I've written a few times about how Jack Cobra got me started on this network and now that he has moved on to the great land of crooked senators and the Cubs, we don't get to hear his take on things much.  So, this morning as I was doing some homework, I saw his name pop up in my email and he had an interesting point of view on my beloved Pacers.  Here is what he has to say:

Jack Cobra says - I read the NBA box scores every day and it just dawned on me this morning that the Pacers are the Golden State Warriors of the Eastern Conference.  I know you are holding out hope that the Pacers make the playoffs, as are the Warriors, and hoping that Danny Granger makes the All-Star Game (as is Jamal Crawford) so here are some similarities that I found really quick this morning.

• The Pacers have 13 wins in the East and the Warriors have 11 wins in the West.  The West is the tougher conference, so I'm calling this even.
• The Warriors are 2nd in the NBA in scoring at 105.8 ppg and the Pacers are 3rd at 104.6 ppg.  As evidenced, they both play the up-tempo game.
• The Warriors give up the most pts per game in the league at 111.7 and the Pacers are the second worst in giving up 107.1.  I also say the Western Conference is four points better than the East so that makes up the difference.  It's fun to make things up.  As evidenced, both are allergic to defense.
• Neither can close out a game.
• Both teams can beat anyone on a given night.
• If either team made the playoffs, they would be 'the team no one wanted to play' because of the unpredicatability.

So, this is how I'm going to keep the Pacers in perspective the rest of the season, especially when Granger puts up 42 in a game.  Some games they look like world beaters and some games they look lost, just like the Warriors.  Either way, the fans in Conseco Fieldhouse should be getting their money's worth.

In another email later he stated:

When I check the box scores in the morning there were two that I looked forward to...the Warriors and the Knicks.  Now I'm adding the Pacers to that group which is how I made the
connection to Golden State. Sometimes I'm just amazed at the numbers they are putting up offensively and, sadly, defensively. I imagine it's fun and frustrating to watch at times in comparison to the Bulls, who are just frustrating.

Speaking of the Bulls, Cobra says - I think the Bulls are the Kings (of the Sacramento persuasion).

My response - I had never really looked at the Pacers from this point of view before.  I'm not sure many fans of their own team do look at them from an outside POV.  It opened my eyes a bit and I think it actually put me at ease a little, because I know a bit more of what to expect instead of just sitting and hoping for things to go the way I want.  If that were the case, Indiana would be undefeated and would end up winning the championship and still end up with the number one pick in the draft!

Thanks to Jack Cobra for the insight...and for indirectly saving me from hypertension this NBA season!