26

Chicago Sun-Times

"The Bulls downplay any notion that they're developing a rivalry with the Indiana Pacers despite their hard-fought, physical five-game series in the first round of the playoffs last season. The Pacers feel differently. "I don't particularly have a great friendship with them just because of the players that they have and who they are, the history," Pacers center Roy Hibbert said. "But you could say it's a rivalry. I want to beat them a lot. As many times as we play them, I want to beat the hell out of them.""

Bulls rally falters in 95-90 loss to Pacers

January 26

Chicago Tribune

"Luol Deng continues to tell teammates he plans to return from the torn ligament in his left wrist for Sunday's game against the Heat in Miami. If that happens, Deng will join an angry, motivated team. The determined and relentless Pacers handed the Bulls their first home loss in nine games this season — and first since March 28 last season — playing a stellar second half in their 95-90 victory. "I will never forget how they celebrated just from winning this game," Derrick Rose said. "I can't wait to play them again.""

Magic rebound from Monday's loss to beat Pacers

January 25

Orlando Sentinel

"For one month now, everyone around the NBA has tried to figure out this crazy, compressed 66-game schedule. For instance, how could a team play so terribly after two days of rest, while an opponent finishing its second game in two nights looks energetic? But there was no reason to overthink things Tuesday night. The Orlando Magic were so angry with their loss to the Boston Celtics the night before that they just took out their frustrations on the Indiana Pacers. The Magic overcame Dwight Howard's first-half foul trouble and the fatigue from their second game in as many nights to rout the Pacers 102-83 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse."

Pacers crumble after strong first quarter in loss to Magic

January 25

Indianapolis Star

"Orlando Magic All-Star center Dwight Howard spent most of the first half on the bench in foul trouble Tuesday night against the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers let the Magic hang around, however, and they paid the price. Orlando overcame an early 10-point deficit to win 102-83 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse."

Pacers' Roy Hibbert gets a mask

January 25

Indianapolis Star

"Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert will be a masked man for the foreseeable future. Hibbert is wearing a protective mask over his broken nose, which he suffered Sunday night when Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant accidentally elbowed him. Hibbert tried to wear a mask Sunday but he couldn't find one that fit. He settled for playing with cotton stuffed in his nose. "I went to see the people here in Indy that made a mask for Jeff (Foster) a couple of years ago," Hibbert said. "They made one for me and it fits pretty well.""

It's only one game

January 25

Indianapolis Star

columnist Mike Wells

"Sometimes I just have to shake my head at the reaction of some fans. It just days ago that fans raved about the Pacers after they went into Hollywood and beat the Lakers behind an incredible performance from Roy Hibbert. Then two nights later some fans are cringing and thinking the bottom has fallen out on the Pacers after Orlando easily beat them over at the Fieldhouse. "Pacers were pathetic tonight, lackluster w/ no defense, if we r to be an elite team, we can't have off nights like tonight," one person said on Twitter. "I am beginning to doubt Paul George. Not aggressive enough on the offensive end," another person wrote. It's only one game."

Pacers ready for defining stretch

January 24

Indianapolis Star

"Frank Vogel didn't pull out the customary cliché that most players and coaches use in this situation. He avoided saying the Indiana Pacers are taking their current tough schedule one game at a time. The Indiana Pacers coach knows what lies ahead. The Pacers (11-4) are in the midst of their toughest stretch of games this season. Their next four games are against Eastern Conference teams that will likely make the playoffs."

Pacers assistant Brian Shaw says he's moved on from L.A.

January 23

L.A. Daily News

"Brian Shaw rode the bus to Staples Center and walked down to the corridor to the visiting locker room for the first time in his career as an NBA player or coach. Then he stood at center court, with the Lakers' championship banners hanging behind him. It was a strange feeling. After all, Shaw spent 12 seasons as a player and a coach with the Lakers, winning three titles as a versatile guard and two as an assistant. He returned Sunday as an assistant coach with the Indiana Pacers. "Obviously, those memories are never going to go anywhere," he said before his new team faced his old one for the only time this season. "I'm just trying to focus on what I'm trying to do with this team. …"

Pacers' Hibbert gets nose broken in victory over Lakers

January 23

Indianapolis Star

"Indiana Pacers Roy Hibbert knew what the medical staff at the Staples Center wanted him to do. Hibbert didn't want to follow their advice, though. The only thing Hibbert could think about was getting back on the court to help his teammates overcome their double-digit deficit to the Los Angeles Lakers. Hibbert, with cotton stuffed in his broken nose, returned to the game and was the best player on the court during the final 22 minutes he played. Hibbert used his scoring and passing skills to help the Pacers beat the Lakers 98-96 on Sunday."

Back in L.A., Shaw's 'moved on'

January 22

Indianapolis Star

"For the first time in 12 years tonight, Indiana Pacers associate head coach Brian Shaw will walk by the Los Angeles Lakers locker room without making a left turn to head inside and prepare for a game. He'll walk right past it to the Pacers locker room, where his goal is to beat the team that gave him the cold shoulder when it came to replacing legendary coach Phil Jackson last summer. "This is a different situation because I have more history there, but I've really, really moved on," Shaw said. "In my mind now, it's a game we need to win and I want to win. If you're not with me, you're against me. They're against me now.""

Rush happy to have change of scenery

January 21

Indianapolis Star

"It was like old times on the court at Oracle Arena before Friday's game between the Indiana Pacers and Golden State Warriors. Brandon Rush spent some quality time talking and joking around with Danny Granger, Paul George and Darren Collison. As good as it was to see his former teammates, Rush is happy he's wearing a different shade of blue and gold on his uniform these days. Rush knew he needed a clean start where people would hopefully forget about his three-plus years of inconsistent play and a little off-the-court trouble while with the Pacers. The Pacers traded Rush to the Warriors for forward Lou Amundson on Dec. 19. "When I looked at it, I thought it was time for a fresh start after"

Pacers hold off Golden State, 94-91

January 21

Indianapolis Star

"Indiana Pacers forward Danny Granger couldn't help but to have a flashback to a year ago when Golden State Warriors guard Monta Ellis dribbled the ball out front and was isolated one-on-one with George Hill guarding him. Fourth quarter. Tie score. Final seconds of the game. Ellis going for the win. Unlike a year ago, though, the Pacers didn't walk off the court with their heads down feeling dejected. Hill stole the ball from Ellis and went coast-to-coast for the layup and foul to help the Pacers hold off the Warriors 94-91 at Oracle Arena on Friday. "Sometimes the basketball Gods are with you and sometimes they're not," Hill said. "Luckily tonight they were on our side. Just a play that"

Pacers face a familiar face born to coach at Golden State

January 20

Indianapolis Star

"Mark Jackson spent parts of six seasons with the Indiana Pacers as an extension of the coach on the court. He provided an extra set of eyes to help first-time coach Larry Bird. Jackson made suggestions to the coaching staff and did not hesitate to make adjustments according to how opponents were playing them. It was only a matter time before Jackson would become a coach following his 17-year NBA career as an elite guard."

Bad shooting, good win

January 19

Sacramento Bee

"Exactly how the Kings pulled out this victory was puzzling to their coach and even some of their players. Teams that shoot 30.1 percent (28 of 93), including 25.8 (8 of 31) on three-point attempts, aren't expected to win games, especially when they are down 14 points entering the fourth quarter. Somehow, the Kings figured a way to win Wednesday night, even if it wasn't the prettiest game. The Kings ended their three-game losing streak with a fourth-quarter comeback fueled by their bench that ended with a 92-88 win over the Indiana Pacers at Power Balance Pavilion."

Shooting woes plague Pacers in loss to Kings

January 19

Indianapolis Star

"The Sacramento Kings didn't go into a full court press to overcome a 16-point deficit to the Indiana Pacers. The Kings didn't have to. They simply went to a zone defense and let the Pacers shoot their way out of the game. The Pacers lost their shot, their momentum and then the game because they didn't have an answer for Sacramento's zone defense in their 92-88 loss to the Kings at Power Balance Pavilion on Wednesday."

Hibbert eager to stay

January 19

Indianapolis Star

"With the deadline for teams to negotiate contract extensions approaching in less than a week, Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert said he thinks he won't get a new deal by next Wednesday. "My personal gut feeling is that we'll do something in the summer, because the max guys are the ones that get extensions right away," Hibbert said. "I'm just going to follow my agent's lead." Hibbert, who is having his best season, will become a restricted free agent, which means the Pacers can match any offer made to him this summer if the deadline passes."

No excuses, the Pacers simply collapsed

January 19

Indianapolis Star

columnist Mike Wells

"Who would have thought a simple zone defense would be enough to beat the Pacers? The zone – and Sacramento's desire to go with a small lineup – didn't just beat the Pacers it brought to light some things. Pacers coach Frank Vogel went away from what helped his team get a 16-point lead in the third quarter. The Kings went small, so Vogel felt like he had to counter them by going to small, too. If I'm not mistaken the Pacers were the team that was winning the game, right?"

Pacers' western trip starts in Sacramento

January 18

Indianapolis Star

"The Indiana Pacers are off to a promising start, but now comes a three-game western trip. In the past, that would be cause for concern. The Pacers are 2-14 in the past two seasons when visiting Portland, Denver, Utah, Golden State, Phoenix, Sacramento and both Los Angeles teams. Perhaps that's about to change. The Pacers (9-3) are riding a three-game win streak tonight into Sacramento (4-10), which has lost three straight games."

Pacers can trust several players in crunch time

January 17

Indianapolis Star

"Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel's toughest decision isn't thinking of a play to run. It's determining which player to select. The Pacers' depth this season gives Vogel a number of options: Danny Granger, Darren Collison, David West, Roy Hibbert, George Hill . . . to name a few. "It could be a different guy any different game," Hibbert said. "I wonder what opposing teams put in the scouting report. I don't know how you can say there's a weak link. To tell you the truth, we're a deep team." The Pacers, off to their best start since 2004, don't have a player the magnitude of All-Stars Kobe Bryant or Derrick Rose. That's why they believe the team concept is what will carry them."

Pacers look interesting once again

January 16

Indianapolis Star

columnist Bob Kravitz

"The city of Indianapolis has bigger issues on its plate right now: The fate of Indianapolis Colts coach Jim Caldwell. The decision on quarterback Peyton Manning. The draft of Andrew Luck. And, of course, whether to attend the Maxim or Rolling Stone Super Bowl parties. (OK, that's my issue.) The Indiana Pacers, for the time being, are a secondary consideration. Which is too bad, really, because they're writing one of the NBA's best early-season stories, and continued to do it Saturday night with an easy 97-83 throttling of the Boston Celtics at Bankers Life Fieldhouse."

Pacers demonstrate last win over Celtics wasn't fluke

January 16

Indianapolis Star

"Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel didn't hold back on expectations for his players Saturday night against the Boston Celtics. He didn't refer to this as just one of 66 games on the schedule. He didn't talk about it being the second game of a back-to-back, either. Vogel called their matchup against the aging but still talented Celtics a barometer game. He wanted to send a message to the Celtics and the rest of the NBA that the Pacers' strong start isn't a fluke. Vogel's players grabbed what he told them and took off. The Pacers ran the ball down Boston's throat and easily beat the Celtics 97-83 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse."

With break in schedule at last, Pacers to get day off, then practices

January 15

Indianapolis Star

"It has been 20 days, 12 games and countless light practices since the Indiana Pacers have had more than a day between games. That is about to change. The Pacers will have more than a day in between games for the first time since before the start of the regular season. The Pacers, who faced the Boston Celtics on Saturday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, don't play again until Wednesday, when they start a three-game West Coast trip at Sacramento. Pacers coach Frank Vogel planned to give his team today off. They'll have a "training camp" practice Monday and a regular practice Tuesday. Vogel wants to use the extra practice time to fine-tune the defense and continue to work on offensive"

Pacers look interesting once again

January 15

Indianapolis Star

columnist Bob Kravitz

"The city of Indianapolis has bigger issues on its plate right now: The fate of Indianapolis Colts coach Jim Caldwell. The decision on quarterback Peyton Manning. The draft of Andrew Luck. And, of course, whether to attend the Maxim or Rolling Stone Super Bowl parties. (OK, that's my issue.) The Indiana Pacers, for the time being, are a secondary consideration. Which is too bad, really, because they're writing one of the NBA's best early-season stories, and continued to do it Saturday night with an easy 97-83 throttling of the Boston Celtics at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. After years of flailing, Indiana has a contender. Not a championship contender; there are less than a handful of teams who"

Pacers demonstrate last win over Celtics wasn't fluke

January 15

Indianapolis Star

"Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel didn't hold back on expectations for his players Saturday night against the Boston Celtics. He didn't refer to this as just one of 66 games on the schedule. He didn't talk about it being the second game of a back-to-back, either. Vogel called their matchup against the aging but still talented Celtics a barometer game. He wanted to send a message to the Celtics and the rest of the NBA that the Pacers' strong start isn't a fluke. Vogel's players grabbed what he told them and took off. The Pacers ran the ball down Boston's throat and easily beat the Celtics 97-83 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. "We want to push the envelope and see how good we can become," Vogel"

Pacers rally to beat Raptors despite Granger's ejection

January 14

Indianapolis Star

"Danny Granger who? Not even Granger's immature antics could stop the Indiana Pacers (8-3) from improving to their best start since 2004. George Hill had his best game as a Pacer to help them overcome Granger's ejection and a 16-point deficit to beat the Toronto Raptors 95-90 Friday night at Air Canada Centre. "I'm proud of our guys for grinding out a game that didn't really go our way," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. Hill, who has found an offensive rhythm over the past week, carried the Pacers offensively all night. The former Broad Ripple High School and IUPUI star scored 22 points on 7-of-11 shooting and 6-of-6 from the free throw line. He scored 13 points in the second half when the"

Hibbert's new mind-set, added strength reshape his game

January 13

Indianapolis Star

"Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert's biggest critic stood 7-2, attended Georgetown and was the No. 17 pick in the 2008 draft. His critic was blunt, no matter how high or low it made Hibbert. He had to tune out that critic -- himself -- because the constant emotional roller-coaster ride affected his production on the court too much. At the same time, Hibbert started relaxation exercises to help ease his mind. That, along with 15 pounds of added muscle, have made Hibbert almost a regular in the double-double department in points and rebounds for the Pacers (7-3) this season. He's tied for fourth in the league in double-doubles with six."

That's more like it - Pacers drop Hawks, 96-84

January 12

Indianapolis Star

"Danny Granger can shrug off food poisoning just as he does a low shooting percentage. The Indiana Pacers' leading scorer insists it's nothing to worry about. After missing one game with an unexpected illness that kept him confined to a Philadelphia hotel room, Granger awoke from a slow start to the year with a season-high 24 points to lead the Pacers to a 96-84 victory over Atlanta on Wednesday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. "The good thing about food poisoning is (it's) in and out. Once it comes in, it goes out a variety of ways," he said, laughing. "When it's gone, it's gone."

Hibbert's early exam

January 12

Indianapolis Star

"Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert watches a lot of game film of players at his position, especially those who have fared well against him, such as Atlanta's Al Horford. "During the summer, I watched tape of Tim Duncan and Pau Gasol and (a lot of guys)," Hibbert said Wednesday before the Pacers' 96-84 victory over the Hawks at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. "During the season, I watch a lot of tape on my opponents, Al Horford or whoever. I get to know their tendencies on offense and defense.""