Post-Game Grades: Pacers 91, Pistons 79
By Jared Wade
Last night, the Pacers demolished the Pistons in their season-opener. The team didn’t play perfectly, and the lopsided victory was likely as much a result of the home team’s exuberant aggressiveness and the opponent’s general terribleness as it was due to the Pacers play. As a group, the team shot poorly. But that’s essentially expected of this franchise these days, particularly in the first game of a truncated schedule that featured a “preseason” of two exhibition warm-up games.
When we look at the individual play, there isn’t much to find fault with. But we can try
And that — along with praising players who excel — is what we plan to start doing here at 8 Points, 9 Seconds after each game. Below, you can find our first installment of Pacers Post-Game Grades.
Indiana Pacers 91 – Detroit Pistons 79
| DARREN COLLISON 3/11 FG | 8 PTS | 5 AST | 2 TO | +11 The speedy point guard was solid if unspectacular. Collion’s accuracy needs to improve but it wasn’t the result of bad shot selection. Offense wasn’t the story here though. What was most impressive was Darren’s willingness to stay in front of his man. He still had some lapses but there appeared to be fewer possessions where his man got by Collison as he lost focus. | |
| PAUL GEORGE 3/8 FG | 12 PTS | 7 REB | 5 PF | +14 George was more aggressive than any other perimeter player Indiana put on the floor and didn’t miss a shot in the first half. On the other end, the now-6’10 “guard” paired his length with his quick feet to disrupt shooters and would-be penetrators alike. This combo provided the highlight of the night, when PG blocked a jumpshot, gathered the deflection and went coast-to-coast for a lay-up. | |
| DANNY GRANGER 6/18 FG | 16 PTS | 2 STL | +16 At the start, Danny looked like the worst Pacers starter. But after getting fouled while muscling for a defensive board with the team in the bonus, he shook off some rust. He hit the pair of FTs then knocked down a long, step-back jumper. After this 1-for-6 shooting 1st quarter, things were better but a few poor passes cancel out some nice pick-and-roll decision making. | |
| DAVID WEST 3-12 FG | 11 PTS | 12 REB (7 ORB)| +14 David West couldn’t hit water from a boat but it hardly mattered. In fact, it helped. His effort attacking the offensive glass was contagious and appeared to be the catalyst to all three Pacers big men tallying double doubles. Roy Hibbert said as much to Mike Wells after the game. “David set the tone for all of us out there … We made a commitment to get on the boards. He led us and we followed behind.” | |
| ROY HIBBERT 6/11 FG | 16 PTs | 14 REBs | 3 BLK | +15 Hibbert sure does like the beginning of the season. The man who seemed the runaway favorite for Most Improved Player last November is off to another good start. Roy put his stamp on the game much more than he did in the preseason. That could be because Detroit doesn’t employ Joakim Noah, but the numbers here — and the effectiveness of his pick-and-rolls — speak for themselves. |
| TYLER HANSBROUGH 6/14 FG | 15 PTS | 13 REB | -5 Tyler punished anyone in his way and helped prove Coach Vogel’s claim that no team’s front court will want to face his big-man reserves. @KingSamShockley said it best: “Tyler works out in the offseason by attaching a Volvo to his back and shooting hook shots.” Defensive rotations remain an issue but the kid made up with it by Altered Beastin’ all over the court. | |
| GEORGE HILL 2/7 FG | 4 PTS | 4 ASTs | 2 STL | 1 TO | -2 George Hill’s first 24 minutes on the court in his home town were unmemorable. The crowd cheered wildly as his name was announced in pre-game, however, and that certainly helped fuel the team to a good early start in front of a raucous Bank Life Fieldhouse. He will have better games as a Pacer but hearing his name over the PA that first time is something he likely will never forget. | |
| DAHNTAY JONES 3/6 FG (1/1 3PT) | 7 PTS | 1 BLK | -4 If Dahntay can replicate these 12 mins in every game, the Pacers will be well off. He was his aggressive, defensively stingy self, which can be energizing — and even effective — in short bursts. If the rest of the wing rotation plays poorly enough that Jones has to do anything more than that, however, his tenacity will start to show its flaws. | |
| LANCE STEPHENSON 2 FT | 2 PT | 1 AST | 1 STL | +1 Sample size makes grading Lance’s performance difficult, but in game one he displayed basically everything that has been said about him. He made a few nice passes and showed his effortless talent. He also made some sloppy errors and appeared more capable of dominating the ball than a game of pro basketball. The only real takeaway is that he got some time on the court. |