After losing three straight on their four-game Western Conference road trip — twice in agonizing fashion — the Pacers needed some home cookin’. Them Pistons, which traded away the last vestige of their 2004 championship team, Tayshaun Prince, hours before tip of, became comfort food.
There was little resistance in this wire-to-wire (I believe) victory. It was close-ish early, once Lance Stephenson got going and Roy Hibbert was making shots and it was all over but the counting. The counting of buckets.
Oh so many buckets.
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 28 MIN | 7-14 FG | 0-0 FT | 5 REB | 3 AST | 1 STL | 1 BLK | 0 TO | 14 PTS | +12 |
A little two-man-game play between him and Lance was my favorite moment of the game. So pretty.Paul George, SF 40 MIN | 3-11 FG | 3-4 FT | 6 REB | 4 AST | 2 STL | 0 BLK | 6 TO | 10 PTS | +22
Seemed like he scored more and missed less but numbers don’t lie.Roy Hibbert, C 26 MIN | 7-14 FG | 4-4 FT | 11 REB | 2 AST | 1 STL | 1 BLK | 3 TO | 18 PTS | +16
Hey-o. There he is. That alley oop.George Hill, PG 37 MIN | 6-8 FG | 0-0 FT | 2 REB | 3 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 0 TO | 15 PTS | +17
Can’t get much more efficient than that. Had a nice steal that led to a nice little hanging finish in transition by Lance.Lance Stephenson, SG 32 MIN | 5-10 FG | 1-2 FT | 11 REB | 5 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 12 PTS | +18
First professional double double along with a career high in rebounds. Was everything for Indiana as they started to pull away for good.
| Tyler Hansbrough, PF 17 MIN | 3-8 FG | 8-8 FT | 11 REB | 1 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 14 PTS | +10 |
Double double is short minutes. Most of the points came late in garbage time, but I’ll give him bonus points for nearly ending Andre Drummond’s life (on a missed dunk) and taking a two-man clothesline (by Kyle Singler and Kim English) in stride. Duke sucks.Miles Plumlee, PF 3 MIN | 0-0 FG | 0-0 FT | 3 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 0 PTS | -1
THE PLUMBER.Jeff Pendergraph, PF 4 MIN | 0-3 FG | 0-0 FT | 0 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 0 PTS | 0
Whether playing ball or bopping in the hall or just writing my name in Pendergraffiti on the wall.Gerald Green, SF 4 MIN | 0-1 FG | 0-0 FT | 0 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 0 PTS | 0
First minutes in the past four games (though he was also sick a little in between DNP-CDs).Ian Mahinmi, C 18 MIN | 1-5 FG | 2-2 FT | 5 REB | 0 AST | 1 STL | 1 BLK | 1 TO | 4 PTS | +5
Wasn’t good.Ben Hansbrough, PG 4 MIN | 1-2 FG | 0-0 FT | 0 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 2 PTS | 0
HandsBro Part Deux. Never noticed how purple he was in this photo until now. Neck also looks Photoshop’dD.J. Augustin, PG 15 MIN | 1-3 FG | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 1 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 3 PTS | +3
Fine.Orlando Johnson, SG 12 MIN | 2-2 FG | 1-1 FT | 1 REB | 2 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 3 TO | 6 PTS | +3
Alrighty.Frank Vogel
Might kill a ref soon. WILDIN’ out after Paul George was whistled for a travesty of traveling violation.