Indiana Pacers Weekly Preview
I know I keep talking about it, but this off season has flown by, and I can’t believe we’re heading into the first regular season. Maybe it was the off season moves and all the excitement of what this coming season can bring that has made it such a short time for the season to come back around. You look up and down this Pacers team right now, and you can feel really good about it. You feel a little bad about Danny Granger missing the first few weeks, and I’ll have to wonder if he’ll come back at all as those weeks continue on. But we’ve already gone through this last season, so I would think this time around, it’s like when Granger comes back, he comes back. I know that he would be such a great addition that I believe it’s a bit of a shot to the team.
Now you’ll to see if some of the guys like Solomon Hill, Orlando Johnson just as the two guys that I can name right now step up and show what they can bring to the Indiana Pacers. I think in Granger’s absence, we could see a bit more of them. Even Rasual Butler, a guy that’s been around for a while, should get some opportunity for the team. Going into this week, the Pacers have three games on deck, and here’s just a short look at what each of those games can be all about.
Tuesday, October 29th, 2013
Indiana Pacers Host Orlando Magic
The first home game of the season, and the opening night of the year. That should be a fun game to be part of. I believe that the Pacers will come out firing, and should pick up the win. I had to even look at the Orlando Magic to see who’s on that team now. There’s a bit of Indiana flavor in the rookie draft pick of Victor Oladipo. He looks to be a strong candidate for Rookie of the Year as I imagine he’ll get plenty of playing time for the Magic. He’s a guy that provided plenty of energy and scoring at Indiana, so he’ll see how his game translates to the pro level. This Magic team looks to have some talent there, but it’s a mash of guys that I don’t believe will meld together this coming season. The Pacers should mark this in that win column if they play the strong defense we’ve come to expect, and just score enough points to get in that 90 point range. I think as a first game of the season, it could be one of those ugly wins. But getting that first win is always a good feeling. Prediction wise, I see the Pacers winning by double figures with pulling away in that fourth quarter.
Wednesday, October 30th, 2013
Indiana Pacers at New Orleans Pelicans
No rest for a team that’s traveled so much during the preseason as the Pacers head down to New Orleans for a battle with the Pelicans. Is anyone going to be able to say that with a straight face? The New Orleans Pelicans. I’ll probably add in the “Fightin'” Pelicans just to make it seem like a better nickname for a team. But getting to the game at hand, this one could leave the Pacers at that 1-1 level for the year as I’m not quite sure what to expect from this New Orleans team. They went 7-1 in the preseason with that loss coming at the hands of the Miami Heat, so not exactly a “bad loss.” It’s the home opener for New Orleans, so you can seem them coming out with some extra bit of intensity, whereas the Pacers will be on a back to back. A back to back that includes the traveling down there to New Orleans. This one could be a loss for the Blue and Gold, but I wouldn’t sweat it with it only being the second game of the year. Sure, we won’t to win them all, but with the young talent there, and gearing up for their first game of the season, New Orleans might come out and surprise the Pacers. Robin Lopez and Anthony Davis are big men that could match up with the big men of the Indiana Pacers. Then you throw in Eric Gordon, a great scorer, and this New Orleans team could get something going for the year. Prediction wise, I hate to call for a loss, but I can see the Pacers losing by single digits in that 5 or less range. Maybe just missing out on tying the game late in some fashion. I’ll hope I am way wrong about that. I’ve never been good at predictions anyways.
Saturday, November 2nd, 2013
Indiana Pacers Host Cleveland Cavaliers
The Pacers finish up with a home game against what should be an improved Cleveland Cavaliers team. How will they stop Kyrie Irving is the question? I think he’s a guy that can hurt the team and even get his teammates involved. If they’re making shots, that could get ugly for the Pacers. But I still think the Cavs are a young team with some talent, but not all the pieces together, so the Pacers should handle their business. Pick up a win in the division, and finish the week strong with a 2-1 record heading into the second week. I think that Roy Hibbert could play well against Anderson Varejao. David West should be able to power Tristan Thompson in that four spot. The Pacers just have the advantage in all positions but that point guard. I don’t know if Paul George ends up guarding Kyrie, or if George Hill gets that task. But whoever it is, just needs to be ready to defend and slow him down as much as they can. Prediction, Pacers win by single digits.