Sweatin' Bullets: Pacers/Knicks

Sweatin’ Bullets is a recurring feature in which I provide a few bullet points on general theories, comments and observations on the most recent game.

• Just to get this out of the way, everyone noticed how fitting it was that the Pacers played the Knicks the day after Reggie Miller got elected into the Hall of Fame, right? Okay, good.

• Knicks are still a competitive team, even with all their Linjuries (got the Lin pun out of the way early).

• It will always be assumed that Tyson Chandler and David West are giving 100% strictly because of their in-game facial expressions: both react to bad plays like it is the worst thing to ever happen to them.

• The Hornets have won 13 games this season. How much do you think they would love to have Darren Collison, David West, Tyson Chandler and Baron Davis back on their team? Well, maybe not Baron Davis.

• Despite what you may think about Carmelo Anthony as a complete player, you got to admit that he has a way of scoring the basketball that is, well, beautiful to any basketball fan. Kind of like the way Tyler Hansbrough scores, except, you know, the exact opposite.

• Knicks rookie, Josh Harrellson, played for the University of Kentucky last year. I wonder how he’s adjusting to the pay cut …

• One inch and ten pounds are what separate Tyler Hansbrough and Steve Novak. Really makes you appreciate the diverse skill sets that NBA players can bring to the table.

• There is a reality show called Pawn Stars, yet I know almost nothing about J.R. Smith’s nearly half-year stay in China? C’mon TMZ …

• The Knicks’ defensive strategy in the first half: try to convince the Pacers to take as many reckless shots as the Knicks did. Can’t say it really failed.

• Look Iman, just because a basketball hits you directly in the face doesn’t mean you have to take out the legs of David West when he is going up for a layup.

• There’s a reason Tyson Chandler has a championship ring. During certain stretches his impact on both sides of the floor can’t be overstated.

• George Hill’s decision making is getting better and better. I feel confident every time he has the ball.

• If this game had gone into overtime, I think that it would have been David Stern’s responsibility to make it a one-on-one session between Danny Granger and Carmelo Anthony, simply for entertainment purposes.

• Louis Amundson made a lot of great plays in this game, but above all, he should get a world of credit for banging with Chandler in the fourth quarter.

• Not a lot of coaches have the guts to give George Hill, Leandro Barbosa and Louis Amundson the clutch minutes that they got against the Knicks. On the other hand, not a lot of starters are secure enough to accept that decision the way Collison and Roy Hibbert seemed to on the bench.

• I know, I know, the Pacers need to tighten up their defense for the playoffs. But that was a lot of fun wasn’t it?