The Sixers head into a Saturday night showdown with Indiana really having played good ball this week, defeating Brooklyn and falling just short against Miami. Like a fighter who goes toe-to-toe with the heavyweight champ for 12 rounds before losing by decision, Philadelphia will need to put that game out of their minds while putting forth the same drive and determination. A larger-than-normal crowd should be on hand with Julius Erving in the house for the Dr. J bobblehead giveaway. It would be terrific to see the Wells Fargo Center rocking again as it was Wednesday night; it will be up to the Sixers to bring that same intensity against the #2 team in the East.
Despite a tough loss against the Lakers last night, Indiana has played well of late, going 9-4 in its last 13 games, with the only other losses coming against the playoff-bound Clippers, Celtics, and Heat. Defense is the calling card for the current edition of the Pacers, who rank first in the league by far in defensive rating at just 95.5 points allowed per 100 possessions. Indiana’s strength is its frontcourt, where they start 6’8″ Paul George, 6’9″ David West, and 7’2″ Roy Hibbert. That unit propels the Pacers 45.8 rebounds per game, good for first in the NBA.
Though emerging star Paul George gets the majority of the accolades from the media, veteran David West is probably the most essential member of this year’s Pacers team, leading the team in win shares as well as PER. West provides a consistent source of scoring (17.3 ppg) and rebounding (7.8 rpg), and the Pacers funnel much of their offense through him in the high post. West leads Pacers regulars in usage rate, rare for a power forward. Even so, Paul George deserves all the acclaim being through his way as his emergence has been one of the brighter storylines of this NBA season. George has needed to take over a much larger offensive role with Danny Granger out and has maintained a 53.3 true shooting percentage, right at league average, while putting up solid numbers from downtown (38.8 3PT%) and the free throw line (81.8%). George rebounds exceptionally well for a SF, as his 19.4 defensive rebounding rate far exceeds the SF average of 14.5. Plus, he has a growing reputation around the league as a defensive stopper, routinely guarding the opposing team’s best wing player, while recording 1.8 steals and 0.7 blocks per game.
Indiana defeated the Sixers rather easily in both earlier meetings this season. Philadelphia was missing Jrue Holiday for the game back in December but had no such excuse for the 88-69 shellacking in early February. Roy Hibbert has experienced a disappointing 2012-13 season after signing his 4-year, $58 million deal in the offseason. More than likely, Hibbert was too busy thinking up more ideas for his fantastic cameos on Parks and Recreation to work on his post game. However, he’s absolutely destroyed the Sixers this season, putting up lines of 19 points and 13 rebounds, and 18 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 blocks in the teams’ two meetings. Spencer Hawes must do a much better job defending Hibbert if the Sixers are going to have a chance in this contest. Keys to the Game:
- Score in transition. The Pacers played the Lakers Friday night while the Sixers will be well-rested, not having played since the Miami game Wednesday. Additionally, the Pacers’ defense is absolutely smothering in the half court while Philadelphia’s half-court offense has been shown at coaching clinics in the ‘What Not To Do’ portion. The Sixers’ best chance to score is in the open floor.
- Another big night from Jrue Holiday. George Hill isn’t necessarily a bad defender but with Paul George locking up the wing and Hibbert guarding the paint, he’s the man to attack on the Pacers’ starting unit. If Holiday doesn’t approach the level of production from the Heat contest, the Sixers won’t have a chance in this one.
Prediction: Though the Pacers will be on the back-end of consecutive games, every game counts for them to hold on to the second seed in the Eastern Conference and they’re unlikely to take the night off. With George, West, and Hibbert, the Pacers have a large, skilled frontcourt, exactly the type of roster that gives Philadelphia trouble. Some tired legs on the part of the Pacers keep the Sixers in it, but ultimately they fall in defeat.
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