Post-Game Grades: Under-Manned, Over-Matched Pacers Barely Show Up, Get Smoked By Philly

Two steps forward. One step back — and that was even without the guy usually taking the step-backs, Danny Granger, in the lineup. It’s hard to capture the putridity of this offensive performance in a few sentences. The Pacers lost to the Sixers 96-86, but it felt a lot more one-sided. Indy did well on the offensive glass and forced a ton of turnovers early (11 in the first half), but were still unable to convert much of anything on what should have been easy opportunities. They shot a gross 36.6% from the floor, which is unacceptable even without Granger, who sat out with food poisoning, and George Hill, who dressed but was only an emergency body since he was still sore from falling on his back in Saturday’s win over Charlotte.

Not a lot more to say about this one. The under-manned Pacers were run off the floor on the road. The team looked unorganized, chaotic and like a bunch of players taking turns trying to make plays as opposed to a cohesive NBA offense. If I was coach Frank Vogel, I’m not even sure I would save the game film other than to show the perimeter players, who were the anchor hurting the squad tonight, how many good things can happen if you get the big guys, specifically Roy Hibbert, the ball down low.

Here is how each Pacer played during the win.

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Indiana Pacers 86 – Philadelphia 76ers 96

DARREN COLLISON 2/11 FG \| 14 PTS \| 4 AST \| 3 TO Yikes. DC has looked especially good over the last few games but this was backsliding. He couldn’t get the ball into the post where Hibbert had a clear advantage and never made much effort to encourage any Paul George touches on the block either.
DAHNTAY JONES 34 MIN \| 5/10 FG \| 12 PTS \| 2 BLK The numbers weren’t bad but his game was. His penchant for iso play and over-dribbling can provide a spark in the second unit but his ball-stalling wasn’t helpful and his defensive performance was uncharacteristically weak.
PAUL GEORGE 44 MIN \| 4/16 FG \| 13 PTS \| 7 REB \| 5 TO Granger may have sat out, but George filled the scuffling, pressing SF role perfectly. The resemblance was uncanny: needless fadeaways near the hoop, overzealous offensive fouls while driving, JV ball-handling. He even missed a layup (the dunk to end the 3rd quarter).
DAVID WEST 33 MIN \| 6/14 FG \| 15 PTS \| 11 REB \| 3 AST Encouraging to see West make some jumpers and a double-double is cool, but his inability to make layups has gone from quizzical oddity to downright troubling. He missed at least 4 shots from point-blank range tonight.
ROY HIBBERT 30 MIN \| 7/12 FG (9 FTA) \| 19 PTS \| 8 REB Roy’s only real problem tonight was that nobody would get him the ball consistently. He continually got deep post position on Spencer Hawes and good things happened when he had the ball. He displayed various effective moves and ran an especially nice two-man game sequence with George to create an easy dunk.

TYLER HANSBROUGH 19 MIN \| 3/6 FG \| 10 PTS \| 2 AST Along with Roy and West, Tyler was pretty much the only reason the Pacers were in this one. His 2 assists were his first 2 of the year. Bad news: He took an elbow to the head at the end of the third quarter and didn’t return. Obviously concerning given his injury/vertigo history.
JEFF FOSTER 14 MIN \| 1/1 FG \| 3 PT \| 4 REB \| 2 STL Had almost no effect on the game.
AJ PRICE 15 MIN \| 1/7 FG \| 4 PTS \| 2 TO \| 2 STL If you make a turnover on a 4-1 fast-break by attempting to make the hardest possible pass, it pretty much cancels out anything positive you may have done.
LANCE STEPHENSON 14 MIN \| 1/5 FG \| 2 PTS \| -12 Rarely can you read much into single-game plus/minus numbers. But -12 in 14 minutes? Looks like the first game of the year in which Born Ready scored a FG was also his worst.

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DARREN COLLISON 2/11 FG \| 14 PTS \| 4 AST \| 3 TO Yikes. DC has looked especially good over the last few games but this was backsliding. He couldn’t get the ball into the post where Hibbert had a clear advantage and never made much effort to encourage any Paul George touches on the block either.
DAHNTAY JONES 34 MIN \| 5/10 FG \| 12 PTS \| 2 BLK The numbers weren’t bad but his game was. His penchant for iso play and over-dribbling can provide a spark in the second unit but his ball-stalling wasn’t helpful and his defensive performance was uncharacteristically weak.
PAUL GEORGE 44 MIN \| 4/16 FG \| 13 PTS \| 7 REB \| 5 TO Granger may have sat out, but George filled the scuffling, pressing SF role perfectly. The resemblance was uncanny: needless fadeaways near the hoop, overzealous offensive fouls while driving, JV ball-handling. He even missed a layup (the dunk to end the 3rd quarter).
DAVID WEST 33 MIN \| 6/14 FG \| 15 PTS \| 11 REB \| 3 AST Encouraging to see West make some jumpers and a double-double is cool, but his inability to make layups has gone from quizzical oddity to downright troubling. He missed at least 4 shots from point-blank range tonight.
ROY HIBBERT 30 MIN \| 7/12 FG (9 FTA) \| 19 PTS \| 8 REB Roy’s only real problem tonight was that nobody would get him the ball consistently. He continually got deep post position on Spencer Hawes and good things happened when he had the ball. He displayed various effective moves and ran an especially nice two-man game sequence with George to create an easy dunk.

TYLER HANSBROUGH 19 MIN \| 3/6 FG \| 10 PTS \| 2 AST Along with Roy and West, Tyler was pretty much the only reason the Pacers were in this one. His 2 assists were his first 2 of the year. Bad news: He took an elbow to the head at the end of the third quarter and didn’t return. Obviously concerning given his injury/vertigo history.
JEFF FOSTER 14 MIN \| 1/1 FG \| 3 PT \| 4 REB \| 2 STL Had almost no effect on the game.
AJ PRICE 15 MIN \| 1/7 FG \| 4 PTS \| 2 TO \| 2 STL If you make a turnover on a 4-1 fast-break by attempting to make the hardest possible pass, it pretty much cancels out anything positive you may have done.
LANCE STEPHENSON 14 MIN \| 1/5 FG \| 2 PTS \| -12 Rarely can you read much into single-game plus/minus numbers. But -12 in 14 minutes? Looks like the first game of the year in which Born Ready scored a FG was also his worst.