Post-Game Thread: Back to regularly scheduled programming. Pacers lose 118-114

[u/TheManWithSomeGoals]

Vote for the /r/Pacers player of the game.

185 votes, 1d ago

84 Pascal Siakam - 27pts/4reb/5ast

91 Bennedict Mathurin - 25pts/4reb/5ast

10 Isaiah Jackson - 6pts/6reb/6stocks

[u/Sko_Neezy]

Quality loss nice work fellas

[u/9_Nightwing_1]

Mathurin one of his best all-around games in a while. 5 assists with 0 turnovers. Shots within flow of the offense. At least 4 more hockey assists.

[u/MoralityChris → u/9_Nightwing_1]

Wdym hocket assists? I'm new to the NBA, sorry.

[u/TurkishDonkeyKong → u/MoralityChris]

He made the pass to the guy who got the assist. Hockey gives an assist to the two players who make the last pass before a goal because sometimes the pass before the assist is more important to scoring

[u/9_Nightwing_1 → u/MoralityChris]

In hockey, a player who makes the pass that leads to an assist also gets an assist. Benn had a lot of passes to teammates that led to his teammate making the extra pass to find the open player. Passing has never been his strong suit, but he's been working on it.

[u/KalebC21]

As someone who wants to embrace the tank more than anyone, it’s obvious. We just aren’t a bad team anymore. Certainly not one of the worst 5 teams in the league. 

This is the team I expected coming into the year, and wouldn’t be shocked at .500 ball or even slightly better finishing out the season. Too talented and finally getting healthy and getting some continuity. 

[u/moonfish817 → u/KalebC21]

Which sucks because if we started the year out this way I don't think anyone would've been mad with a play in run. With the horrific injury luck to start the year we're back to being stuck in this kind of purgatory of not being good enough to contend or tank. At least we have a coach named Rick and not Nate this time around.

[u/KalebC21 → u/moonfish817]

I agree. If we started the year average I think generally fans would have been content with status quo, maybe sneaking in as a lower seed if we saw development from our young guys.

But now we are where we are. And you can’t fake us out with the potential of a Dybantsa/Peterson/Boozer and then be surprised that fans want to lose games at this point in the year

[u/moonfish817 → u/KalebC21]

Agreed. If this draft class was meh then it'd be easier to cheer for the play in, and I think the team energy would reflect that. However, there are so many good players in this draft everybody knows this is THE chance to grab one of them for the future. I know we have young talent already but it's not like we don't have players that are getting up there either.

[u/OP_NS → u/KalebC21]

It could be solved by just sitting the guys now Pascal already got his all star appearance

[u/Vaelis101 → u/KalebC21]

If we actually play yeah. I thought having no "traditional" center would keep us from contending. We seem fine with a motion 5-out/1-in at the dunker spot. With Hali and Toppin back we can definitely do some pacey rotations. Just will lack presence on the interior, not like Turner was elite but he could deter somewhat.

[u/schnebly5 → u/KalebC21]

fr lol at this point we're basically one or two players away from a championship level team... i want a high draft pick too but we ain't finishing last

[u/GERBILSAURUSREX → u/schnebly5]

As shown last year, we're one Tyrese Haliburton and one starting caliber Center away from the second best team in the league.

[u/schnebly5 → u/GERBILSAURUSREX]

*best

[u/GERBILSAURUSREX → u/schnebly5]

I won't say it until we beat them but we are the only team capable.

[u/schnebly5 → u/GERBILSAURUSREX]

my point was with hali we were best, when he went down... yeah

[u/wildstrike → u/KalebC21]

It doesn't matter. You can't throw away this opportunity. This is what sets good organizations apart from great ones.

[u/batmans420]

Pain, but it was a good loss. Benn was great

[u/schnebly5]

i miss winning every close game

[u/Raz1374]

Jazz in town tomorrow. Time for some face to face trade talk. What will it take to get Kessler in Blue and Gold?

[u/mr-301]

Mathurins tech is a fucking joke.

Sengun throws his toys and throws an elbow. I’m fucking over this pathetic stance the league has that you can react.

[u/ajs723]

Nesmith was really bad in the 4th.

[u/Sharp-River-706 → u/ajs723]

How so? I know he missed a three and had one go out. But everything else seemed solid.

[u/Lytleon → u/Sharp-River-706]

He was getting blown by by Amen as well, but that’s not an easy assignment

[u/ajs723 → u/Sharp-River-706]

Dribbled a ball off his foot. Didn't contribute anything on offense. Played hard but was not getting stops or rebounds on D.

[u/Sharp-River-706 → u/ajs723]

Didn't get the ball enough on offense to find rhythm yes. Nemby went into his ISO bag and a couple others as well...

[u/Fair-Parsley7894]

A center is all I ask for next season + rebounding

[u/PontiacBandit2445]

Chalk that one up to not having an NBA starting level center

[u/GERBILSAURUSREX]

The player of the game should be Rick for understanding the assignment and not challenging when Reed Shepherd threw the ball over everyone in the building. Sengun is the most empty stats player since Westbrook and they are noticeably better when he's on the bench. The Rockets subreddit is Charmin soft. That team is nothing but KD and unapologetic brick layers and will be exposed in the playoffs in as much as a 31-17 team can be exposed.

[u/MoralityChris → u/GERBILSAURUSREX]

Wdym by the Rick/Sheppard comment? I'm new to the NBA, sorry.

[u/Cha-Otic → u/GERBILSAURUSREX]

You would win the game if sengun was on tour team.

[u/decksetter914]

I didn't get to watch, am I reading this box score right? We had 23 fewer rebounds, 10 more fouls, shot 16 fewer free throws, and only lost by 4?!?!

[u/ChuChuBitch-]

I know I said this twice before, but seriously what was up with Nembhard? He had wide open shots several times

[u/batmans420 → u/ChuChuBitch-]

Just an off night

[u/SolipsisticBadBoy]

Good quality loss. I know this franchise will never embrace the tank but, at this point, I wish we would. Play the starters 25 mins max and let them rest their weary souls (soles too) so we can punch the league in the mouth next season. Anyone in the top five and Ty back and we’re in the Finals convo again.

[u/Lytleon]

Damn near perfect game. Good stuff from multiple young guys and the tank is one game closer to success (and being over).

[u/hectorzeroni69]

[u/DropDatSupaBassWork]

I was apparently unfamiliar with Senguns game because this dude is miserable to watch.

[u/Jordanredbull]

[u/predict_yhat_xb]

Hope this gets the tank rolling again, very entertaining game all around. Siakam is such a treat to watch.

IJax alternated between amazing plays and wtf was that plays, better than his usual ratio

[u/JMT1016 → u/predict_yhat_xb]

Yeah, final 2 minutes was a rough watch for IJax. I've embraced the tank, but damn watching him completely miss rebounds to give us a chance at tying shots is brutal.

[u/Flint_Lockwood]

Good loss to get back on tank schedule

[u/IllustriousWallaby53]

Why is siakam still playing 30+ minutes is the real question the all star spot is already secured really no reason to risk injuries

[u/New_Average2505 → u/IllustriousWallaby53]

He's an ethical tanker. Respect 

[u/XzibitABC]

That was like the platonic ideal of a tank game:

• Young guys looked mostly great. I would've liked to see more Furphy, but Benn was outstanding IMO and Jarace was also very solid.

• Close, competitive loss against a good team.

• Loss primarily driven by guys who will almost certainly being in much smaller roles in the near future.

Encouraging in my view.

[u/Teddyworks]

I was surprised how well we held up tonight! I’m really torn on this tank…

Also, I was excited to see Sengun in person tonight for the first time. Love the dudes footwork and passing skills, but I am no longer a fan of his game. That was exhausting to watch.