Post-Game Grades: Pacers Find Their Flow in the Flo-Jos
By Justin Ochoa
The Good: The Pacers got off to a great start with a 33-point first quarter, giving them their only first quarter lead in the last 11 games. Dallas, of course, battled back and the rest of the game was full of ties and lead changes. It was incredibly helpful that Monta Ellis was absent tonight, but the huge performance by CJ Miles helped propel Indiana to a much needed win. It was so good to see the Flo-Jos get a W tonight (5-0 on the season when wearing them).
The Bad: I don’t want to nitpick, but the Pacers really can’t afford to turn the ball over so much. Indiana had 15 turnovers and that will be unacceptable come playoff time. Shooting 69% from the foul line is also risky, but I don’t want to focus too much on the negatives. I’m just glad Indiana got the win.
MVP: CJ Miles went OFF tonight! He shot 5-6 from long range and 9-12 from the field. He was locked in early and often, plus delivered a dagger 3-pointer with 1 minute left in the game. That one pretty much sealed it. Tonight’s game ball undoubtedly goes home with Mr. Miles tonight. Job well done.
LVP: Solomon Hill had a quiet game tonight, which was probably the result of having such a tough defensive assignment. Hill dished the ball well, racking up 6 assists, but every other facet of his game was pretty subpar. The Pacers need him to step up more often and have a direct impact on these types of close games.
X-Factor: Tonight’s X-Factor was the Pacers three point shooting. CJ Miles hit 4 in the first quarter, plus another one late in the fourth quarter. George Hill hit two back-to-back from deep late in the fourth quarter as a part of his individual 8-point run. The Pacers, as a team, shot 10-17 from deep and that was the spark they needed to move past the Dallas Mavericks.
 | David West, PF 28 MIN | 4-7 FG | 2-2 FT | 5 REB | 5 AST | 2 STL | 2 BLK | 4 TO | 10 PTS | +6 +/-D. West was still battling his crazy allergic reaction, but battled through for a pretty solid showing. He had a couple extra turnovers, but we’ll credit that to his blurred vision due to the allergic reaction. |  |
Solomon Hill, SF 14 MIN | 1-2 FG | 0-0 FT | 1 REB | 6 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 2 PTS | +3 +/-Hill distributed the ball extremely well tonight but didn’t find the basket often. He had his hands full on defense against, so may have been out of gas on most offensive possessions. Indiana needs him to show up more consistently.
Roy Hibbert, C 25 MIN | 5-10 FG | 4-4 FT | 7 REB | 2 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 1 TO | 14 PTS | -5 +/-Big Roy played, well, BIG tonight with 14 & 7. He was big, assertive and caused his usual disruption in the paint. These are the types of games Big Roy should thrive in.
George Hill, PG 36 MIN | 6-12 FG | 0-0 FT | 4 REB | 5 AST | 0 STL | 1 BLK | 1 TO | 14 PTS | +8 +/-George Hill was playing pretty passive most of the night but came alive towards the end of the fourth quarter. His two back-to-back three pointers and a vicious spin move gave him a solo 8-point run in a much needed time. Hill ended up being one of the key components of the Indiana win.
C.J. Miles, SG 28 MIN | 9-12 FG | 5-6 FT | 4 REB | 1 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 2 TO | 28 PTS | +2 +/-Three-J Miles! He was on fire tonight! He shot 9-12 from the field, 5-6 from deep and helped the Pacers get the W tonight with his 28 point explosion. Actually he did help, he willed the team to victory!
Luis Scola, PF 22 MIN | 3-6 FG | 2-4 FT | 5 REB | 0 AST | 1 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 8 PTS | +1 +/-Scola had a pretty forgettable performance tonight. He provided a decent spark off the bench but got torched by Dirk most of the night. Hopefully he will bounce back soon with a big double-double type of game.
Damjan Rudez, SF 12 MIN | 2-2 FG | 0-0 FT | 2 REB | 0 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 6 PTS | -2 +/-Damo came in and hit two long balls in his 12 minutes, but didn’t provide much else. It’s tough to put a grade on his performance because it didn’t last for very long. I like his aggressiveness though.
Ian Mahinmi, C 17 MIN | 1-3 FG | 1-4 FT | 4 REB | 1 AST | 2 STL | 1 BLK | 1 TO | 3 PTS | +15 +/-Mahinmi did was he always does. He continues to do a great job backing up Roy and making sure there’s no drop-off when the second unit comes in.
Rodney Stuckey, PG 30 MIN | 4-14 FG | 1-2 FT | 5 REB | 2 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 0 TO | 10 PTS | +4 +/-Stuckey shot horribly tonight, making just 4 of his 14 attempts. He’s put up some huge numbers lately, so expect him to bounce back and make up for tonight’s mess.
C.J. Watson, PG 24 MIN | 2-5 FG | 3-4 FT | 3 REB | 1 AST | 0 STL | 0 BLK | 1 TO | 7 PTS | 0 +/-It wasn’t Watson’s best night, but he came in and provided a solid spark off the bench. His numbers weren’t outstanding, but his leadership and poise on the court make him an incredibly valuable asset.
Frank VogelIn the post-game presser, Vogel said he thinks the Pacers should wear the Flo-Jos for every remaining game. That alone earns him an A+.