Post-Game Grades: Hornets Top Pacers on Kemba’s Bucket

Thirty Two points from Paul George and stifling Fourth Quarter defense still can’t deliver a Pacers win, as Kemba Walker knifes to the rim for a game winner with two seconds left.

The Good: Paul George was efficient and effective all night long, piling 6 boards, 4 assists, and 3 steals to his 32 points 50% shooting. PG’s game kept the Pacers close enough to allow a surge by their defense in the fourth quarter to give them a lead with less than 10 seconds to go. Indy’s fourth quarter defense was almost flawless.

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*Almost*

The Bad: Mistakes by both members of what is probably Indiana’s best defensive pick-and-roll combo – George Hill and Ian Mahinmi – resulted Kemba’s late bucket. Mahinmi is taking the bulk of the heat for extending too far out, leaving himself exposed to Walker’s speed. It’s a mistake he has freely owned, but I think Hill should own a little bit more for getting screened so easily. He almost sat down in Zeller’s lap, was slow to recover, then took a bad angle.

Still, that was only the immediate cause of the Pacer loss. The real, long-term issue is the Pacers continued inability to consistently score points. The stagnant offense dug a hole, then kept the Pacers from being able to even open a two-possession lead.

MVP: Paul George. Stellar performance, and I don’t give MVPs to non-Pacers. So there. Oh…and this.

LVP: In the two Pacer losses this week – both games where the Pacers held the lead with less than five seconds – their starting backcourt of George Hill and Monta Ellis combined to shoot 9-for-50 from the floor. That seems…less than helpful.

X-Factor: Marvin Williams led a spread attack that hurt the Pacers badly tonight. He scored 26 points, including 15 in a third quarter where Charlotte got a little breathing room.