The Pacers lead the league in scoring and points allowed. That may make them a favorite among fantasy basketball players, but Pacers coach Rick Carlisle wants to see more intensity on the defensive end. He’s threatening to reduce playing time for his offensively gifted group if they don’t take the opposite end of the court more seriously, he told Dustik Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star.
“I can just start pulling guys out of the game, and it could get ugly and maybe that’s what has to happen,” Carlisle said. “We got guys on the bench that would be more than willing to do that kind of stuff. … We’re trying to develop a culture where people want to do the hard things.”
We have more from the Central Division:
- Pistons coach Monty Williams confirmed a team meeting was held after the team’s 13th straight loss, which occurred against the Pacers on Friday night, Mike Curtis of the Detroit News tweets. He suggested that individuals took their share of the blame during that discussion. “There’s certain levels to those meetings. (It) was important because it was a level of team accountability,” Williams said. “There wasn’t any finger-pointing. When I got word of it, it wasn’t like anybody was saying ‘You, you, you.’ It’s like, ‘I have to do better.’”
- Bucks forward Khris Middleton is questionable to play against Miami on Tuesday due to left Achilles tendinitis, Eric Nehm of The Athletic tweets. Middleton has already missed four games this season and coach Adrian Griffin has kept his minutes down — Middleton is averaging 11.6 points in 19.8 minutes per night.
- LeBron James counts the championship he brought to the Cavaliers in 2016 as one of his most cherished memories, he told ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “Spent 11 years here and being able to come back after my Miami stint and win a championship here for this franchise, for this city, I think it was a 52-year [title] drought or something like that in the city of Cleveland for any sports team, I think that was just something that I will never forget no matter how old I get,” James said. “I’ll always remember that moment.”
Pistons are trash, it is a shame because the league is better when Detroit basketball is good. They just don’t have a dude, I felt Ivey had the personality in college.
Hayes is a rotational at best
Cade is too cool and more a distributor overall team player
Thompson can’t shoot, does other things well but will never be the guy.
Duren not a dominate big
Bagley and Wiseman are bust and they probably have low morale
Ancient one,wouldn’t that make the Pistons a young assemblage of talent, learning their roles while waiting for a dominant star to lead them ?
DET’s FO is just the latest to employ the Tanking playbook. Intentionally deprive the team of the means to compete for years hoping to lose and accumulate high draft picks, and when the time is right (whatever that might mean), flick a switch and try to win. A pretty garden variety tanking plan (no plan really, or at least no specific end date or goals). So, no surprise that they’re getting garden variety results.
DET’s owner and fans might be OK with it, but they are NOT the victims. That’s the league and the sport itself. But under Silver the NBA continues to reward the practice, and, as long as that’s the case, untalented FO people will continue to employ it. Losing is easy; if it can be passed off as success, why not do it? Particularly when it will allow you to procure some entertaining talent.
Trade wiseman is the key and get a guy veteran
Follow houston, They acquired vanbleet and Brooks
“LeBron James counts the championship he HELPED BRING to the Cavaliers in 2016 as one of his most cherished memories…”
There. Fixed it for you.
Pacers need to trade for a 6′ 8″ small forward that can defend ala Paul George.