Post-Game Grades: Pacers Rout Bobcats on the Strength of an Impeccable Second Half

The Bobcats led the Pacers 49-43 half-way through this game. Then they scored 28 points in the entire second half. Meanwhile, the Pacers scored 28 points in the third quarter. And then again in the fourth.

You really can’t dominate another team as much as Indiana did Charlotte in the final 24 minutes. The best part? No one person outshone the rest. George Hill, Jeff Foster, Roy Hibbert, Darren Collison, AJ Price and Tyler Hansbrough were all forces. Even Danny Granger managed to knock down a few shots. Combined, the team’s “seven starters” tallied 91 of the team’s 99 points. But Price and Foster, who scored a combined 2 points, were just as important. The team improves to 6-2 on the year while shooting over 41% for only the second time. And for the first time, they actually looked like a squad that could care less about individual play and instead are steadfast on winning through togetherness.

The record is of course something Pacers fans should consider wonderful. But a performance like this — on the second night of a back-to-back that had them beating the Celtics in Boston last night — is the most encouraging sign the team has shown so far this year.

Here is how each player faired during the win.

Agree? Disagree?

Express your thoughts below in the comments or yell at me on Twitter @8pts9secs.

Indiana Pacers 99 – Charlotte Bobcats 77

	DAVID WEST 22 MIN \| 5/8 FG \| 5 REB \| 10 PTS Nothing special statistically, but he had an aggressive stretch in the third that helped get the team going. He wasn’t even so much making shots as establishing a forceful presence in the paint that led to good things.
	DANNY GRANGER 34 MIN \| 4-12 FG \| 4-6 FT \| 13 PTS Surprise, surprise: Yet another struggle night for Granger. He hit back-to-back buckets at one point in the second half, however, and stayed aggressive at least.
	ROY HIBBERT 31 MIN \| 10-16 FG \| 8 REB \| 20 PTS \| 3 BLK A big sigh of relief for Pacers fans tonight as Roy came back — as strong as ever — from an apparent sprained ankle in the third quarter. Had one block/hook sequence on back-to-back plays that showed his potential. Beast game for Roy.
	DARREN COLLISON 34 MIN \| 5-10 FG \| 8 REB \| 14 PTS This guy looks better and better each game. Stats speak for themselves here, but it’s the willingness to call his own number — and the feel to now know when to do it — that really made this a stand-out night for DC.
	PAUL GEORGE 23 MIN \| 2-5 FG \| 4 PF \| 6 PTS Quiet night. Just the odd man out seemed like more than anything to be concerned over.

	JEFF FOSTER 13 MIN \| 1-1 FG \| 7 REB (3 ORB) \| 2 PTS If you can be the player of the game logging 13 minutes and not even taking 2 shots, Jeff just did it. The boards were expected but how about that pass to Hill in the corner? Had a few other nice little dishes/redirects that led to buckets.
	DAHNTAY JONES 14 MIN \| 0-3 FG (6-7 FT) \| 6 PTS 7 FTAs is wonderful. But 3 TOs in short time is too many.
	AJ PRICE 14 MIN \| 0-2 FG \| 2 AST \| 2 STL \| 0 PTS If AJ’s play over the past two games doesn’t keep Lance Stephenson glued to the bench, I’ll be shocked.
	GEORGE HILL 25 MIN \| 6-8 FG \| 4 REB \| 13 PTS 75% shooting as the go-to scorer in the second unit. Not sure there’s another 5-man bench unit in the league playing better than AJ/Hill/Dahntay/Tyler/Foster right now.
	TYLER HANSBROUGH 23 MIN \| 6-12 FG (3-5 FT) \| 6 REB \| 15 PTS Just a very Tyler night. Even finishing with a reverse layup at one point to go along with his other herky-jerky attempts.

Home/Pacers News

	DAVID WEST 22 MIN \| 5/8 FG \| 5 REB \| 10 PTS Nothing special statistically, but he had an aggressive stretch in the third that helped get the team going. He wasn’t even so much making shots as establishing a forceful presence in the paint that led to good things.
	DANNY GRANGER 34 MIN \| 4-12 FG \| 4-6 FT \| 13 PTS Surprise, surprise: Yet another struggle night for Granger. He hit back-to-back buckets at one point in the second half, however, and stayed aggressive at least.
	ROY HIBBERT 31 MIN \| 10-16 FG \| 8 REB \| 20 PTS \| 3 BLK A big sigh of relief for Pacers fans tonight as Roy came back — as strong as ever — from an apparent sprained ankle in the third quarter. Had one block/hook sequence on back-to-back plays that showed his potential. Beast game for Roy.
	DARREN COLLISON 34 MIN \| 5-10 FG \| 8 REB \| 14 PTS This guy looks better and better each game. Stats speak for themselves here, but it’s the willingness to call his own number — and the feel to now know when to do it — that really made this a stand-out night for DC.
	PAUL GEORGE 23 MIN \| 2-5 FG \| 4 PF \| 6 PTS Quiet night. Just the odd man out seemed like more than anything to be concerned over.

	JEFF FOSTER 13 MIN \| 1-1 FG \| 7 REB (3 ORB) \| 2 PTS If you can be the player of the game logging 13 minutes and not even taking 2 shots, Jeff just did it. The boards were expected but how about that pass to Hill in the corner? Had a few other nice little dishes/redirects that led to buckets.
	DAHNTAY JONES 14 MIN \| 0-3 FG (6-7 FT) \| 6 PTS 7 FTAs is wonderful. But 3 TOs in short time is too many.
	AJ PRICE 14 MIN \| 0-2 FG \| 2 AST \| 2 STL \| 0 PTS If AJ’s play over the past two games doesn’t keep Lance Stephenson glued to the bench, I’ll be shocked.
	GEORGE HILL 25 MIN \| 6-8 FG \| 4 REB \| 13 PTS 75% shooting as the go-to scorer in the second unit. Not sure there’s another 5-man bench unit in the league playing better than AJ/Hill/Dahntay/Tyler/Foster right now.
	TYLER HANSBROUGH 23 MIN \| 6-12 FG (3-5 FT) \| 6 REB \| 15 PTS Just a very Tyler night. Even finishing with a reverse layup at one point to go along with his other herky-jerky attempts.