Post-Game Grades: Pacers Get Blown Out in a Pivotal Game 5 that Gets Out of Hand

Quite the game. Not much to analyze. Pacers looked like they should have gotten blown out early but somehow stuck around. Then did get blown out badly in what was one of the worst offensive nights I can remember from this team all season. Not exactly what you want to be doing in a near-must-win Game 5 probably.

There were a ton of flagrant fouls and we’ll get to that later, I guess, since we probably have to. But most unfortunately, Danny Granger sprained his ankle, left the game and is now day-to-day heading into Game 6. After the game he said his foot would have to “fall off” for him to not “at least try to play” on Thursday, so we can expect him in uniform — “he’ll just take a bunch of pain medication.” Whether he can be effective remains to be seen. David West also sprained his knee but he could have returned the the game. Had, ya know, they not been down 20 in the third quarter.

More on this game in the hours and days to come. For now, 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, PF 32 MIN \| 5-13 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 4 REB \| 1 AST \| 10 PTS Missed his first 5 shots, some which came on good looks, and helped set the tone for an offense that couldn’t have been much less productive.And don’t be fooled by the not-egregiously bad line. 2 made shots came after it was basically over. He was 3-for-11 in meaningful time with few boards while getting handled by Shane Battier.
	Danny Granger, SF 20 MIN \| 3-6 FG \| 1-2 FT \| 1 REB \| 1 AST \| 10 PTS His 3s were all the Pacers had going for them early. The injury looked like it really hobbled him. Certainly won’t be 100% for Game 6, which doesn’t bode well.
	Roy Hibbert, C 28 MIN \| 3-10 FG \| 1-2 FT \| 12 REB \| 1 AST \| 8 PTS Hard to be mad when he’s that uninvolved, but he really doesn’t establish great position or make himself a good target. Terrible entry passers are the larger problem and he of course needs the ball more. But need to not miss layups you do get and generally be more efficient.
	George Hill, SG 28 MIN \| 3-9 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 1 REB \| 1 AST \| 6 PTS What would ya say ya do here?
	Paul George, SG 28 MIN \| 3-9 FG \| 4-5 FT \| 4 REB \| 3 AST \| 11 PTS Same as West with the final line not being gross thing. He was. Very much so. Played some decent half-court defense early but had two ugly turnovers early and only made 1 of his first 7 shots. Defense is his job, first and foremost, but he needs to do something. And if he isn’t going to initiate offense in the half-court, he at least can’t blow good transition chances.

	Dahntay Jones, SG 24 MIN \| 1-8 FG \| 2-2 FT \| 3 REB \| 1 AST \| 5 PTS MVP probably, which is hilarious because look at his line. Played a bunch of good one-on-one defense of Dwyane though and stuck a corner three back when points still mattered. (5 of him missed shots were in the 4th.)
	Leandro Barbosa, SG 18 MIN \| 3-10 FG \| 3 REB \| 2 AST \| 6 PTS LVP probably. The sequence when he heaved up a 28-footer and then took a 15-foot finger roll aptly summer up his night. Or perhaps there was the time he iso’d Mike Miller, who can barely walk anyway and was only wearing one shoe, and settled for a 3. Take your pick.
	Louis Amundson, C 13 MIN \| 3-6 FG \| 0-2 FT \| 3 REB \| 0 AST \| 6 PTS Seemed to play well enough but didn’t have much impact on the game other than that one dunk.
	A.J. Price, G 3 MIN \| 1-1 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 1 REB \| 1 AST \| 2 PTS Garbage time.
	Tyler Hansbrough, 17 MIN \| 2-6 FG \| 4-4 FT \| 3 REB \| 1 AST \| 8 PTS Almost took Wade’s eye out and helped ramp the animosity of this series up a notch. So there’s that. Hit a nice jumper. Was fine overall in his first-half sting if not overwhelmingly helpful. Nearly lost his left arm to a vicious Thor attack from Udonis Haslem.
	Darren Collison, PG 21 MIN \| 2-6 FG \| 4-4 FT \| 0 REB \| 2 AST \| 8 PTS Missed a layup that was pretty ugly to watch. But certainly added some life to the effort and tried to push the ball. It didn’t work, per se, mind you, but he gave it a go.
	Jeff Pendergraph, F 3 MIN \| 1-1 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 0 REB \| 0 AST \| 2 PTS Garbage time.
	Lance Stephenson, SG 6 MIN \| 0-4 FG \| 1-2 FT \| 1 AST \| 1 PTS May have gotten a concussion.

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	David West, PF 32 MIN \| 5-13 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 4 REB \| 1 AST \| 10 PTS Missed his first 5 shots, some which came on good looks, and helped set the tone for an offense that couldn’t have been much less productive.And don’t be fooled by the not-egregiously bad line. 2 made shots came after it was basically over. He was 3-for-11 in meaningful time with few boards while getting handled by Shane Battier.
	Danny Granger, SF 20 MIN \| 3-6 FG \| 1-2 FT \| 1 REB \| 1 AST \| 10 PTS His 3s were all the Pacers had going for them early. The injury looked like it really hobbled him. Certainly won’t be 100% for Game 6, which doesn’t bode well.
	Roy Hibbert, C 28 MIN \| 3-10 FG \| 1-2 FT \| 12 REB \| 1 AST \| 8 PTS Hard to be mad when he’s that uninvolved, but he really doesn’t establish great position or make himself a good target. Terrible entry passers are the larger problem and he of course needs the ball more. But need to not miss layups you do get and generally be more efficient.
	George Hill, SG 28 MIN \| 3-9 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 1 REB \| 1 AST \| 6 PTS What would ya say ya do here?
	Paul George, SG 28 MIN \| 3-9 FG \| 4-5 FT \| 4 REB \| 3 AST \| 11 PTS Same as West with the final line not being gross thing. He was. Very much so. Played some decent half-court defense early but had two ugly turnovers early and only made 1 of his first 7 shots. Defense is his job, first and foremost, but he needs to do something. And if he isn’t going to initiate offense in the half-court, he at least can’t blow good transition chances.

	Dahntay Jones, SG 24 MIN \| 1-8 FG \| 2-2 FT \| 3 REB \| 1 AST \| 5 PTS MVP probably, which is hilarious because look at his line. Played a bunch of good one-on-one defense of Dwyane though and stuck a corner three back when points still mattered. (5 of him missed shots were in the 4th.)
	Leandro Barbosa, SG 18 MIN \| 3-10 FG \| 3 REB \| 2 AST \| 6 PTS LVP probably. The sequence when he heaved up a 28-footer and then took a 15-foot finger roll aptly summer up his night. Or perhaps there was the time he iso’d Mike Miller, who can barely walk anyway and was only wearing one shoe, and settled for a 3. Take your pick.
	Louis Amundson, C 13 MIN \| 3-6 FG \| 0-2 FT \| 3 REB \| 0 AST \| 6 PTS Seemed to play well enough but didn’t have much impact on the game other than that one dunk.
	A.J. Price, G 3 MIN \| 1-1 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 1 REB \| 1 AST \| 2 PTS Garbage time.
	Tyler Hansbrough, 17 MIN \| 2-6 FG \| 4-4 FT \| 3 REB \| 1 AST \| 8 PTS Almost took Wade’s eye out and helped ramp the animosity of this series up a notch. So there’s that. Hit a nice jumper. Was fine overall in his first-half sting if not overwhelmingly helpful. Nearly lost his left arm to a vicious Thor attack from Udonis Haslem.
	Darren Collison, PG 21 MIN \| 2-6 FG \| 4-4 FT \| 0 REB \| 2 AST \| 8 PTS Missed a layup that was pretty ugly to watch. But certainly added some life to the effort and tried to push the ball. It didn’t work, per se, mind you, but he gave it a go.
	Jeff Pendergraph, F 3 MIN \| 1-1 FG \| 0-0 FT \| 0 REB \| 0 AST \| 2 PTS Garbage time.
	Lance Stephenson, SG 6 MIN \| 0-4 FG \| 1-2 FT \| 1 AST \| 1 PTS May have gotten a concussion.