Post-Game Grades: Pacers Finally Put Toronto Away
By Tim Donahue
Through three and a half games against Toronto this year, the Pacers could find no rhythm and no breathing room. The result had be three two-point games, two with Indiana on the wrong side of the score.
But slowly and surely, the Pacers took the third quarter of tonight’s game to exert the kind of control they expected to have in their series with Toronto this season. They exited the quarter up 64-51 on their way to a 93-81 win.
Just one night after falling to the Clippers, Indy needed this win, just as they will need every win they can get going forward. With almost three quarters of the season complete, the 37-22 Pacers are percentage points out of second place in the East. At the same time, they’re only 3-1/2 games ahead of the 6th place Chicago Bulls.
Indiana can add a game to that on Sunday, as they face the Bulls in an 8 pm tilt at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
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 30 MIN | 6-11 FG | 3-4 FT | 11 REB | 4 AST | 1 STL | 1 BLK | 3 TO | 15 PTS | +17 |
West – along with Hibbert – were the size that held Toronto at bay and slowly wore them down, allowing the Pacers to pull away when PG got it rolling.
Paul George, SF
42 MIN | 8-16 FG | 2-2 FT | 10 REB | 3 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 4 TO | 22 PTS | +11
Slow start, but scored dropped some big threes as the Pacers put the game away.
Roy Hibbert, C
24 MIN | 7-10 FG | 4-4 FT | 3 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 2 BLK | 4 TO | 18 PTS | +7
His best stretch of the season may have been after he picked up his fourth foul early in the third. Stayed engaged while the Pacers opened their first double digit lead.
George Hill, PG
29 MIN | 2-8 FG | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 4 AST | 2 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 5 PTS | +4
Lotsa a good looks to little good effect.
Lance Stephenson, SG
24 MIN | 1-2 FG | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 3 PTS | -1
Very quiet game.
| Tyler Hansbrough, PF 18 MIN | 2-3 FG | 1-2 FT | 2 REB | 1 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 5 PTS | -5 |
Did nothing for most of the game, but his two buckets came at a key point in the fourth, allowing the Pacers to maintain distance.
Jeff Pendergraph, PF
2 MIN | 1-1 FG | 0-0 FT | 0 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 2 PTS | -2
Garbage time
Sam Young, SF
2 MIN | 0-0 FG | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 0 PTS | -2
Garbage time
Danny Granger, SF
10 MIN | 3-5 FG | 1-2 FT | 3 REB | 0 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 8 PTS | +10
Has come a long way since his first two very tentative games, but can’t say it gives me warm fuzzies to see him not be able to go in the second half. Hopefully, it’s just a case of being overly cautious.
Gerald Green, SF
2 MIN | 0-0 FG | 2-2 FT | 0 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 2 PTS | -2
Garbage time.
Ian Mahinmi, C
23 MIN | 3-10 FG | 1-2 FT | 6 REB | 0 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 3 TO | 7 PTS | +7
If he could just catch.
D.J. Augustin, PG
19 MIN | 0-1 FG | 2-2 FT | 2 REB | 7 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 2 PTS | +8
Nice assist line, but didn’t notice him much.
Orlando Johnson, SG
18 MIN | 1-3 FG | 2-2 FT | 3 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 1 TO | 4 PTS | +8
Play of the game was his block of Alan Anderson – and the ensuing save – that led to a PG dunk at the other end. Felt like the Pacers had the game after that.