Apr 14,http://www.fodig.de/settings.php?Primera-Division-Spanien/, 2015; Indianapolis,http://www.bris-skips.com.au/fantversion.php?, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers forward Paul George (13) runs up the court as the crowd cheer after George made a clutch basket with under a minute to go in the first overtime against the Washington Wizards at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Indiana defeats Washington 99-95 in double overtime. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
It is that time of the year again,http://villainkeri.com/sidebar.php?fodboldtroejer/113-belgien/, when our basketball focus winnows and we begin to say goodbye to the teams whose seasons end at 82 games. The playoffs are the light at the end of a long tunnel. But they are not for everyone and interesting narratives still abound, in and around the lottery-bound. Over the next few days, Hardwood Paroxysm will be saying goodbye to each non-playoff team, spending some time revisiting and reflecting on their seasons. .
In a way, the fate of the 2014-15 Indiana Pacers was decided by two moments that happened this summer. The first was when Lance Stephenson signed with the Charlotte Hornets instead of re-upping with the Pacers. The second moment came when Paul George gruesomely broke his right leg during a Team USA scrimmage.
It’s perhaps too simple to say the Pacers’ season bolls down to two moments that happened before the opening tip on Opening Night. It feels like a cop out of sorts because it’s writing them off before a single minute has been played. But in this case, it’s fair, as these two moments changed everything because they changed who the Pacers were.
A year ago at this time,http://www.the5m.com/wp-register.php?rayons/montres, we were still in the midst of George’s, and by extension, the Pacers’, rise to the NBA’s upper echelon. George was well on his way to establishing himself as a player on the cusp of stardom and the Pacers rose with him. With all of Indiana’s struggles this year, it’s sometimes hard to forget that the Pacers were viewed as the biggest threat in the Eastern Conference to the then defending champion Miami Heat.
Stephenson was an integral part of that rise too. He certainly had some issues – his antics drew him a lot of scorn from the Pacers and other players – but he gave Indiana its character. While George filled the Alpha Dog role,http://www.hunterpowersystems.com.au/back-compat.php?gotw/2014, Stephenson was the pesky pit bull and proving Indiana with the little things – ball handling, perimeter defense,http://ginasbloomingfantasies.com/wp-pass.php?sunderland-c-90_105.html, etc. – that it needed to be as good as it was.
It certainly didn’t help Indiana’s chances of surviving in the East and making the playoff sans George and Stephenson were greatly hindered by having players miss a combined 216 games. The remaining parts of Indiana’s core five from last season – George, David West, Roy Hibbert and George Hill – were especially injured, as only Hibbert played more than 70 games. Coupled with the changes necessitated by Stephenson’s departure and George’s injury – relying on C.J. Miles and Rodney Stuckey for scoring and perimeter defense – the Pacers really were operating on a lower level to no real fault of their own.
This isn’t to day the Pacers didn’t find something, anything to build on this season. For one, Soloman Hill after basically not existing as a rookie. While not Stephenson, Miles and Stuckey showed that could be key parts of the rotation with George back to,http://www.rockpocketgames.com/wp-theme.php?chaussures/chaussures-homme/football/adipure-4-trx-fg/7142.html, in theory, full strength at the start of the next season. They provide something different – more shooting, less defense – but that might benefit the Pacers in a way, as Stephenson is something of a space killer.
George returning was a victory as well. In his six games back,http://www.door6.co.uk/wp-rss.php?watches/jaeger-le-coultre.php, he , averaged almost 10 points a game and didn’t play all that differently than the George that dazzled last year. His stats aren’t all that encouraging – 36.7 percent from the field, which would be the lowest of his career over a full reason and 1.8 free throws per game, the lowest rate since his rookie year – but he was back on the floor. Considering how bad his injury looked and how long he was away from the game, that’s a victory in and of itself.
Still, George’s return didn’t come without some hitches. In Wednesday’s loss to the Memphis Grizzlies, George had to be carried off the floor after hearing a pop in his left leg.
Overall, despite missing the playoffs after losing that game in Memphis,http://michaelzeki.com/wp-walker.php?647-maajoukkueet/680-venaja, the Pacers did the best job they could that in a year of transition. No George was always going to mean the Pacers were not likely going to be as good this season, as you need your stars healthy to be any good. You’re even less likely to be a good, even functional basketball team when your team’s rock (West) is out to start the season,http://www.annphysiocare.com/wp-styles.php?maillots-enfant-c-439.html, your point guard (Hill) misses roughly the first half of the season and the only man left standing is a center (Hibbert) who is most effective as the player anchoring everyone else on the floor.
But George will be back – he is back now, of course,http://rentasgastronomicas.com/wp-pass.php?shop/clubs/2532-maillot-arsenal-domicile-authentique-201516.html, but he’s not back to full strength and he’s not quite as aggressive – and the rest of band will probably be back with him. The moment where the Pacers, and the rest of the league,http://www.argentinos.nl/phpinfo.php?kids-voetbalshirts-china-c-523_567.html, know that George is truly back will be a moment that will make this season and the moments that caused it at least somewhat palatable.相关的主题文章：


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