INDIANAPOLIS---I know there are no play-in games to get into the NBA Playoffs, but tonight at Bankers Life Fieldhouse there was. Honestly, with the Final Four in town for the weekend, most people forgot that there was a basketball game between players that actually get paid as the 32-42 Charlotte Hornets buzzed into Indianapolis to take on the 32-43 Indiana Pacers.
Coming into tonight, the two teams were in the tenth and eleventh spots in the Eastern Conference with the Hornets possessing a slight half game lead over the Pacers while being 1.5 games back from Miami and Boston, who are tied for the eighth and final Playoff spot.
In three meetings this season, the Pacers lead the series 2-1 thanks to two game-winning shots, one an offensive tip-in from Indiana's Solomon Hill in the series opener in November and another a layup from George Hill in Charlotte. The Hornets only victory against Lance Stephenson's former squad came in the second match-up of the season between the two as the former Cincinnati product scored thirteen points, which helped make up for the absence of Kemba Walker due to injury. Would the Hornets be able to sting the Pacers and end Indiana's chances of making the NBA Playoffs?
In the first quarter, which was the only twelve minute period that contained a competitive score throughout, the Hornets flew out to a 25-16 lead thanks in large part to a combined sixteen points from Marvin and Mo Williams (unrelated). In fact, with 1:43 left in the first, the two Williams had the same amount of points as the whole Pacers team! That soon changed with back-to-back made threes from the CJs, C.J. Miles and C.J. Watson, which created momentum while decreasing Indiana's deficit to three heading into the second.
The second quarter started off with much back and forth action as free throws and jumpers were traded by both teams. Then, after a thunderous jam by Bismack Biyombo the Pacers utilized an 11-0 run to turn a one-point deficit into a ten-point lead. Indiana's sixth man Rodney Stuckey was instrumental in the team's success and bucketed a three-pointer and a layup during the span. Charlotte guard Gerald Henderson eventually broke the scoreless segment with a layup, but the rout was just beginning.
Heading out of the halftime break, Indiana owned a 49-38 advantage, but by the end of the third they scoreboard read Pacers 70-47. So Charlotte only scored nine points in twelve minutes? Indeed they did and to simplify, the Hornets posted two points in the last seven minutes of the third quarter making the game all but over.
The fourth quarter was purly mop up time as Charlotte's coach Steve Clifford cleared the bench by continuing to play formerly benched guard Lance Stephenson after he played two minutes to wrap up the third quarter and the Hornets first round pick, ninth overall, center, who has dealt with injuries this season, Noah Vonleh. Stephenson played with an ego in the fourteen minutes he was on the court, but he did finish with ten points as the boo birds came out from their nests. Amazingly, Charlotte outscored Indiana 27-24, the only problem was that they needed to outscore the Pacers by twenty-three points to walk out of Bankers Life Fieldhouse with a win and a better chance of making the Playoffs.
Vogel's 200th Victory
Although the season has not been easy for Indiana Pacers' coach Frank Vogel, picking up his two hundredth career win tonight should help bring some positive energy in what will be his first under .500 season since becoming head coach in January of 2011. Despite the under .500 season being inevitable, Indiana is still in the hunt for eighth and could deliever Vogel's fifth consecutive team to make it to the postseason.
Kemba "Anything But Fierce" Walker
Charlotte Hornets star Kemba Walker really struggled from the floor against Indiana and ended the night one for nine from the field with six points. Walker, who airballed a three pointer in his first shot attempt, could have been playing hurt, but as of now no reports have came out on the matter.
Help on the Horizon
With the Pacers one and a half games behind the Miami Heat for the last playoff spot, news has broke that Indiana star Paul George will play his first game of the 2014-2015 season Sunday against the Heat in an influncential match that will affect the "race for eighth." George has not played in a basketball game since breaking his leg in a Team USA scrimmage in August.
Players of the Game:
Charlotte: Bismack Biyombo
---10 points and nine rebounds.
Indiana: Rodney Stuckey
---15 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist.
Coming Up:
Charlotte: Hosts the 18-58 Philadelphia 76ers at Time Warner Cable Arena on Saturday Night.
Indiana: Hosts the 34-41 Miami Heat at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Sunday Night.
No comments:
Post a Comment