Pacers Beat Up On Weak Teams; Gain Share of First Place

By Douglas Knopf

Doing exactly what they should be doing, the Indiana Pacers beat three teams on the decline, the Cavs, Hornets, and Jazz. This past week, the Pacers saw three different top scorers, proving their versatility and depth.

AP Photo/ Michael Conroy

Their first victory of their three game win streak was led by Gerald Green, their sixth man, who scored 21 points off the bench in 23 minutes. Green kept the game alive against the Jazz when the second unit went in providing 7 of 12 shooting with 4 of 6 from beyond the arc. Being a non-factor most of the season, it was nice to see Green fill some shoes for once.

The Pacers game against the Cavs showed what the team was really about. Six players scored in double figures with Roy Hibbert leading the way with 18 points. Hibbert played less than 25 minutes in the game, but still managed to assert his dominance in the post. While still being seen as one of the league best centers, Hibbert has also been insignificant in the Pacers’ offense.

David West had the most points in Saturday night’s game against the Hornets. His 25 point performance capped off the Pacers’ three game win streak in style. The team kept the Hornets to an impressive 75 points showing why they are the NBA’s best defense. Indiana gives up less than 90 points per game. This victory puts the Pacers at 16-12 for season and tied for first place in the division.

The significance of these three victories is that it shows that the Pacers can win in many different fashions. They can beat teams with their post game or with their shooting. Indiana is a dangerous team and no one should want the Pacers to get going and be at the pace they were last year.

Southwest Success

By Max Berger

As of December 27, 2012, three of the top six teams in the Western Conference were from the Southwest Division. The San Antonio Spurs, the Memphis Grizzlies and the Houston Rockets are the third, fourth and sixth seeds in the West respectively, and should all be playoff teams come seasons end.

AP Photo/ Eric Gay

San Antonio and Memphis have been strong all season, and should finish within the top four seeds of the West, along with the Los Angeles Clippers and the defending conference champions Oklahoma City Thunder. Tim Duncan and Zach Randolph, both power forwards for their respective teams, the Spurs and the Grizz, are having MVP-caliber seasons and are largely responsible for their team’s early success.

Houston was expected by most to miss the playoffs, but has been a surprise thus far this season and has been on fire lately. The Rockets are 7-3 in their last 10 games and are putting on a show. They are averaging the highest points per game in the NBA at 105.3, lead by new acquisition James Harden, who is averaging at fourth best in the league 25.8 points per game, and point guard Jeremy Lin, who has contributed more in the scoring department as of late.

At this point in the season, a little more than a quarter of the way through, here is what is clear about the Southwest Division:

Contenders: San Antonio and Memphis. The Spurs will challenge the Thunder and Clippers for the Western Conference crown. When healthy, they are talented, experienced and deep enough to win the West, the only question being if they are young and athletic enough to hang with the Thunder and Clips in a seven-game series.

Although they have struggled a bit lately, Memphis, too, could contend in the West. They have a dominant frontcourt tandem with Randolph and Marc Gasol, and if they can nail three pointers, they will be dangerous

Playoffs: Houston. With the trio of Harden, Lin and Omer Asik, the Rockets have surprised everyone and will end up being a tough out in the playoffs. While the team may be one missing piece away from being a contender, its offensive prowess is enough to keep things interesting in the playoffs and should prove to be a challenging test for the top teams in the conference.

Out: Dallas and New Orleans. The Mavericks could end up making a run as Dirk Nowitzki shakes off the rust, but they are too old and not athletic enough to make the playoffs this season – the conference is just too young and too good. As the season continues, though, don’t be surprised to see the Mavs, two years removed from the Finals, make a run at the eighth seed.

New Orleans, on the other hand, has no shot of making the playoffs. A few years down the road the “Pelicans” could emerge as a playoff team, but for right now they are competing more for the number one pick in the 2013 NBA Draft than they are for the playoffs.

Pelican Power

By Max Berger

The New Orleans Hornets recently announced that they would be changing their nickname to the Pelicans as early as the 2013-2014 season. However, this team needs much more than a name change.

AP Photo/ Don Ryan

The Hornets enter Friday, December 14 with the worst record in the Western Conference and fourth worst in the entire NBA at 5-16. They have lost five straight and face an uphill battle to even contend for a playoff spot, which, at this point in time seems unlikely to happen. New Orleans ranks 28^th out of 30 teams, scoring only 91.3 points per game.

With all of that being said, how could I be saying that this team has some room for optimism?

First off, the Hornets are the second youngest team in the NBA, behind only the Houston Rockets, with an average age of 23.8 years old. Their number one overall pick in the draft this past June, power forward Anthony Davis, recently missed an eleven game stretch with an ankle injury where the team went 2-9 without him. Actually, two of the games they’ve won since season have been with Davis, and when on the floor he’s put up solid numbers. At the young age of nineteen, with averages of 15 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game, Davis should really elevate the team if he stays injury free.

Also, three of New Orleans’ other starters are 25 or younger as well, with center Robin Lopez, small forward Xavier Henry and point guard Greivis Vasquez, not to mention shooting guard Austin Rivers off the bench who was also just selected in the draft. Vasquez has been a pleasant surprise thus far this season, as the third year man is currently sixth in the league averaging 8.2 assists per game. The 6’ 11” 211 pound Venezuelan should provide a nice frontcourt-backcourt combo with Davis for years to come.

If Robin Lopez and Austin Rivers can develop throughout the year, maybe not next year, but a few years down the road the Pelicans will be able to fly into the Western Conference playoff picture. While they may be grounded now, the Pelicans, led by Anthony Davis, should soar in a season or two.