Post-Game Grades: Indiana Pacers Outlast the Dallas Mavericks in Overtime
By Ben Gibson
Final. 121. 79. 130. 100
The Indiana Pacers beat the Dallas Mavericks in overtime while Myles Turner started off the season with 30 points, 16 rebounds, and 4 blocks.
The Good: The Indiana Pacers offense was everything one realistically imagined it could be. They posted an offensive rating of 112.1, well above their 104.6 average from a season ago. The ball kept moving as Indiana racked up 30 assists. For comparison, last season they only had 30+ assists in two games. Indiana was efficient while running at a fast pace, which is exactly what Larry Bird wants from Indiana this season.
A small sample size for sure, but that results the Pacers were looking for.
The Bad: The defense allowed 115 points in regulation, but for what it is worth, they had a 103.5 defensive rating. That’s higher than last season, but at least in this game the offense carried the weight.
It will take 10 to 20 games before we get enough data for both the eye test and analytics to make a fair judgment.
When they drafted Myles Turner with the 11th pick and you gave Harry Barnes the max. pic.twitter.com/3ktO2r08Bn
— 8 Points, 9 Seconds (@8pts9secs) October 27, 2016
MVP: Myles Turner decided he wanted to be the face of the franchise and went off for 30 points, 16 rebounds, and 4 blocks. That’s only been done 176 times since blocks were recorded as a stat starting in 1983. One hundred and seventy times may sound like a lot, but that’s over 30 seasons worth of regular season and playoff games.
Myles is the youngest one on that list and for what it is worth, the list includes multiple entries from Tim Duncan, Patrick Ewing, Dwight Howard, Shaquille O’Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon, and David Robinson.
LVP: Glenn Robinson III and Joe Young played a total of 13 minutes and recorded one turnover. I don’t care cause everything else was great.
X-Factor: As the Miller Time Podcast pointed out, Paul George scored 25 points while grabbing 8 rebounds to go with 6 assists, and he’s an afterthought in this game. He did his efficiently too, with a 50% FG%, 80% 3P%, and 88% from the free throw line.
A. Paul George only had a usage rate of 19.2% in the game, but he made the possessions count as he racked up 25 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists. When you allow your superstar to pick his spots and take a back seat to others — and you still win the game — then you are doing something right. There will be nights where PG needs to take over, control the ball, and be the hero, but tonight wasn’t that night.. Small Forward. Indiana Pacers. PAUL GEORGE
A. Somehow the guy who had 19 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals isn’t even the second or third important player on the night. Monta was 7 of 11 from the field on the night as well.. Shooting Guard. Indiana Pacers. MONTA ELLIS
B. Jeff Teague showed his ability to set up his teammates while still finding plenty of time to score on his own. He had 20 points and 8 assists, but his shooting wasn’t the best at 5 of 15 on the night. However, he forced the issue in a good way and had 13 visits to the foul line, where he made 10 of his attempts. He co-existed and thrived sharing the court with Ellis, which is a good sign considering how much of a concern that was coming into the season.. Point Guard. Indiana Pacers. JEFF TEAGUE
Myles Turner’s growth as a player this season dictates how far the Pacers can go. Tonight that ceiling looked a little higher.. Center. Indiana Pacers. MYLES TURNER. A+
Power Forward. Indiana Pacers. THADDEUS YOUNG. B+. Quietly racked up 11 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists. He made the lone 3-pointer he attempted.
B. Rodney had 8 points and 3 rebounds on the night. He shot the ball well, going 3 of 6 from the field and 1 of 2 from deep. It wasn’t Godney, but it was enough for the Pacers on Wednesday.. Point Guard. Indiana Pacers. RODNEY STUCKEY
B. A C.J. Miles that shoots 2 of 3 from deep is the sharpshooter the Pacers need. He picked his spots well and ended the night with 8 points.. Shooting Guard. Indiana Pacers. C.J. MILES
B+. Nothing too impressive, but scoring 7 points and grabbing 6 rebounds off the bench is a good night for Al Jefferson.. Center. Indiana Pacers. AL JEFFERSON
B. 5 rebounds, 2 points and 2 assists. A normal night for Lavoy.. Power Forward. Indiana Pacers. LAVOY ALLEN
JOE YOUNG. C-. Meh, not much to say but not exactly a night where he did anything wrong.. Point Guard. Indiana Pacers
C-. See above.. Small Forward. Indiana Pacers. GLENN ROBINSON III
Next: The 7 Biggest Questions for the Indiana Pacers
The Pacers playthe Brooklyn Nets on Friday at the Barclays Center at 7:30 p.m.