SDH's 2014/2015 NBA End of Season Worst to First Countdown: 19. Indiana Pacers

2014/2015 Projection: 38-44, fifth place Central Division, eleventh place Eastern Conference  Actual Finish: 38-44, fourth place Central Division, ninth place Eastern Conference	Projected 2014/2015 Finish 22	Actual 2014/2015 Finish 19
Team Statistics and League Rank Points Scored: 97.3 (24th) Points Allowed: 97.0 (4th) Team FG%: .439 (23rd) Opponent’s FG%: .435 (3rd) Team FT%: .756 (13th) Team Three Point FG%: .352 (12th) Rebounds per game: 44.9 (5th) Opponents rebounds per game: 42.7 (10th) Turnovers per game: 13.3 (12th) Opponents turnovers per game: 12.1 (26th)	Individual Statistical Leaders Scoring (ppg): George Hill (16.1) Rebounds per game:  Roy Hibbert (7.1) Minutes per game: George Hill (29.5) Assists per game:  George Hill (5.1) Field Goal Percentage: Ian Mahinmi (.552) Free Throw Percentage:  CJ Watson (.830) Three Point FG Percentage: Damjan Rudez (.406) Steals per game: George Hill (1.0) Blocked Shots per game: Roy Hibbert (1.8)
SDH’s Hero to Honor: Frank Vogel Last season Frank Vogel would have been castigated for the poor utilization of his players and the even more disgraceful anemic offensive production which showed both a lack of creativity or any real thought on his part; however, this season, it was the same weaknesses that he has been chided for that kept his team from becoming a complete disaster and kept Indy in playoff contention until the very end.  The man was left with virtually nothing to start the regular season as his team were without their star player, Paul George, who had suffered a season ending injury during the summer as well as the lack of foresight of his boss, Larry Bird, to allow Lance Stephenson, the Pacers' second best player, to walk away in free agency.  All that remained were a bunch of over the hill veterans in David West, Luis Scola, Roy Hibbert and George Hill who spent much of the season on the injured list along with a list of no names and castaways from other teams.  Instead of throwing his hands up in despair, Vogel managed to take the little he had and still kept the Pacers a rather strong competitive force despite the limited offensive output and complete lack of scoring.  Even in the worst of times when it seemed so bleak that his team would never recover, he still managed to keep his team focused and playing together to the best of its collective ability thus making him the most crucial part of the Pacers' troubled 2015 season.	SDH’s Face to Forget: +Larry Bird  Pacers fans: want someone to blame for the sad shape your team is in?   Then look no further than the man you people so reverently worship because it was Larry Bird who chose to cheap out on Lance Stephenson which led him to jump ship to the +Charlotte Hornets.  Stephenson certainly would have been useful considering the loss of Paul George for the season and the fact that he chose to replace him with cheaper and less effective alternatives makes his errors even more grievous.  Instead of finding ways to improve the team in the wake of the reemergence of the +Cleveland Cavaliers and the +Chicago Bulls, he chose to stand pat at with same time of tired, worn out, and over the hill players resulting his team to fall from first place last season to second to last in its own Central Division. To make matters worse, he did not see the writing on the wall choosing to allow the team to make a playoff push instead of scrapping it altogether, tanking, and make a bid for a top three pick the same way the +Los Angeles Lakers and +New York Knicks did. Now not only has Indy missed the playoffs, but at best will have the number 12 pick in this upcoming draft to look forward to.   It just goes to show how Larry Bird is so out of touch with today's NBA and needs to do the right thing and step down because things will not get any better as long as he is at the helm.
How the mighty have fallen--just a year ago, the +Indiana Pacers had finished the regular season with the best record in the Eastern Conference and had reached as far as the Conference Finals until they were taken down by the +Miami HEAT; however, now all of that glory is gone as the team fell from being the top dog in its division for the past two years to dragging near the bottom of the barrel this season.  Pacers fans would blame their team's sudden crashing downfall to the fact that they missed their star player, Paul George, due to the horrific season ending injury that he suffered during a summer exhibition game; however, even before then there were signs that Indy's ride on top of the wave of the NBA's elite was about to come crashing down.  It first came with the news of +LeBron James returning to the place he once called home signing to the team that originally drafted him, +Cleveland Cavaliers, and the team's acquisition of All Star power forward +Kevin Love from the +Minnesota Timberwolves during the off-season thus completely removing any competitive advantage the Pacers ever had.  Fellow Central Division rival, the +Chicago Bulls also got into the act as they significantly upgrading their roster thanks to the addition of All Star big man and two time +NBA Championship winner +Pau Gasol; nonetheless, that was not the worst of the turmoil as the final blow came from the Pacers' boss, Larry Bird, when he refused to pay Lance Stephenson--the Pacers' third leading scorer who also led the team in rebounds, assists, and field goal percentage--the money that he deserved.  That led to Stephenson, who many arguably considered as the heart and soul of that 2014 Pacers team, to jump ship and sign for less money and a shorter contract to the +Charlotte Hornets as both an act of defiance and disgust towards both Bird and the Pacers organization leaving the team with no real go to guy on offense as well as an excellent passer and lock down defender.     All that coupled with the fact the Larry Bird did absolutely nothing in terms of improving the team led to Indiana coming into the 2015 regular season with a hodgepodge roster off broken down and over the hill players blended in with a group of rejects and no name garbage players.  Their returning key players were already in bad enough shape with David West, Indy's second leading scorer and rebounder last year, missing the entire month of November due to injury and starting point guard George Hill missing almost half the season as well due to injury; however, that was further amplified by the poor play of +Roy Hibbert, whose game continued to decline and +Luis Scola, whom at 35 years old was initially running on fumes throughout the season.  Despite his near 15$ million price tag and having the opportunity to take a greater role on the team with George and Stephenson no longer there, Hibbert's play was uninspired to say the least as he was barely a factor on the offensive end while his rebounding at just 7.1 per game was not much to write home about either, considering he was the team's primary presence in the paint.  To make matters worse for the Pacers' front court production, upon returning from the injured list, David West would prove to be a shadow of his former self as he finished the season with one his worst performances in his career averaging a paltry 11.7 point per game--down from his near 16.0 points per game that he has produced over the last two years.  And despite putting up rather respectable numbers for a player headed towards the twilight of his career with 9.4 points and 6.8 rebounds while being the sole member of that group to play the entire season, Poor Luis Scola simply could not give any more than the 20.5 minutes he played which left the Pacers struggling to search for ways to put the ball in the basket. Fortunately, despite their crumbling core of veterans, the Pacers still managed by some miracle to scrape up and pool what very few  resources they had to kick, bite scratch for every single points thanks to the team's scrappy play which actually helped them to outscore their opponents by +0.3 margin as well as out shoot them by an even slimmer +.004 margin; however, what actually kept them in their games was their all out effort on defense and on the glass as they ranked in the top five in the league in points allowed, opponents' field goal percentage and rebounds per game. Give head coach Frank Vogel plenty of credit for motivating his players and encouraging his players to battle the odds and go beyond their limits even if it did not mean winning in the end because it is doubtful that any coach in the NBA would have been able to keep the Pacers treading water until the very end of the season with the little that he had to work with.  With all the injuries and adversity that both he and his team faced throughout the season, Vogel had to scrape way down to the bottom of the roster to find someone ready, willing and able to contribute regardless of the outcome.  Thankfully, he found what he needed from every player on his roster and it was not pretty to say the least with seven players averaging in double figures and six of them putting up more than five points per game; sadly, however, none of the players--save for George Hill, who only played just 43 games--managed to average at least 15 points per game for the season thus showing how the team struggled to find a go to player that the team can count on scoring baskets. Nevertheless, in spite being unable to find at least one player who can consistently put points up on the scoreboard on a regular basis, Vogel and his crew of misfits managed to keep their opponents scoring low enough for them to at least catch up and have a shot at winning; however, with that style of play being so physically grueling, the Pacers simply could not hold on to grab wins and their inability to score made it even more difficult since they could not score at the other end of the court to save their lives.  Without anyone really capable to execute and be even somewhat offensively efficient, much of the team's defensive effort was often wasted which often resulted in the Pacers to essentially run out of gas thus giving way for their opponents to push past them and worst of all, all the blood sweat and tears that Indy shed means anything as they failed to make the playoffs.  To add insult to injury, not only did all that effort and hard way fail to get them into the post season, but the Pacers have to suffer an even more stinging blow in that their 38-44 record essentially eliminated them from any chance of attaining the number one overall pick in this summer's NBA Draft and the best they can hope for is a pick between the 10 to twelve range.  In hindsight, instead of putting all that effort and suffering the heartbreak of falling barely out of playoff contention, it would have been more advantageous for the Pacers to  simply tank the season and lose enough games to increase their chances of securing at least a top four or five pick; however, that did not happen and fans in Indy will have to grit their teeth and watch teams such as the +Minnesota Timberwolves, +Los Angeles Lakers, +Philadelphia 76ers and +New York Knicks walk away with a potential star player while they get left with whatever table scraps that are left behind.  For Pacers fans, that has to hurt the most because just a year before their team was on top of the world and vying for an NBA championship, but now they find themselves wallowing at the bottom with little if anything to look forward to.                         To say that the future for the Pacers looks bleak is putting it mildly because even with Paul George back in the lineup and at full health, Indy is at at best a marginal playoff team capable of attaining the seventh or possibly the eighth seed which is not necessarily an achievement considering that they are in the Eastern Conference.  With Lebron at the helm, the Cavs, short of an act of God, will most likely hold the Central Division crown for the next five to six years with the Bulls falling shortly behind leaving the Pacers to fight for third place against the +Milwaukee Bucks and the +Detroit Pistons which is not an easy feat to say the least.  Head coach Jason Kidd has turned the Bucks from a team that won just 17 games in 2014 to an immediate playoff contender transforming it into one of the up and coming young teams in the league while Stan Van Gundy's Pistons, although they finished last place, were just six games behind Indiana making them a potential threat next year.  Unless something big happens in the off season, it looks as if the only place that the Pacers will be heading is down and Larry Bird will have no choice but to tear the current team down and rebuild it from scratch; however, will that go well with Paul George--a player who has been tabbed as the face of the franchise and may not be patient to have to look forward to a long and painful rebuild?  Nonetheless, it will be a long off season and there will be plenty of time to prepare until opening tip off in November so hopefully the Pacers can get something done from now to then in order to at least stave of their eventual collapse.

SDH's 2014/2015 Worst to First Countdown for the First "Slap-mester" (Oct/Nov/Dec): 23. Indiana Pacers

+Indiana Pacers Win/Loss Record as of December 31st, 2014:  11-21, fourth place Central Division, 11th Place Eastern Conference	Projected 2014/2015 Finish 22 Current Rank as of December 31st 23
Team Statistics and League Rank as of December 31st,  2014:  Points Scored: 94.5 (28th) Points Allowed: 96.3 (2nd) Team FG%: .431 (25th) Opponent’s FG%: .443 (8th) Team FT%: .729 (25th) Team Three Point FG%: .335 (24th) Rebounds per game: 45.3  (5th) Opponents rebounds per game: 42.8 (15th) Turnovers per game: 13.6 (11th) Opponents turnovers per game: 12.0 (27th)	Individual Statistical Leaders as of December 31st, 2014: Scoring (ppg): David West (12.5) Rebounds per game:  Lavoy Allen (7.5) Minutes per game: Solomon Hill (32.0) Assists per game:  Donald Sloan (4.5) Field Goal Percentage: Ian Mahinimi (.611) Free Throw Percentage:  CJ Watson (.830) Three Point FG Percentage: CJ Watson (.383) Steals per game: CJ Watson (1.0) Blocked Shots per game: Roy Hibbert (2.0)
Worst of the Class: +Larry Bird  If you want to know who to blame for the current sad state of the Indiana Pacers, one needs not to look any further than the team's head of operations, Larry Bird.  Not only did not he not bring back a key member of last season's team that not only finished first place in the Eastern Conference, but also helped lead the team against the +Miami HEAT in the conference finals. Bird thought that signing cheaper knock offs instead of paying Lance Stephenson, who is now with the +Charlotte Hornets, what he deserved was a better alternative; however, he has paid for his arrogance and that was not his only misstep.  Larry Bird did not hurt the team with his actions, but mostly with his in-actions as he essentially kept an aging team that had virtually no competition last year while his division rivals upgraded their rosters significantly resulting in his team's disgrace.  Even if Paul George had not broken his leg in the summer and was able to play, the Pacer probably would be in the same predicament because he simply would not have the support as he did with Stephenson and he too would have questioned the wisdom of signing that lucrative deal to stay in Indy.	First of the Class: Frank Vogel Give Vogel credit where it is due as he has essentially kept a team that has been held together my glue and matchsticks and has got them playing rather decently despite just winning a third of its games.  With the departure of Lance Stephenson in free agency along with the tragic loss of the team's star player, Paul George, for the entire season, Vogel was left with a roster of nobodies, over the hill has-beens, broken down veterans and discarded trash; however, he still managed to keep this team focused enough to remain one of the league's top defensive teams.  Sure, he has no one capable of putting up big scoring numbers such as George, while at the same time started the season with three of his key returning players on the injured list; Yet, he has certainly managed managed to turn the lemons he started out with into lemonade.  Even through the adversity he has kept his team playing hard and fighting for every game  whether it wins or loses, but even the most optimistic of Pacers fans realize that sooner or later this ragtag group of misfits will soon fall apart and not even all the grittiness in the world can prevent Indy to fall out of the playoff chase.  Nonetheless, in spite of their dire situation, it has never stopped Vogel from demanding the best out of his players nor has it allowed his players to simply throw their hands up and quit.
No one expected for the Pacers to finish first place in their division for the third straight year due to the missteps of their front office during the off season and the tragic accident of their star player; however, no one expected them to fall near rock bottom as they have so far.  Indy started the regular season stumbling out the gates and crashed into a wall as they lost six of its first seven games before bouncing back and finished November winning six of their next games.  Unfortunately, they would fall on hard times once again in December as they lost eight straight to start the month, but finished 2014 in style winning five of their last nine games and despite their rather uncharacteristic slow start, they have still shown signs that they can still pull the season out and possibly make a run for the post season.  Unlike the oppressive state of affairs that is currently occurring in the Western Conference where seven of their eight playoff spots have already been spoken for, the East remains considerably open with just the top three seeds secure thus far. With fifty games left in the regular season, there is still plenty of time to turn their season around; however, perhaps this is not the most prudent course of action as the best that Indiana can possibly do is claim the East final playoff spot and possibly get ousted in the first round as quickly as they entered it. Would it not be much better to simply chalk the season up for a loss in order to vie for a very high draft pick instead of pushing for a playoff spot that may or may not be there at the end of the regular season?  Although there is still an outside chance of making the playoffs, there are no guarantee that the Pacers will be able to do it; plus, if they choose to fight to the very end and not make the post season, they best they can look forward to is a low first round pick.  Indiana right now has the perfect opportunity to attain the first overall pick in the draft as it currently rest near the bottom of the league along with the +Philadelphia 76ers, +New York Knicks, +Los Angeles Lakers and the +Detroit Pistons; plus, with their aging roster that is in severe decline, the Pacers will have no choice but to start the rebuild as soon as possible.  Unfortunately, that does not look like that is going to happen as the players, coaching staff, the team's front office as well as the fans have far too much pride to simply throw in the towel and that stubbornness will lead to their ultimate downfall.  As a result, the Pacers will find themselves continuing to slip out of relevance and respectability as their team has become outdated and over the hill while both their divisional and conference rivals have already began to separate themselves even further turning Indy from a once proud winning franchise to a laughing stock in the span of just one season. Both the +Chicago Bulls and the +Cleveland Cavaliers have made significant strides to not only surpass Indiana, but to ensure that even with the return of their star player Paul George next season, will not even have a chance to ever return to the top of the Central Division. Despite of the team's rather slow start, the return of +LeBron James to his home state plus the addition of +Kevin Love have not only turned the Cavs into championship contenders, but has also assured that they remain at the top of both the Central Division and the Eastern Conference for years to come.  The Bulls have also made themselves a significant obstacle to Indiana's plans thanks not only the return of MVP +Derrick Rose, but also the addition of a revitalized +Pau Gasol and the unforeseen emergence of role player turned superstar in Jimmy Butler.  Even the often ignored +Milwaukee Bucks have risen out of obscurity to upstage the Pacers thanks to the arrival of their new head coach +Jason Kidd who turned a team that had won just seventeen games before into one of the league's up and coming teams.  Now Indy finds itself not only shamefully knocked off their pedestal, but also wallowing near rock bottom with only the Pistons underneath to keep them from actually touching the cold hard floor. Blame the actions of the team's president of operations Larry Bird for the sad state of of affairs due to his shortsightedness, poor draft picks, and complete lack of initiative when it came to assuring that his team stayed at the top.  Instead of looking for ways to improve the team, he simply settled with leaving well enough alone as he chose to leave the future of the team in the hands of aging and declining players such as David West and +Luis Scola, instead of looking to infuse the team with young talent.  The decision to attempt to shortchange Lance Stephenson instead of making every attempt to secure him long term was another sign of Bird inability to follow the times losing the talented, although mercurial Stephenson to the +Charlotte Hornets and filling the immense void he left behind with cheap knock offs in C.J Miles and +Rodney Stuckey.  Neither Miles or Stuckey have been able to fill in and replace the massive impact and impression that Stephenson left on the Pacers--not just in terms of his production and output, but all in terms of his energy and savvy that he also brought onto the court.  Many in Indiana applauded Bird for not ponying up the dough to keep Stephenson claiming that he was neither mature or professional enough to represent their team; however, Stephenson's absence has certainly been quite apparent when looking at the rather pathetic state of the team's offensive execution. Instead of having Stephenson's ability to not only score, but also to manage the team's offense and help push the tempo with his speed and athleticism, the team had to rely on a committee of point guards consisting of perennial scrubs CJ Watson and Donald Sloan.  The team's incumbent starting point guard, George Hill, has been a complete no show sitting out much of the season due to injuries; however, in his time in Indiana he has not shown an ability of being even a somewhat decent play maker nor the ability to get anyone but himself involved in the team's offense. Sure, Stephenson has yet to light in up in Charlotte the same way he did in Indiana which give the thickheaded Pacer fan base to think that they are better off without him; however, considering that he would have been better acclimated to the Pacers' way of doing things instead of forcing to readjust to a new system in Charlotte, he probably would have performed far better had he stayed. Not only that, but he also could have been Indy's primary scoring option giving the team a focal point to rally to instead of the hodgepodge mess that fans are forced to witness as none of their team's players have neither the ability nor the skills to force opposing defenses to concentrate upon. Even if Paul George had not suffered that gruesome injury in the summer forcing him to sit out the entire season, it is doubtful that the Pacers' fortunes as Stephenson's departure would have made it even more difficult for him because there is virtually no one else to help shoulder the offensive load the way that Stephenson did. Both David West and Luis Scola have shown that they are no longer capable to put up the big numbers that they used to as both their abilities and their sustainability on their court have severely declined, while +Roy Hibbert continues to gain the ire of his fans will his declining production despite his supposedly exceptional gifts that should make him a superstar.  George would have probably have had to carry the team himself with little or no help whatsoever possibly leading him to succumb to the physical strain and lead him to be injured for the season thus leaving Indiana in the same predicament that it currently faces.  In spite of his warts, Stephenson, in essence, complemented George in every way by not only taking a load off his shoulder with scoring, but also did so without taking too much of the spotlight--the same way how +Scottie Pippen provided the same support for +Michael Jordan by not only with his hall of fame presence, but also staying in the background enough to allow Jordan to shine in those Bulls championship years during the 1990s.  Such a player that provides the best of both worlds is almost impossible to find in today's NBA, but Bird had such a player in Stephenson, but foolishly chose to diminish his role by offering a less than desirable offer to someone of his talents forcing him to leave in anger to another team for the same money. Now after all that effort and energy to climb to the top of the Eastern Conference Mountain. the Pacers find themselves slipping and falling of a high cliff and once they crash to the bottom, they may not be able to pick themselves back up again; however, it almost seemed as if it was almost inevitable that this would happen.  Despite its winning record, the Pacers never proved that they had what it took to be a true championship contender because their management never took the initiative to show that it was willing to do what it took to win an NBA title at any cost.  Instead, it seemed as it was happy remaining at the status quot taking the opponents in their conference for granted not thinking for one second that the good times will ever stop; but now they have, and the Pacers are left with the unsavory prospect of having to start over from scratch once again.  If that   happens, there needs to be a complete house cleaning from top top down starting with Larry Bird stepping down as head of basketball operations because it has painfully obvious that not only is he behind the times, but simply out of touch with today's NBA.   Unless he decides to do the right thing and walk away, then Indiana will continue its decent into obscurity as their star Paul George wastes his prime years on a team going nowhere fast.

SDH Presents NBA Recap: Hawks vs. Pacers, December 8th

+Al Horford  scores 25 points and grabs eight rebounds as the +Atlanta Hawks drop the +Indiana Pacers  in Indianapolis. Visit nba.com/video for more highlights and always keep up with all 30+NBA teams right here on +Slap Dog Hoops. Also, please be kind enough to share this post by simply clicking the Facebook, Twitter, G+, and Pinterest buttons below.  It would be greatly appreciated; Thanks!

SDH Presents NBA Recap: Pacers vs. Kings, December 5th

Carl Landry hit the game winner with 0.8 seconds left in the +Sacramento Kings' 102-101 win over the +Indiana Pacers. Visit nba.com/video for more highlights and always keep up with all 30+NBA teams right here on +Slap Dog Hoops. Also, please be kind enough to share this post by simply clicking the Facebook, Twitter, G+, and Pinterest buttons below.  It would be greatly appreciated; Thanks!

SDH Presents NBA Recap: Pacers vs. Suns, December 2nd

+Goran Dragic  scores 34 points, +Eric Bledsoe adds 27 points and seven assists as the +Phoenix Suns defeat the +Indiana Pacers. Visit nba.com/video for more highlights and always keep up with all 30+NBA teams right here on +Slap Dog Hoops. Also, please be kind enough to share this post by simply clicking the Facebook, Twitter, G+, and Pinterest buttons below.  It would be greatly appreciated; Thanks!

SDH Presents NBA Recap: Hornets vs. Pacers, November 19th

Solomon Hill put back a miss by +Rodney Stuckey as time expired, and the Pacers overcame an early 18-point deficit to beat the +Charlotte Hornets 88-86 Wednesday night. Visit nba.com/video for more highlights and always keep up with all 30+NBA teams right here on +Slap Dog Hoops. Also, please be kind enough to share this post by simply clicking the Facebook, Twitter, G+, and Pinterest buttons below.  It would be greatly appreciated; Thanks!

SDH Presents NBA Recap: Pacers vs. Bulls, November 15th

Solomon Hill, A.J. Price, and Luis Scola each poured in 21 points to lead the +Indiana Pacers  over the +Chicago Bulls  99-90. Visit nba.com/video for more highlights and always keep up with all 30+NBA teams right here on +Slap Dog Hoops. Also, please be kind enough to share this post by simply clicking the Facebook, Twitter, G+, and Pinterest buttons below.  It would be greatly appreciated; Thanks!

SDH Presents NBA Recap: Pacers vs. Heat, November 12th

+Roy Hibbert finished with 16 points and collected 15 rebounds as the +Indiana Pacers defeated the +Miami HEAT 81-75.  Visit nba.com/video for more highlights and always keep up with all 30+NBA teams right here on +Slap Dog Hoops. Also, please be kind enough to share this post by simply clicking the Facebook, Twitter, G+, and Pinterest buttons below.  It would be greatly appreciated; Thanks!  

SDH Presents NBA Recap: Jazz vs. Pacers, November 10th

+Roy Hibbert scored 29 points and grabs five rebounds as the +Indiana Pacers  beat the +Utah Jazz  in Indianapolis. Visit nba.com/video for more highlights and always keep up with all 30+NBA teams right here on +Slap Dog Hoops. Also, please be kind enough to share this post by simply clicking the Facebook, Twitter, G+, and Pinterest buttons below.  It would be greatly appreciated; Thanks!  

SDH Presents Rudy Gay Erupting for Season High 40-Points

On this Halloween night the only thing scary was +Rudy Gay. Gay took his is game old-school scoring 40 points and picking up 8 rebounds. Gay led his team, the +Sacramento Kings to their first win of this early season against the +Portland Trail Blazers.  Visit nba.com/video for more highlights and always keep up with all 30+NBA teams right here on +Slap Dog Hoops.  Also, please kind enough to share this post by simply clicking the Facebook, Twitter, G+, and Pinterest buttons below.  It would be greatly appreciated; Thanks!

SDH's 2014/2015 NBA Worst to First Previews and Predictions: 22. Indiana Pacers

+Indiana Pacers  Overall Win/Loss Record:  56-26, first place Central Division 2014/2015 Projection: 38-44, fifth place Central Division, eleventh place Eastern Conference  Preseason Rank 22
Last season’s Team Statistics and League Rank Points Scored: 96.7 (24th) Points Allowed: 92.3 (2nd) Team FG%: .449 (17th) Opponent’s FG%: .420 (1st) Team FT%: .779 (8th) Team Three Point FG%: .357 (17th) Rebounds per game: 44.7 (8th) Opponents rebounds per game: 41.2(5th) Turnovers per game: 14.5 (21st) Opponents turnovers per game: 13.2 (26th)	Returning Individual Statistical Leaders Scoring (ppg): David West (14.0) Rebounds per game:  Roy Hibbert (6.6) Minutes per game: George Hill (32.0) Assists per game:  George Hill (3.5) Field Goal Percentage: David West (.488) Free Throw Percentage: Solomon Hill (.857)  Three Point FG Percentage: Chris Copeland (.418) Steals per game: George Hill (1.0)                  Blocked Shots per game:  Roy Hibbert (2.2)
Projected Opening Day Starters Based on Past Performance and Potential Impact: George Hill (PG) CJ Miles (SG) Chris Copeland (SF) David West (PF) Roy Hibbert (C)	Key Reserves Rank Based on Past Performance and Potential Impact:: Luis Scola (F) Rodney Stuckey (G) Ian Mahinmi (C) CJ Watson (G) Solomon Hill (F)
Last season the Indiana Pacers earned the best regular season record in the Eastern Conference, but were thwarted once again in their desires for championship glory when they lost to the +Miami HEAT in the Conference Finals.  Now the Pacers find themselves on the outside looking in as their off season was marred by a horrific injury, poor personnel decisions and emergence of a team that was once the league's personal doormat.  While the majority of the teams in the East spent their off season upgrading and strengthening their rosters, Indiana simply stood pat and remains with the same old team, but without two major ingredients that were the source of their past successes.  It could be considered as the "snap that was heard around the world," when Paul George, the team's leading scorer and franchise player, slammed against the base of a basket in an effort to retrieve the ball and saw his leg shatter as if it were glass.  That injured essentially shattered Indy's season as a playoff contender; however, it is what happened during the off season that will determine not only the team's prospects this year, but in subsequent years following. Thanks to the infinite wisdom of the team's President, Larry Bird, Indiana's future as championship contender or even a relevant competitor in its own division is in complete jeopardy.  To start off, instead of trying to develop it he mortgaged whatever young promising talent he had in +Tyler Hansbrough, Gerald Green and +Miles Plumlee, exchanging them away for older players whose basketball shelf life has all expired.  David West was already at his athletic peak as a player when he first joined the Pacers at the age of 30 four years ago, but Bird found it wise to keep him for three more years after his two year deal expired, instead of using that money to invest in a much younger player in Hansbrough, who showed that he had the potential to mimic, if not improve on what West was already doing.  Not only did he allow Hansbrough to leave, Bird also jettisoned Green and Plumlee to the +Phoenix Suns in exchange for Luis Scola, who at 34, is a player, who like West, has also seen his best basketball years past and at best can maintain his current production; however, in the case Green and Plumlee, it was the complete opposite as they both flourished in Phoenix and will most likely continue to have very long and prosperous careers.  Now thanks to Bird's shortsightedness, the Pacers are not only severely handicapped with the loss of George for the season, but they are stuck with aging players that can no longer perform or produce the same way they had done in previous years; however, that was not the worst move that Bird has done in his tenure. That happened during the off season where instead of offering him the money that he clearly deserved, Larry decided to cheap out on restricted free agent +Lance Stephenson, who then took that as an insult and left for the +Charlotte Hornets.  Although Paul George was the team's loeading scorer and franchise player, Stephenson could be considered as a rising star and arguably the team's best overall player last season as he led the team in assists, had the team's best field goal percentage at .491, and led the league in triple doubles.  He was second to George in both rebounds and steals per game and at 24 years of age, the guy had more than enough upside to warrant and justify at least a near max contract extension; however, Bird chose to short change him offering Stephenson a four year 36$ million deal that would have decreased after each year.  That infuriated Stephenson so much that he decided to go to Charlotte for approximately for the same money that Bird offered, but instead four years guaranteed, he chose for two guaranteed and a player option for the third.  By doing so, not only did he essentially flip Larry "the Bird" in going to another team for about the same money, but also plans to rub Bird's shortsighted and moronic choice in his face for the next two years before he becomes an unrestricted free agent and really get paid. Many fans applauded Bird's decision for letting Stephenson go as they cited one silly instance where during a play in the Eastern Conference Finals where he playfully blew in the face of +LeBron James to distract him. Like the pompous self righteous fools that they are, the fans and local media flew in perfect V formation  in support of their revered hero, choosing to diminish Lance's role and impact on the team by condescending put downs and childish insults.  Forget the fact that he was the team's best defender that never shied away from the challenge of guarding the one time "King of Miami" in the most important series of the Eastern Conference playoffs or the fact that he was not only the facilitator, but also at times the catalyst of Indiana's offense, which struggled at time to put points on the board.  To folks in Indiana, he has been disregarded an insignificant and replaceable piece whose performance was the product of the team, and not by his own effort and talent where in fact it was the complete opposite.  If it had not been for him pushing the ball, help it move among his teammates instead of simply having it planted it in George's hands, and attacking the rim to get to the free throw line, Indiana's offense last season would have been even more stagnant that it was last season--a horrifying vision to say the least. Sadly it is the fault of Larry Bird that Indy's future now rest in the hands of a player that is not only out for the season, but will have even more pressure put on him to compensate for the lost offense and contributions on both ends of the court in which Stephenson provided upon his return.  Such immense pressure can result in another potential long term injury that can shelf him for another season the same way it did for the +Lakers' +Kobe Bryant or the +Chicago Bulls' +Derrick Rose before him.  Some have pointed out that Bird's actions with Stephenson were more financial than anything else because giving him for than the 36$ million offered would have put the Pacers over the luxury tax threshold; however, that was an even stupider reason considering the fact that the league's salary cap is expected to balloon up to 80$ million making such a concern as the luxury tax literally null and void.  Even had George not been injured, Indiana's prospects for this season would have still been minimized due to the return of the Lebron James and the arrival of +Kevin Love to the +Cleveland Cavaliers have all but eliminated Indy's chance to maintain its hold on the top of its division, let alone conference.  Add the entrance of a greatly upgraded  Bulls team many look to be in a neck to neck with race Cleveland for not just the Central Division title, but the Eastern Conference's best record, the best that Indy can hope for is a third place finish in its own division. Let's not forget that both fellow divisional rivals the +Milwaukee Bucks and +Detroit Pistons will be looking to also further pull the Pacers down off the once high pedestal they had made which allowed themselves to become lazy and complacent.  To add to Indiana's troubles are up and teams such as the +Toronto Raptors, +Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets and +New York Knicks along with already established powerhouses in the Heat and +Brooklyn Nets all looking to stamp out whatever relevancy the Pacers still had.  Blame Bird once again for simply settling with the status-quot expecting the East not to change instead of taking the initiative to ensure that Indiana remains among the NBA's elite franchises for years to come; instead he chose to simply stand pat and allow the rest of the East catch up thus ending Indy's short four year rise as a elite team to a grinding halt.  The sad thing about this situation that he will not be held accountable for his bungling by either the ownership, the fans or the local media because of the heavenly aura surrounding him. Similar to the way Joe Dumars was treated in his tenure as the head man of the Pistons, Larry will be deemed as above reproach as he continues to make one mistake after another and cover his behind by pointing fingers and firing others to pay for his missteps. After years of such a practice with the team continually floundering, eventually there will be no else to deflect blame unto and like Dumars before him, Larry will find himself having to resign in  shame and disgrace.  Pacer fans should right now consider this season awash because their team simply does not have the offensive firepower or the on court leadership to really be a major factor in the Eastern Conference, and they should also look to prepare for the worst as well.  Indy's status as an elite team has all but been ground to dust and all that both the team and its fans have is four playoff seasons, but little if anything else to show for it.  The team is saddled with a roster consisting of a sad mix of the overrated, over-paid, and over the hill combined with a pathetic group of spare parts that were found by scraping the bottom of the barrel.  The prospects are certainly bleak to say the least, but ask anyone in the Hoosier State and they will say that "everything is fine," and remain in that delusional state until the walls literally fall around them to acknowledge that something is wrong.

SDH Presents NBA Season Preview: Indiana Pacers

Check out this season preview of the 2014-15 +Indiana Pacers. Visit nba.com/video for more highlights and always keep up with all 30+NBA teams right here on +Slap Dog Hoops. Also, please be kind enough to share this post by simply clicking the Facebook, Twitter, G+, and Pinterest buttons below.  It would be greatly appreciated; Thanks!

SDH Presents from Grantland.com: The Pacers Preview Is Bad News for NBA Fans | Bill and Jalen’s 2014-15 NBA Preview

Bill and Jalen have a hard time previewing the +Indiana Pacers season with so much up in the air after Paul George’s devastating injury. How will Indiana adjust to the loss of George and Lance Stephenson? How will Hibbert perform as the focus of the offense? And will the Pacers — gasp — tank and rebuild? At the end of the clip, Bad News Jalen and Bad News Bill have some bad news.   You can catch +Grantland and and always keep up with all 30 +NBA teams right here on +Slap Dog Hoops.  Also, please be kind enough to share this post by simply clicking the Facebook, Twitter, G+, and Pinterest buttons below.  It would be greatly appreciated; Thanks!