<div align="center"> @ <font color="DarkGreen">Minnesota Timberwolves</font>(6-4) @ <font color="Navy">Indiana Pacers</font>(8-3) Time: Nov. 25,2004; 8:00pm Arena: <font color="Navy">Conseco Fieldhouse</font> TV: TNT</div> Preview: By now everyone in the world knows about the Pacers roster situation. After what the media has called "Fight Night", the Pacers are a short handed team for the forseeable future. David Stern has left the Pacers with all-star power forward Jermaine Oneal (suspend 25 games by the league), scoring guard Stephen Jackson (suspend 20 games) and all-star small forward Ron Artest (suspend for the rest of the season). The suspensions were a major hit to a team that was already suffering from injuries, most notably future Hall-fame, shooting guard Reggie Miller. But the Pacers have taken "us against the world" approach. And have vowed to still bring a championship effort every single night. And they seem to be living up to that promise. Two games since the word they would be without their core unit the Pacers have posted a 1-1 record. They suffered a 86-83 loss to the up start Magic, but played well. And Tuesday night, they bounce back against the Boston Celtics to get a 106-96 victory, led by the play of Jamaal Tinsley's 29pts & 6ast. They look to conitue to prove the worth of their depth as they fight it out with the Wolves. The Wolves enter the game with a fare share of problems of their own. Tuesday, the Wolves dropped to 6-4 with a 103-92 home loss to the Supersonics. The Wolves slow start to the season has many wonder are they really focused the way a championship contending team be. Or have money & contract issues with star players taken away from the seasons main goal, winning a championship. The Wolves look to prove that they are well on their way to righting the ship as they head east to take on the short handed Pacers. This is the 2nd matchup between the Wolves and Pacers. The Pacers won the 1st game 102-101 at the Target Center. <u>Projected Starting 5 </u> <font color="DarkGreen">Twolves </font> : PG: Sam Cassell SG: Latrell Sprewell SF: Wally Szczerbiak PF: Kevin Garnett C: Michael Olowokandi <font color="Navy">Pacers</font> : PG: Jamaal Tinsley SG: Fred Jones SF: James Jones PF: Austin Croshere C: David Harrison --------------------- <div align="center"><u>Key Matchups</u> <font color="DarkGreen">Sam Cassell (Wolves)</font> / <font color="Navy">Jamaal Tinsley (Pacers)</font></div> Pressure Points Point Guard play will be extremely crucial in this matchup. With the Pacers being extremely short handed Jamal Tinsley has been forced to take on more responsiblity on offense. He now not only has to be a distributor of the basketball, he has to take on a scoring role as well. Tinsley will look to put pressure on Cassell's weak defense, by beating him off the bounce going toward the hoop. Cassell has to be up to the task. And at least give the effort to try & keep Tinsley out on the perimeter. With Cassell knowing Tinsley's intentions, it would be smart for him to give Jamaal the outside shot early. Tinsley jumper lacks consistency. And if Cassell can get Tinsley into the habit of settling for the outside shot, it will take away alot of Tinsley's options. But the best way for Casssell to truely put pressure on Tinsley is with his on offensive game. Cassell is off to a slow start to the season, but Cassell can still score with just about any guard in the league. Cassell putting pressure on Tinsley with his crafty veteran moves, will take away from some of the energy Tinsley may have on the offensive end. Cassell is also know for his ablity to draw fouls on opponents. If Cassell can get Tinsley to pick up early or cheap fouls, it will be a major plus for the Wolves. But even more importantly it may be an early knockout blow for the short-handed Pacers. <div align="center"> <font color="DarkGreen">Kevin Garnett (Wolves)</font> / <font color="Navy">Austin Croshere (Pacers)</font></div> To much Power for the Wolves at the 4 position When you look at the matchup at the Power Forward postion, many see a huge advantage for the Wolves. And why would it be seen that way? Kevin Garnett is in the mist of a season even more spectacular then his 03-04 MVP year. And he is matchup against Austin Croshere who hasnt had many notable games since the 2000 NBA finals. Then factor on Croshere has never been a factor on Defense. Croshere has clearly made his living in this league based on putting the ball in the basket. And for that reason, it makes this matchup a little more interesting then it may look at 1st glance. Austin Croshere maybe able to impact this game by what he is able to do on the offensive end. Croshere is a verstile score who can score around the hoop but may be best at drawing big man out to the perimeter. And knocking down the long range shot. The Pacers need Croshere to occupy Kevin Garnett with his offense. If Croshere can draw KG out of the piant with his shooting then he will take away the Wolves 2nd line of defense around the baket. And open up even more driving lanes for Tinsley & the other penetrators. Garnett is the Wolves only weakside shot blocker and help defender, if you draw him away from the hoop, the Wolves are only left with Kandiman, Ervin Johnson etc to protect the hoop. And the Wolves become extremely soft around the basket. So Croshere must be effective with his own offesive game. ---------------- <div align="center"><u><font color="Navy">Keys To the Game For the Pacers</font></u></div> <font color="Navy">The little things that count</font>. The Pacers cant win approach the matchup with the Wolves expecting to put up 100pts like they did in their last contest against the bottomfeeding Celtics. The Pacers must when this game by beating the Wolves in all the little area, Hustle stats so to speak. Guys like Scott Pollard and David Harrsion must present a pyshical pressence on the backboards. The Pacers must get to all the lose balls first. And they must expend alot of energy on defense. The Pacers will have to win this game by containing the Wolves not outscoring them. <font color="Navy">The Wing Players for the Pacers</font>. The Pacers must get strong performances from their starting perimeter wing players, James Jones & Fred Jones. With the Pacers missing show much scoring, it is almost a must that the Jones boys giving them 15-20pts each. And shot the ball well from the Perimeter. <font color="Navy">Getting to the free throw line.</font> Another area where the Pacers need to look to make up any edge the Wolves may have is at the free throw line. The Wolves are a great free throw shooting team, but being a jumpshooting team they hardly take trips to the free throw line. If the Pacers can continuosly get to the line. And of course make them, then they may see a huge edge at the line in their favor. <div align="center"><u><font color="DarkGreen">Keys To the Game For The Wolves </font> </u></div> <font color="DarkGreen">Must Cut off penetration</font>. With most of the Pacers jumpshooters in street clothes, there is no suprise on the way they need to produce points. They need easy points by attacking the hoop using guys like Tinsley & Fred Jones, that means the Wolves main concern has to be cutting off penetration. The Wolves weakside defense has to be strong with guys like Kandiman, KG etc clogging the lane to take away the dribble drive. And it means Cassell, Hudson most focus on keeping their man infront of them as much as possible. <font color="DarkGreen">Effective Pick & Roll play</font>. The Wolves success on their offensive end is no secret either, they must get strong pick & roll play from Cassell and Kevin Garnett. Everybody else feeds off what those two create for them off the pick & roll. Hoiberg, Wally S. need those guys to attract the attention of the defense so they can have good looks at the basket. <font color="DarkGreen">Strong 3rd Quarter play</font>. In the slow start for the Wolves the most notable common occurance has been their play in the 3rd quarter. The Wolves have came out with the focus need to win games in the 2nd half. They commit alot of turnovers and bad shots in the 3rd quarter. And teams use this time to stretch a close game into a 7 or 8, sometimes even double figure point lead. And the Wolves have been as effective in the 4th quarter as they were last season, so when teams stretch the game open in the 3rd quarter .The Wolves have not been able to make up the margin often times. So the Wolves coming out focused in the third quarter will be key, probably the biggest key. Happy Thanksgiving, Enjoy the Game.
bravo. i definetely agree with you on the wolves' points to win this game.. they need a strong 3rd quater performance and T-HUD+ eddie G need to take better shot selection. looking forward to this game.. can't wait.
the twolves are my team but if they lose this game changes need to be made, because i dont like how they have played at all this year my prediction Wolves-105 Pacers-79 Kevin Garnett-27Points, 16Boards, 6Assists, 3Blks
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Skriptz:</div><div class="quote_post">the twolves are my team but if they lose this game changes need to be made, because i dont like how they have played at all this year my prediction Wolves-105 Pacers-79 Kevin Garnett-27Points, 16Boards, 6Assists, 3Blks</div> nah wolves wont score that much more.. i predict if pacers score 79, wolves will score 87
I'M looking forward to garnett finally nailing his first tripel of the season he was so close to that so many times! but most important is a team play-all 3 headed monster need to come out in double figers and give out about 35-45 points for the team to be more effective in each game they play! also a point...wally shouldnt start! flip need to cut him off the starting 5 in games against teams with a strong perimeter shooter and there are a lot of those players spread around, so this change could be for good... (indiana doesn't really fit in with these statment in the moment- i do know that) C'MON wolves pick it up!!!
Pacers up 67-77 at the end of the third quarter. <font color="Navy">Go</font><font color="Yellow">Pacers</font><font color="Navy">!</font><font color="Yellow">!</font><font color="Navy">!</font>
looks like the Timberwolves dissappoint once again there my team but i want them to keep losing until they realize the potential they have i want them to lose by 30 to the bobcats at the Target Center maybe that will wake them the ***** up Wolves Pistons n Grizz r jus piiiiiiiiiiiiiisssssssen me off
^Yeah I predicted the Wolves to win the championship but it definately favors San Antinio right now. Gotta give Indiana props for holding down the fort though. But damn the Wolves were fully loaded and I know about Mckenzie as my nephew likes to call him. But still they were fully loaded and lost to an 8 man rotation. It was on the road but Harrison and the rest of the Pacers just outplayed them. And like Marv Albert was saying, Flip was in pain. Had to laugh when he said that cause I was thinking the exact same thing as well as alot of other people I would think.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting cula:</div><div class="quote_post">it's a just a bad couple of days to be a wolf.</div> hope it wouldnt get further than that... flip! get hassel back in the starting 5 and if will get under 500% something has to be done some major changes has to be made...(for you mister jenral manger jim stack/kevin m.)
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting the main event:</div><div class="quote_post">hope it wouldnt get further than that... flip! get hassel back in the starting 5 and if will get under 500% something has to be done some major changes has to be made...(for you mister jenral manger jim stack/kevin m.) </div> If you haven't noticed, Hassel was in the starting 5 and played 22 minutes. We have some real problems right now with team chemistry.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Coranor:</div><div class="quote_post">If you haven't noticed, Hassel was in the starting 5 and played 22 minutes. We have some real problems right now with team chemistry.</div> i don't dissagree with that ...the wolves got to keep it up i think both flip genral manjers and kg has to work on that for the team to be as good as they can and as soon as possible...
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Coranor:</div><div class="quote_post">If you haven't noticed, Hassel was in the starting 5 and played 22 minutes. We have some real problems right now with team chemistry.</div> Yeah, Hassell was in the starting lineup but that was still a poor mix. They had 4 guard out their with KG in the starting lineup, which meant no rebounding or resistence at the basket. Against the Grizzlies Coach flip made a smart move insterting Mad Dog into the starting 5, for defense and rebounding but the Wolves team defense wont get consistently better until Flip makes the Hassell for Wally S, exchange. Until Kandiman returns & Coach Flip Suanders feels fit to put him back into the starting lineup. He needs to use this starting 5. Sam Cassell Latrell Sprewell Trenton Hassell Kevin Garnett Mark Madsen With Hudson Hoiberg Szczerbiak Griffen....as the core of the bench(Ervin Johnson plays when bigbodies get into foul trouble) That starting 5 & lineup change gives much more balance of offense & Defense then.... *Cassell *Spree *Wally KG Mad dog *All these guys are looking to score instead of play defense on a consistent basis, so the Wolves team defensive breakdown is starting at this point most night. These guys are giving up way to much penetration. I think Hassell being on the floor defensively makes up for some of that.
