by The GM on November 9 at 10:15AM
On Friday night, the Pacers were back at home to host the Washington Wizards. Going into the game there was the possibility of Tyler Hansbrough making his debut, while Troy Murphy would sit out again with his injured back. Murphy sat out and Hansbrough had a very good first showing.
The Pacers trailed for the first 3 minutes of the game, but then led for the last 45 minutes. Washington made two small runs, but nothing that was sustained.
Positives:
- Roy Hibbert has his third straight double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. He also had 5 blocks for the game.
- Hansbrough had a solid debut with 13 points and 5 rebounds. The biggest impression on me was the fact that he got to the line 10 times in 14 minutes. He was very good at getting to the line in college, so I hope this is a sign that he will continue to do that.
- TJ Ford had a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds.
- Dahntay Jones continues to impress me with his all around game. 18 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block on the night. He is taking smart shots within the offense and being aggressive when he has a mismatch.
- The Pacers attempted 10 more free throws than Washington and made 12 more.
- 12 steals, 10 blocks, and only 11 turnovers for the team on the night.
Negatives:
- Brandon Rush hurt his ankle and was labeled as a sprain, but still waiting on how bad it is. Rush only played 15 minutes before the injury.
- TJ Ford is only averaging 2.2 assists per game so far. The Pacers will need more than that from him to continue to be successful this season.
- Brendan Haywood grabbed 19 rebounds on the night, including 8 on the offensive glass. That can't happen in too many games or you will be looking at a loss.
- Pacers continue to shoot poorly from three point distance. Only 7-for-23 in this one.
POG: Going to have to go with Hibbert again. He is on a nice streak right now. Hope to see him keep it going.
Record: 2-3
Next Game: Wednesday vs Golden State (1-4) - should be a shootout in this one. Look for Hansbrough to get more playing time.
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