Post-Game Grades: Pacers Play One Good Quarter, Magic Play Three

The Pacers came out blazing, scoring 21 points in the first 7 minutes. Then they only managed 24 over the next 17 minutes, allowing a 9-point first quarter lead to evaporate into a half-time tie.

That’s not a cardinal sin in and of itself, but the Magic rallied back with Dwight Howard on the bench in foul trouble nearly that whole time, and the second-unit offense was so anemic that it has officially become highly troubling. The “depth as a weapon” idea seems increasingly illusory of late — particularly when you look at how “starters” number six (George Hill) and seven (Tyler Hansbrough) played tonight.

Overall, they shot 11-for-19 (57.9%) in the first period and 20-for-59 (33.9%) the rest of the way. This was the key to a 102-83 blowout at the hand of Orlando, who gave Indiana their first loss of the year at home. Roy Hibbert looked dominant early and Danny Granger started off very effective, but both disappeared along with their mates, most of whom never really showed up to begin with. They only managed 8 assists on 31 made field goals ~~assists~~ — with a whopping ZERO coming from the back court — and that just will not do. Not for any team, really, but especially one with no ball-handlers who create for themselves to speak of.

On the other end, the Pacers were flummoxed by good Orlando ball movement. 13 made threes tonight for the crew from Disney World, including 8-for-14 from starting forwards Hedo Turkoglu and Ryan Anderson. The defensive rotations were poor and this will hopefully prove a throwaway game.

With the upcoming schedule, this is really not the way you want to go out on your home court, but perhaps they can at least watch the film and learn something about sharing the ball from how the Magic moved it tonight. They were well-oiled after a rough start. Ya know, the exact opposite of how Indy played.

Here is how each guy played individually tonight.

Agree? Disagree?

Express your thoughts below in the comments or yell at me (@8pts9secs) or Tim (@TimDonahue8p9s) on Twitter.

	David West – 29 MIN \| 3-8 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 3 REB \| 6 PTS Early this year, he was missing a ton of shots, but putting his stamp on the game in many other, positive ways. Now he’s missing shots and adding little else. 3 rebs, 6 pts, 0 FTAs in 29 mins.
	Danny Granger – 31 MIN \| 5-13 FG \| 4-4 FT \| 3 AST \| 16 PTS Good 1st quarter. And was aggressive in the 3rd getting to the line. Otherwise? It was back to “Struggleville: Population, Danny Granger.”
	Roy Hibbert – 29 MIN \| 5-16 FG \| 6-6 FT \| 12 REB \| 16 PTS Double-double and a stellar first stint to open the game. After that, not so much. Cool mask though.
	Darren Collison – 31 MIN \| 5-10 FG \| 0 AST \| 3 TO \| 11 PTS Proof you can shoot efficiently and still be really bad. Just a ton of poor decisions and looked out of step with the offense all night. Zigged when he should have zagged.
	Paul George – 35 MIN \| 3-8 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 0 AST \| 4 TO \| 7 PTS The highlight of his evening was an after-the-whistle dunk after he stepped out of bounds.

	Dahntay Jones – 17 MIN \| 3-4 FG \| 3-3 FT \| 9 PTS Perhaps the best Pacer after the first 7 minutes of the game.
	Louis Amundson – 13 MIN \| 0-2 FG \| 5 REB \| 2 BLK \| 3 TO \| 0 PTS Sick block. Active rebounding. And a lot of awkward offense/ball control. This second unit has been so bad of late and it’s hard to not consider Lou a big stakeholder in that. Hurry back, Foster.
	George Hill – 21 MIN \| 1-4 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 1 REB \| 0 AST \| 2 PTS One of the more irrelevant performances I’ve seen an Indiana player have this season.
	Tyler Hansbrough – 23 MIN \| 2-7 FG \| 4-4 FT \| 3 REB \| 3 TO \| 8 PTS His slump/funk/inexplicable inability to make a shot continues.
	Jeff Pendergraph – 1 MIN \| 0-0 FG \| 0 REB \| 0 AST \| 0 PTS Was watching the State of the Union by the time he checked in. Looks like it was a memorable game for Jeff. Mainly, just good he has been cleared to play.
	Lance Stephenson – 9 MIN \| 4-6 FG \| 2 REB \| 0 AST \| 8 PTS A couple productive minutes and arguably the best crossover of his career to stick a step-back jumper. Weird to see someone in a Pacers jersey create off the dribble like that.

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	David West – 29 MIN \| 3-8 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 3 REB \| 6 PTS Early this year, he was missing a ton of shots, but putting his stamp on the game in many other, positive ways. Now he’s missing shots and adding little else. 3 rebs, 6 pts, 0 FTAs in 29 mins.
	Danny Granger – 31 MIN \| 5-13 FG \| 4-4 FT \| 3 AST \| 16 PTS Good 1st quarter. And was aggressive in the 3rd getting to the line. Otherwise? It was back to “Struggleville: Population, Danny Granger.”
	Roy Hibbert – 29 MIN \| 5-16 FG \| 6-6 FT \| 12 REB \| 16 PTS Double-double and a stellar first stint to open the game. After that, not so much. Cool mask though.
	Darren Collison – 31 MIN \| 5-10 FG \| 0 AST \| 3 TO \| 11 PTS Proof you can shoot efficiently and still be really bad. Just a ton of poor decisions and looked out of step with the offense all night. Zigged when he should have zagged.
	Paul George – 35 MIN \| 3-8 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 0 AST \| 4 TO \| 7 PTS The highlight of his evening was an after-the-whistle dunk after he stepped out of bounds.

	Dahntay Jones – 17 MIN \| 3-4 FG \| 3-3 FT \| 9 PTS Perhaps the best Pacer after the first 7 minutes of the game.
	Louis Amundson – 13 MIN \| 0-2 FG \| 5 REB \| 2 BLK \| 3 TO \| 0 PTS Sick block. Active rebounding. And a lot of awkward offense/ball control. This second unit has been so bad of late and it’s hard to not consider Lou a big stakeholder in that. Hurry back, Foster.
	George Hill – 21 MIN \| 1-4 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 1 REB \| 0 AST \| 2 PTS One of the more irrelevant performances I’ve seen an Indiana player have this season.
	Tyler Hansbrough – 23 MIN \| 2-7 FG \| 4-4 FT \| 3 REB \| 3 TO \| 8 PTS His slump/funk/inexplicable inability to make a shot continues.
	Jeff Pendergraph – 1 MIN \| 0-0 FG \| 0 REB \| 0 AST \| 0 PTS Was watching the State of the Union by the time he checked in. Looks like it was a memorable game for Jeff. Mainly, just good he has been cleared to play.
	Lance Stephenson – 9 MIN \| 4-6 FG \| 2 REB \| 0 AST \| 8 PTS A couple productive minutes and arguably the best crossover of his career to stick a step-back jumper. Weird to see someone in a Pacers jersey create off the dribble like that.