11/12/04 Game Preview:Indiana Pacers vs Philadelphia 76ers.

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<font color="red"><div align="center">Time:7:00PM est
Place:Wachovia Center
TV:CSN, NBALP</div></font>

<u>Probable Starters </u>
Guards:

vs Jamaal Tinsley-Allen Iverson

vs Stephen Jackson-Willie Green
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Fowards:

vs Ron Artest-Andre Iguodala

vs Jonathan Bender-Kenny Thomas
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Center:

vs Scot Pollard-Marc Jackson

*<font size="1">I wasnt quite sure who the starters in the Pacers frontcourt/center were.</font>

<font color="DarkRed">Philadelphia 76ers</font>
<u>Keys to the Game</u>

After coming off a big overtime win against the Nets on Wednsday, the Sixers should have plenty of confidence when they go head to head against the Pacers.Both of these teams have suffered significant injuries all ready this season.The Sixers need to stay agressive and not settle for jumpshots all day, players like Iguodala, Willi G, and Allen Iverson will have to pentrate because the Pacers are thin in the paint.The Pacers arent deadly shooters on the perimeter but the Sixers need to make sure they stay at home when playing man defense.The Sixers also need to take care of the ball, as a team they just are comitting way to many turnovers and all teams will take advantage of this.

<font color="Yellow">Indiana Pacers</font>
<u>Keys to the Game</u>

The Pacers are one of the few teams left in the NBA who have a perfect record.Even though they have had some probelsm with injuries and even off the court issues, they are still a very good team, as they proved with the best record in the leauge last year.If the Pacers want to compete they will have to get their role players to step up their game, with the absence of Jermaine ONeal.Ron Artest has asked for a break so he may be out of sinc, the Pacers are going to need Stephen Jackson and Ron to lead this team if they want to suceed.

Key Players


The team sucess depends on AI every night.If the Pacers are desprate and AI is hot, you may see Ron Artest put on him to try and slow him down, and wel all know he is very capable of doing so.

My Predictions

The Sixers got off to a very slow start, they are curently on a home stretch so they may help them when they are playing.If the Sixers play like they should, I expect them to win 93-89.

 

For some reason i think it will be a blow out somethin like 102-70 76ers. Idk why just a feeling

 

jo isn't playing? and i thut ron artest isnt playing either but i dunno im prob wrong

 

Artest isnt even playing that game....O'Neal is though I thought...He played the other day. Artest...stop Iverson? I dont think so. To name a few...Artest cant stop Iverson, Pierce, Kobe, Tmac, Lebron, Baron...just to name a few. He might be a good defender but Big Ben is my fav defender because he can block ANYBODY...Including the fat fella Shaq.

Back on topic...I say Sixers win this 104-94

 

If the 76ers don`t turnover the ball alot, I can see a W.

 

Artest is playing, they stated so on TNT last night. JO sprained his ankle in their loss to the Clippers.

 

Artest is playing
O'Neil is out
Foster is out
Miller is out
Johnson is out
Bender most likely will get injured during the game (no surpise there)

Line-up for the Pacers will most likely be (first person named will be probably be the starter):

PG - Jamaal Tinsley/Eddie Gill/(maybe) Fred Jones
SG - Steven Jackson/Fred Jones
SF - Ron Artest/Steven Jackson/(maybe) Fred Jones/(unlikely) Jonathan Bender*
PF - Jonathan Bender/(likely) Ron Artest
C - Scott Pollard/David Harrison/(likely) Jonathan Bender*

*Bender usually plays the 3 and 4 spot, but he is 7'1" and since so many players are injured, don't be suprised if he plays the 5 and 4 spot and not the 3 position

Pacer key points:

Ron Artest will most likely guard AI throughout the game, especially if AI lights a match on himself and starts lighting up the scoreboard.

The Pacers will probably run the offense through Tinsley more than usual since our big men are injured, and Tinsley has shown a lot of competance this season (first game: 14 assists).

Bender and Jones needs to contribute. Bender is capable of putting up 15 points in 10 minutes doing anything from shooting the trey or dunking it over anyone's head. Jones can drive and has been working on his shot. In order to win, I expect Bender to need to put up about 15-20 points and Jones to put up 10-15 points.

The Pacers need to stay healthy throughout the game. Bender has been injury proned his entire NBA career and I expect no different from him this game. I am not really worried about that. What I am worried about is the rest of the Pacer players. If anyone of those players become injured (especially another starter), the Pacers will be needing to walk a very HUGE and very STEEP hill.

'Sixers Key Points:

AI will need to put up at least decent numbers in the game. If his shooting is off, the 'Sixers will be in trouble. Also, he will most likely need to get around Artest.

The rest of the 'Sixers will need to contribute at least some. With the prospect of AI facing off against Artest, the bench and "other" starters for the 'Sixers must perform.

With the Pacers heavily depleted, the best method for the 'Sixers to win would be to attack and drive against the Pacers. Getting the Pacers into foul trouble will make a win for the 'Sixers almost too easy. The reason being is the Pacers do not have the bodies they normally do to back up their starters. Example: If Steven Jackson is out do to foul trouble, Artest needing a breather, the line-up would most likely be: Tinsley, Gill/F. Jones, F. Jones/Bender, Bender/Harrison, Harrison/Bender/Pollard. <== This is a very horrible line-up for the Pacers and one that should be taken advantage of.

 

Yeah need this big win this could determine there season and how they start off. if philly wants to be name one of the surprising teams in the nba then they need this badly. I say philly by 5

 

Artest has the capabilities to do a better job on AI, then you think, and whoever said he couldn't guard people like Pierce, Kobe and Baron is smoking crack. Ron's big advantages as a defender are his length and lateral quickness, he has the ability to stick with a defender in situations where most swingmen would get lost. AI won't be able to blow by him like he can do to most guys, and I can see Ron forcing him into more than one bad shot on the night.

 

This is just out of the blue, but I have feeling that Artest may do something that he will regret tonight. With all the drama he's been in the past few days, for some reason I think he will take it out on one of our guys and will be the highlight of SportsCenter. For our guys sake and his sake as well, I hope nothing happens tonight and the game stays clean.

As for the game itself, if the 76ers can knock down the perimeter shot and not get out-rebounded I think they have a good shot coming out victorious. And keep in mind, that Artest mind will not be completely into the game, well at least I don?t think it will be, but that along with JO injury, the 76ers must exploit this and take advantage. But as of right now, I'm leaning on Indiana to leave the Wachovia Center with the W.

 

actually i still think the pacers have a bigger chance for winning this game, i mean they still have tinsley,avergagin 10 assists this season,jackson, a great socerer,ron artest, who mite not be completely focused in the game, but can still make enuf impact.if the sixers take care of the ball and shoot 45 percent from the field i see a win for them.

 

Despite a bad shooting night, Allen Iverson delivered The Answer with his first NBA career game winning buzzer beater in OT.Man even though this was another bad game for the Sixers, the supporting cast stepped up while AI didnt do to good.

<u>Picture Perfect</u>:

 

Iverson didnt do so well this game. Maybe he will score big like Kobe who was coming off a 4-19 shooting night. Nice game winner though I guess and he did do well on the assists. IMO...this has been his only bad night so far. All the other nights hes done well on assists and scoring and FG% and so on. Great win by the Sixers tho.

 

LOL at Korvers attempt at a lob but he got the 3 pointer off the backboard. Nice win by the 76ers.

 

wow korver had a great game...7-10 from 3s...IMO, hes the best pure shooter in the league, but of course im biased...im glad the sixers won...

 

WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO KYLE KORVER AND ALLEN IVERSON ANOTHER GREAT COMEBACK.......man korver is definitely going to be a MAJOR MAJOR part of this sixers future

 

Man what a shot by AI, wow! I cant say nothing else on that one.

 

Korver was easily the MVP of that game.. that last shot he made to send it into overtime.. wow. That had to be from 30 feet out. AI didnt have a good game but he always hits the big shots no matter if he is having an off day or not. Very good game for the Sixers

 

What a game! Kover 4 MVP thats all I got to say lol. The Pacers dominated the whole game until the 4th, great game by both teams.

 

anybody have a clip of ivo's shot?

edit, just saw it on tv. korver ended up getting wide open aswel.