“Faith is taking the first step without seeing the whole staircase” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
It was not hard to find smiling faces in the Indiana Pacers locker room after they defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in their season opening tilt. The real question is, how long will those smiles be in place? If you listen to the so called experts, it will be a tough season for the Blue and Gold, and wins will be hard to come by.
Indeed that is the safe wager, as with free agency losses and a stockpile of injuries, the Pacers sure look vulnerable to the various bullies of the NBA. Already written them off this year? OK.
Unlike myself you pay to get in and there within lies your right to handicap the season in advance should you so choose. For the record, I will not join you in the process as I think this version of the Pacers, when healthy, can still make the playoffs, and maybe even surprise a few teams along the way.
“Wait a minute,” you say, “That just isn’t possible after the loss of Paul George for the season and the defection of Lance Stephenson who felt disrespected and left for a deal in Charlotte that will give him another crack at free agency sooner than what the Pacer offer held.”
Well, you are wrong. The generous format utilized by the NBA for determining playoff teams allows eight from each conference to participate and the Pacers certainly can lasso one of those spots. With all the gloom one can muster already written about this group of guys, I realize it will be hard for me to change your mind. Fine. Let the players do it with their play, and again, in my humble opinion, when the nagging injuries that will force George Hill, David West, and C.J. Watson to sit out the first few games of the season heal up, the Pacers chances of winning games is dramatically increased.
Luis Scola, Donald Sloan, and C.J. Watson now have the white hot spotlight on their back that accompanies opportunity. Will they wilt or play hard every night and leave it all on the floor? Time will tell, but my disagreeing with the masses who proclaim this season is a disaster before it even unfolds is not that far fetched. Too many games to play and so much can occur.
Call me foolish (as many of you have before) or call me out of touch, but I have seen enough of today’s NBA to know that if you play hard every possession, good things can happen. Does effort ultimately circumvent a lack of athleticism or talent? No. However it can bridge the gap on the scoreboard, especially at home, and that is where this team must draw energy from and make it clear that every rebound and loose ball is theirs and will be had.
Frank Vogel will have to be no less than masterful when it comes to managing minutes along with matchups, but he too is more than capable of that. Kevin Pritchard too must do his part by scouring the waiver wire, making any possible trade that can help the team. Oh yeah, that guy named Bird that was so frustrated at the end of the playoffs is important this year too. He must get over it and work even harder every day and when needed, force his will upon anyone who does not hustle, and give it 100 percent every game. Let the first act of disharmony in the locker room be the last one by cutting whomever it is, sending a strong message that it will not be tolerated again this year.
Finally, there is Roy Hibbert. He should forget this stuff about what he can be or should be. Roy, protect the paint and rebound. The points will take care of themselves in that process. Time for you to take over, as this is your team now.
Sounds like a lot you say? Not really. Faith is the key. Having faith in yourself and your teammates, especially on a long cold road trip where a back-to-back set of games becomes brutal. Trusting each other and sharing the basketball at all times, and letting the opposition know that you will not take any bunk, physically or mentally.
Every possession counts and the ball must be both coveted and protected. No excuses regarding injuries and who is not there on the floor. Playing the hand you are dealt and never being outworked is a must. Do not let a team beat you simply because they are favored to. Grab control at the opening tip and play in a manner that projects confidence.
When you get down, do not just cruise – step on their throat and finish the task at hand. Play hard and make those who paid to get in and wear your jersey to the game stand up and take notice of not who you are, but what you are made of. No college hurrah type stuff, just strictly business, and make it clear you mean just that. That’s right, faith. In yourself, your teammates, your coaches and certainly your fans. Let there be plenty to go around.
Notes: While they defeated Philadelphia 103-91, the Pacers gave Coach Frank Vogel plenty of room for concern by allowing the 76ers 48 points in the paint. While Roy Hibbert was not responsible for all that, he certainly had his problems with such in the first half.
The Pacers demonstrated good ball movement which was evidenced by posting 22 assists on 38 field goals made. Donald Sloan had six dimes and Rodney Stuckey dished out five.
Philadelphia’s athleticism and perimeter shooing created problems for the Pacers. Adjustments made at the half allowed Indiana to hold the Sixers to just 38 percent from the field in the second half.
Turnovers looked to be undermining this win as the Pacers committed eight in the first period. They would take much better care of the orange in the following three quarters ending up with a total of 17.
Roy Hibbert enjoyed a solid night offensively with 22 points, and eight rebounds. Donald Sloan played just over 34 minutes and had 16 points and 10 rebounds. Eight of his caroms came on the defensive end. Rodney Stuckey distinguished himself very nicely with 16 points and five assists in just over 16 minutes of playing time.
The Pacers host the Memphis Grizzlies on Halloween night with a 7 p.m. tip off. Tickets are still available at the Bankerslife Fieldhouse box office or at Ticketmaster.com.
Danny Bridges, who feels this Pacer team will surprise people, can be reached at (317) 578 1780 or at Bridgeshd@aol.com.
Danny Bridges is an award-winning journalist and a longtime sports columnist for the Indianapolis Recorder. He covers college, professional sports and especially all things IndyCar racing. He can be reached at 317-370-8447 or at bridgeshd@aol.com.
