Yeah, my first thought after reading this: "they're not overrated, they just happen to play us tonight"
How do you explain their winning record against the top teams in the West? Are those teams the D-League too? People just blindly dismiss the easy schedule and not really look at exactly how they fare against the good teams.
A number of people here have howled about the weak schedule of the East for years. When the Celtics went to the Finals in '08, they claimed the Celts were overrated despite the fact they finished 25-5 against western conference teams. When the Pacers are on their game, they most certainly are a championship contender. But something has them seriously off track right now. Their energy on defense just ain't there. When your trademarks disappears late in the season, it might be time to shake things up.
- Hibbert is a very good player when he actually tries. Problem is, he's one of the softest big men in the league. Lacks mental toughness. - Pacers are still weak at point guard. - I'm not a fan of their coach. I think he pushed the players too hard too early. Good coaches know how to manage rotations and the long grind of the regular season so that their team is pretty fresh come playoff time and peaks at the right time. The Pacers are easily good enough to make it to the ECF and push Miami to 7 games and possibly win that series. However due to their current situation...if they don't shake things up soon, I wouldn't be surprised if they were upset in the second round in 5 or 6 games.
I never crowned the Pacers. And against the possible teams that could come out of the WC they will just be road kill. Hibbert, for all of the press he has gotten, is just to limited as far as mobility and offense. George has of course regressed towards the mean. The Pacers are constructed to win against Miami. Not against the Western conference contenders who each have a serious paint presence. The Heat's small ball has a much better chance against the WC.
The Pacers still have the same achilles heal Turnovers a bone headed SG too important to their offense the fact that they can't win on the road #3 is the main reason why Im not a believer in this team despite the depth, they have a bad habit of not playing the same on the road as they do at home. Without winning in a convincing manner like that you are almost guranteed not to win because most championship teams I've seen over the past couple of decades were all good road teams. This team is still too unsure of itself.
They're a better team this year than last year simply b/c George has improved. The steps to being a great team is growing year by year, unless you add bona-fide stars in the free agency market. It takes time. This is George's first true year as a star, so he's hit that "wall." Pacers have hit that "wall." They'll still make the ECF though. Let's see the growth next year.
The Pacers are 5th seeded team at best in the West, in fact ... it would be comforting for almost any team in the West to face the Pacers, instead Miami.
Like I said a few nights ago, don't be surprised if Pacers don't make ECF. Everyone had them and the Heat inked in for ECF this year. Wouldn't surprise me at all if they were ousted before then. Can't beat many teams if you can't score.
Even though the Pacers are struggling hard, I don't think we should be using a game against the league's best team as evidence. I still see them making the ECF simply because the East is so weak. I don't see them beating the Heat though.
