Post-Game Grades: Pacers can’t finish against surging Heat
By Ben Renz
The Indiana Pacers shoot 5.6% from 3-point range, somehow are not completely dismantled in their loss to the Miami Heat.
The Indiana Pacers usually take care of the Miami Heat in Indianapolis, where the Heat have lost ten straight. Unfortunately, the Heat were coming with a five-game winning streak of their own, plus a huge confidence-boosting W in Toronto last night.
110. 106. 100. Final. 114
The Pacers might have liked their odds, however, with the Heat on the second of a back-to-back, but the Heat’s slim eight-man rotation looked far from tired Wednesday night.
The Pacers made one three-pointer. One!
Teams do not win in the 2018 NBA by making merely one triple, and yet that almost happened Wednesday night, thanks to the Pacers somehow shooting 50% from the field overall. But the Heat hit 13 treys and shot 53% overall.
That’s pretty much the story of this one, despite no Pacer having a particularly bad game.
The Pacers were down early and finished the first quarter with 26 to Miami’s 38, but chipped away from there as Miami’s FG% came back down to earth.
Though the Pacers never gained the lead, they stuck around in this one, tying it late and getting the crowd energized. But it was not to be, and a few late-game miscues kept the Pacers from getting this one.
The Pacers were far from lifeless tonight, which is encouraging going forward. The L still stings, but there was nothing about this one that should have Pacers fans too dispirited.
So this contraption on Myles Turner’s bum elbow looks not good. pic.twitter.com/rBdChmNTNa
— Jared Wade (@Jared_Wade) January 11, 2018
Except that. Come back soon, Myles.
The Bad: 1 for 18 from three-point range. That’s vomit-inducing. The Pacers, also, only assisted on 13 buckets and shot just 65% from the free-throw line. That ain’t gonna do it.
MVP: Lance Stephenson’s ability to recover.
https://twitter.com/LegionHoops/status/951280679064498176
LVP: Dipo missed six of the 17 missed trips, but he doesn’t deserve this one. Bojan missed four threes, and I still haven’t forgiven him for that Celtics loss back in December, so yeah, let’s give it to Bojan.
X-Factor:
https://twitter.com/World_Wide_Wob/status/951277460624207873
B-. 7 points, 3 dimes, and 2 steals for DC. Only Pacer to make all his FT attempts (3).. PG. Indiana Pacers. DARREN COLLISON
The six missed threes hurt, as did the four TOs, but Dipo also had four steals, seven boards, and a game-high 26 points, so the good still far outweighs the bad in this one.. SG. Indiana Pacers. VICTOR OLADIPO. B+
SF. Indiana Pacers. BOJAN BOGDANOVIC. B-. Scored a quiet 15 points and grabbed six boards. Really could’ve used one of his four three-point attempts to go down, though…
C+. Thad had 12 on 6-8 shooting, grabbed nine boards, managed a steal and a block, and still finished with a team-worst +/- of -9.. PF. Indiana Pacers. THADDEUS YOUNG
B-. Would’ve liked a better game from Domas, who started tonight in the place of Myles. Scored 18 points on 15 shots, grabbed seven boards, and turned the ball over four times.. C. Indiana Pacers. DOMANTAS SABONIS
Indiana Pacers. LANCE STEPHENSON. B-. Really got the crowd into it late, but his decision-making remains suspect (not sure that’s changing ever). Lance played 25 minutes in this one, finishing with 15 points, eight boards, four dimes, and the team’s only three-point make.. SG
C+. Played good D, but shot just 2 for 8 and dished just one assist.. PG. Indiana Pacers. CORY JOSEPH
PF. Indiana Pacers. TJ LEAF. C-. In eight minutes tonight, TJ managed two points, one board, and one TO. Finished with a +1. Sure.
AL JEFFERSON. C-. Big Al was Big Minutes tonight. In his 17, he turned it over twice and took five shots on his way to a four point, two rebound night. I’d bet he’s exhausted right now.. C. Indiana Pacers
PG. Indiana Pacers. JOE YOUNG. C. A team-high +7! Scored two points and got one steal in his five minutes.
Next: SF Wednesdays: Bojan's Inconsistency
Next up, the Pacers take on the recently-struggling Cavaliers in Indy. That one’s Friday at 7 p.m.