Post-Game Grades: Pacers Beat Up Cs in Boston

After one of the ugliest first halves of basketball I’ve ever seen (Indy led 33-25 at the break), the Pacers found a way to score some points. The bench was instrumental in the victory and some familiar — but unseen-so-far-this-season — faces keep the team out-playing Boston for most of the second 24 minutes. George Hill, AJ Price and Jeff Foster all showed why many people were talking up this team’s depth before the season started. Even with some regular contributors struggling (namely, all of them), Indy was able to grind this one out in Boston, who tied a franchise record for futility in a half with just 25 points in the opening two quarters. That’s impressive — even if Paul Pierce and KG looked like the 16-year-old pet cat I recently had to put down.

Here is how each player faired during the win.

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Indiana Pacers 87 – Boston Celtics 74

DARREN COLLISON 6/14 FG \| 14 PTS \| 4 AST \| 3 TO Like everyone, he started off cold, but his 5 of 9 in the second half and mixed in some aggressiveness during various stretches.
PAUL GEORGE 5/7 FG (2/2 3PT) \| 12 PTS \| 5 PF Can’t argue with 5-for-7 shooting but he seemed oddly detached and had a lot of trouble sticking with Ray Allen. Two of his 5 fouls put the Cs on the line late and there’s probably a reason Hill checked back in right after to close the game. Good news: Think he has indeed found the NBA range though.
DANNY GRANGER 3/14 FG (7/7 3PT) \| 15 PTS \| 3 STL Shot was still off, but he played high-level D on Pierce, helping to hold him to 3-for-17 shooting. He also jumped the passing lane for a steal that led to some late FTs and then passed up his own shot — twice on one play — to find DC for a 3 that iced the game.
DAVID WEST 1/5 FG \| 2 PTS \| 10 REB \| 3 AST Non-factor. 10 boards is cool on paper, but Boston shot 26.5% in the first half, which is when David grabbed 7 of his total. Someone had to pick up those 25 misses.
ROY HIBBERT 5/15 FG \| 11 PTS \| 12 REB \| 3 AST Double-double for the big man who shot poorly but was an established presence down low most of the game. With 15 attempts you want him to have at least 8 makes, but he did more than the percentages suggest.

TYLER HANSBROUGH 4/7 FG (4/6 FT) \| 12 PTS \| 3 REB An unremarkable but energetic, aggressive game. As expected. Needs to rebound better.
GEORGE HILL 5/10 FG (2/3 3PT) \| 13 PTS \| 5 REB Hill got hot when Indiana needed someone to. He played his consistently good D and looked confident, aggressive and in rhythm on his way to 8 pts on 3-for-6 shooting in the 4th.
JEFF FOSTER 2/2 FG \| 4 PT \| 4 REB \| 4 PF Ol’ Man River returned and his presence was felt immediately. Indy got 2 offensive rebounds on Foster’s first possession of the season. He made two easy putbacks, finishing with 3 offensive boards — though he told me after the game that Tyler admitted to stealing two others from him.
AJ Price 0/1 FG \| 2 PT \| 2 AST \| 2 REB The bench arguably won this game and AJ was a big factor. Afterwards, Granger called him tonight’s MVP and Vogel proclaimed that “I always have confidence in AJ Price.” After his steady, heady performance running the offense for 14 mins, it’s not hard to see why.
DAHNTAY JONES 1/4 FG \| 2 PTS \| 5 REB Dahntay was Dahntay per usual but had some trouble on two straight possessions stopping Ray Allen, who ran him off some screens to hit a jumper and broke his flank to penetrate all the way to the rim. Hill picked up Ray on the next play and calmed Mr. Shuttlesworth down.

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DARREN COLLISON 6/14 FG \| 14 PTS \| 4 AST \| 3 TO Like everyone, he started off cold, but his 5 of 9 in the second half and mixed in some aggressiveness during various stretches.
PAUL GEORGE 5/7 FG (2/2 3PT) \| 12 PTS \| 5 PF Can’t argue with 5-for-7 shooting but he seemed oddly detached and had a lot of trouble sticking with Ray Allen. Two of his 5 fouls put the Cs on the line late and there’s probably a reason Hill checked back in right after to close the game. Good news: Think he has indeed found the NBA range though.
DANNY GRANGER 3/14 FG (7/7 3PT) \| 15 PTS \| 3 STL Shot was still off, but he played high-level D on Pierce, helping to hold him to 3-for-17 shooting. He also jumped the passing lane for a steal that led to some late FTs and then passed up his own shot — twice on one play — to find DC for a 3 that iced the game.
DAVID WEST 1/5 FG \| 2 PTS \| 10 REB \| 3 AST Non-factor. 10 boards is cool on paper, but Boston shot 26.5% in the first half, which is when David grabbed 7 of his total. Someone had to pick up those 25 misses.
ROY HIBBERT 5/15 FG \| 11 PTS \| 12 REB \| 3 AST Double-double for the big man who shot poorly but was an established presence down low most of the game. With 15 attempts you want him to have at least 8 makes, but he did more than the percentages suggest.

TYLER HANSBROUGH 4/7 FG (4/6 FT) \| 12 PTS \| 3 REB An unremarkable but energetic, aggressive game. As expected. Needs to rebound better.
GEORGE HILL 5/10 FG (2/3 3PT) \| 13 PTS \| 5 REB Hill got hot when Indiana needed someone to. He played his consistently good D and looked confident, aggressive and in rhythm on his way to 8 pts on 3-for-6 shooting in the 4th.
JEFF FOSTER 2/2 FG \| 4 PT \| 4 REB \| 4 PF Ol’ Man River returned and his presence was felt immediately. Indy got 2 offensive rebounds on Foster’s first possession of the season. He made two easy putbacks, finishing with 3 offensive boards — though he told me after the game that Tyler admitted to stealing two others from him.
AJ Price 0/1 FG \| 2 PT \| 2 AST \| 2 REB The bench arguably won this game and AJ was a big factor. Afterwards, Granger called him tonight’s MVP and Vogel proclaimed that “I always have confidence in AJ Price.” After his steady, heady performance running the offense for 14 mins, it’s not hard to see why.
DAHNTAY JONES 1/4 FG \| 2 PTS \| 5 REB Dahntay was Dahntay per usual but had some trouble on two straight possessions stopping Ray Allen, who ran him off some screens to hit a jumper and broke his flank to penetrate all the way to the rim. Hill picked up Ray on the next play and calmed Mr. Shuttlesworth down.