Post-Game Grades: Timberwolves feast on the Pacers starters
By Ben Gibson
8 minutes, 4 points: Another slow start for the Indiana Pacers dooms them in a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Indiana Pacers are on a four-game losing skid after Sunday night’s loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The starters looked helpless as Minnesota went to (Karl-Anthony) Town(s) against Nate McMillan and co.
100. Final. 107. 86. 90
The bench was the only bright spot for the Pacers as they outscored the starters 58 to 32. Joe Young had the best game of his career with 20 points, but with only one starter scoring in double-digits, the Cers’ weren’t winning in their final game of 2017.
The Good: The bench came to play, especially Joe Young. He continued to knock down shots as he did in the last few games and led all scorers with 20 points. Damien Wilkins and Al Jefferson were a big part of Indiana’s rally in the first half as well.
They couldn’t do enough to overcome the debt the starters incurred, but hard to find fault in them.
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The Bad: Another cold start. Indiana was down 8-0 after going 0 for 8 from the field to start the game. The squad started pressing for a basket and it only put them further behind the eight ball. The Timberwolves ate them up early. It got as bad 0 of 12 shooting as Minnesota took a 17-0 lead in the first 6:32. A Bronx cheer erupted as Domantas Sabonis ended the run and then followed it up with another bucket to bring the score to 17-4, putting Indiana at 2 of 15 to start the game.
MVP: None of the guys. Nobody.
LVP: The starters were horrible. Other than 13 points from Bojan Bogdanovic, none broke into double-digits in any stat. They were getting blown out by a team that only made four 3-pointers going into the final minutes.
Myles got bullied by the physical Timberwolves, particularly Karl-Anthony Towns.
X-Factor: The old folks and Joe Young. After Indiana’s awful start and the starters scoreless, that trio helped turn the tide after 19 minutes, bring the score to 28-23. Young’s 7 points and Damien Wilkins 6 were leading the Pacers at that point, and Al Jefferson’s physicality helped counter the grinding nature of the Timberwolves.
DARREN COLLISON. F. 5 points and 2 assists. In a week where we thought we’d seen the worse from the starters, they found a new low.. PG. Indiana Pacers
☤. Get well soon.. SG. Indiana Pacers. VICTOR OLADIPO
BOJAN BOGDANOVIC. D. Bojan got hot in the third quarter, but that was the only point any of the starters looked alive.. SF. Indiana Pacers
PF. Indiana Pacers. THADDEUS YOUNG. F. 8 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists.
MYLES TURNER. F. 1 point.. C. Indiana Pacers
DOMANTAS SABONIS. B-. Thanks to playing with the starters a good bit, Domantas Sabonis was the only player off the bench with a negative +/- at -11. But he did score 8 points while grabbing 11 rebounds.. C. Indiana Pacers
SG. Indiana Pacers. LANCE STEPHENSON. F+. The worst +/- of all the team at -35. 5 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists for Born Ready, but he isn’t ready to take Victor Oladipo’s job.
Cory Joseph was part of the bench’s charge against the Timberwolves 17 point lead to start the game. Showed off his defensive skills while dropping 10 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists.. PG. Indiana Pacers. CORY JOSEPH. B
C-. T.J. Leaf grabbed a rebound but once again came up scoreless in his limited minutes.. PF. Indiana Pacers. TJ LEAF
A-. 11 points and 5 rebounds as Al Jefferson reminds us he’s more than a benchwarmer.. C. Indiana Pacers. AL JEFFERSON
A+. A career-high 20 points on 7 of 11 (63.6%) shooting, going 3 of 4 from deep. Found time to grab 5 rebounds and hand out a pair of assists.. PG. Indiana Pacers. JOE YOUNG
X. Haven’t used Alex Poythress much since signing him to an NBA contract.. SF. Indiana Pacers. ALEX POYTHRESS
B. Only 5 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists, but the team needed his physical play to get back in the game in the first half.. SF. Indiana Pacers. DAMIEN WILKINS
A. It was in garbage time, but his 7 points, 4 rebounds, and a massive block remind us of the 19-year-old’s potential.. C. Indiana Pacers. IKE ANIGBOGU
Next: Potential New Years’ Trades for the Pacers
Indiana takes time off going into 2018, but things get going again on Jan. 3 when they face the Milwaukee Bucks at 8 p.m.