NBA Franchise of the Year: Passion. Pride. Pacers.

[ATL Jones Bro]

OH SHIT. ALLY-OOP. Very nice.

[mfbmike]

Crawford Unable To Hit Game Tying 3 To Keep Pacers Alive In Overtime Thriller

Starting Lineups:
Jamal Crawford (81) PG (80) Acie Law
Brandon Rush (79) SG (93) Joe Johnson
Anthony Randolph (80) SF (91) Josh Smith
Rasheed Wallace (85) PF (93) Carlos Boozer
Chris Kaman (89) C (90) Al Horford

(25-15) 108 vs 111 (20-17)


Jamal Crawford's buzzer beater bounces around up there before eventually rimming out.

Top Performers:
Player Of The Game:

Josh Smith

Quote Of The Game:
"I know when I turn on the radio on the ride home tonight, they're going to beat me up about drawing up the play for Jamal to take the last shot after having a hard time getting his outside shots to drop in this one. It's a shot Jamal has hit a countless number of times so far this season and I was confident he could hit it again." - Pacers Head Coach Jim O' Brien

Next Game:

[mfbmike]

Rasheed Wallace Has Brought His Trash Talking To Indiana


Rasheed Wallace talks some trash to Josh Smith after sending him to the floor on a weak layup attempt.

"He's a crazy guy. With us, with them, it doesn't matter."" - Chris Kaman

"He's like an energizer battery, just going all the time." - Danny Granger

"He's just going to say what he has to say at any point and time." - Brandon Rush

And the Pacers wouldn't have it any other way. Sure he's loud, sure it can get him in trouble from time to time, but when it comes to talking and getting under people's skin, noone does it better than Rasheed.

"When we're playing on the road and you might have that 1 or 2 people behind the bench, and they're always in your ear and sometimes you don't wanna hear it, you know, that's what I do out there on the floor," explained Rasheed. "And that gets my teammates into it."

It's no secret guys in the NBA love to talk but according to his teammates what separates Sheed from the others, is his ability to back it up.

"You can talk as much as you want, but if you can't walk it, you know what I mean, it doesn't really matter," explained teammate Sean Williams. "There's other players in the league that talk a lot but their team ain't good so it don't even matter."

"He brings that attitude and that ability to go out and say something and stand behind it and when you have a guy like that on your team in certain situations, it changes the game," said Jamal Crawford.

There is no doubt a psychological advantage gained in the process but as Sheed says believe it or not, "there is a code of conduct when talking trash."

"I don't talk about nobodies mom, wife, kids or nothing like that. Maybe I talk about that person and their game or defense. There is a line and I don't cross that line. Like I said, I don't talk about noone's parents or any family members or kids or nothing like that because that is crossing the line right there."

While opponents no doubt get an earful of Rasheed, his teammates get their fair share as well.

As far as trying to tune Sheed out, "That's impossible. He's just too loud," answered Granger with a laugh.

[The Messenger]

You stole Sheed's quotes lol. He really doesn't cross a line when he talks trash and is actually pretty well respected around the league.

[LC AAU]

Mike was probably jumping up and down when the ball was bouncing on the win.

[Len B]

Damn that buzzer beater almost dropped.

96-96 after four? How I long for the days of defense

[Vinsane]

Just caught up again Mike, good write up on sheed. Tough loss too, can't be losing to the Hawks if you want that number one seed!

[mfbmike]

Mike was probably jumping up and down when the ball was bouncing on the win.

Damn that buzzer beater almost dropped.

96-96 after four? How I long for the days of defense

I thought it was going to fall for me. :pissed:

lol, slowing the ball down on offense really has a way of taking teams like Atlanta out of their transition game and letting them run up the score. Run plays. A slower offense usually will lead to the same on their end.

Just caught up again Mike, good write up on sheed. Tough loss too, can't be losing to the Hawks if you want that number one seed!

Thanks. I got out in front early but they came back. Joe Johnson hit a layup on their last posession to tie it up with about 4 seconds left in regulation to send it into overtime. Look at their team though, lol. They are stacked. 4 guys with 90 ratings, and I was without Granger. Only lost by 3. Can't be too upset.

[mfbmike]

Yeah there team is rediculously stacked. You would think with that much talent, they'd be #1 seed easily but I actually am a couple games ahead of them in the standings.

[mfbmike]

Playing the Warriors right now.

[ZAN]

Mike...this is electric. Where can I find your sliders?

[mfbmike]

Pacers Lose Another Starter To Injury And 2nd Straight

Starting Lineups:
Jamal Crawford (81) PG (88) T.J. Ford
Brandon Rush (79) SG (91) Monta Ellis
Anthony Randolph (80) SF (84) Stephen Jackson
Rasheed Wallace (85) PF (81) Brandan Wright
Chris Kaman (89) C (84) Andris Biedrins

(25-16) 117 @ 120 (18-22)


Brandon Rush chases former teammate T.J. Ford down to swat a layup attempt. Rush left the game late in the 3rd quarter with an injury.


The obligatory Gerald Green highlight reel of the game.

Top Performers:
Player Of The Game:

Monta Ellis

Quote Of The Game:
"They took a 120-117 point lead and we got the ball with the shot clock turned off. We had a play drawn up for Jamal but he got double teamed on the outside and Gerald was wide open for 3. He had been relatively cold from beyond the arch tonight but still, it was a wide open look. He couldn't get it to fall to send it into overtime. Second game in a row now we haven't been able to hit a big shot in the clutch to extend the game." - Pacers GM Larry Bird

Next Game:

[CB4]

The injury bug sucks, Its good you have a deep bench though and tough loss. Btw you forgot to put a | between 33 and 120 in GSW's boxscore.

[mfbmike]

Rush Sidelined With Separated Shoulder



Pacers Guard Brandon Rush is expected to miss 1-2 weeks after suffering a separated shoulder.

Rush was injured in a collision with the media table courtside after diving for a loose ball in lastnight's 117-120 loss to the Golden State Warriors in Oakland.

Since being promoted to the Pacers starting lineup after a fallout with now Wizard Ricky Davis, Rush has averaged 16 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists per game as well as proving to be quite a contributor on the defensive side of the ball.

This is a big blow to the Pacers who have not only lost their past 2 games and are still without star forward Danny Granger for another 1-2 weeks, but face 3 upper echelon Western Conference teams; the Suns, Jazz and Spurs in the coming week.

In Rush's absence, Chris Quinn will be moved to the starting lineup with Jamal Crawford sliding over to the 2. Gerald Green and Javaris Crittenton are expected to see more playing time as well.

[Lupe]

lmfao. More losses for poor michael lol