George Hill was limping, Roy Hibbert was resting his elbows on his knees, and the fans were roaring like that hadn’t since the playoffs last season. All for good reason.
The Pacers are in the ring against their season, fighting to stay alive.
This team has gone through so much, going back to the preseason when they weren’t expecting Paul George back from his gruesome leg injury. Then, George Hill, David West, and C.J. Watson all went down with injuries in camp. The Pacers are still on their roller-coaster ride and aren’t ready to arrive back only for someone else to carry on and enjoy the fun.
Tuesday night’s atmosphere was undoubtedly the best of the season. It was absolutely the best NBA environment rookie Damjan Rudež has been a part of, and one of the best for 10-year vet C.J. lesles.
It was an offensively-challenge affair that took an extra 10 minutes for a decision. The Pacers (38-43) never trailed in the second overtime and finally surged ahead after an exhausted George Hill banged home a 3-pointer from 27-feet out. By that time, he had already played more minutes than in any other game this season, and was just 1-of-9 from range before that shot.
Four quarters, two overtimes, and neither the Pacers nor the Washington Wizards (46-36) reached triple-digits. 99-95 the final, keeping the Pacers in the driver’s seat for postseason qualification. (A loss, and they would’ve had to rely on the Brooklyn Nets losing Wednesday.)
“I couldn’t be more proud of our group,” said a relieved Pacers coach Frank Vogel postgame after they improved to 2-0 at home in overtime. “All that heart, and determination, and will, and determination. We got down so many times and had so many opportunities to give in and they just persevered through it all.”
The Pacers won their final five home games to finish the regular-season with a 23-18 record inside Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
The numbers, though, in this one were ugly. The Pacers’ 33 first-half points matched their season-low, and they shot just 29 percent from the floor. Perhaps as a result of being too amp’d up, there were airballs (from both sides) and frustrating droughts that they persevered through.
As the game progressed and with how much the Wizards made them work at both ends, guys were tiring. Vogel kept with the same group — starters, with Rodney Stuckey in for Solomon Hill — and even gave Paul George extra time. But they were wiped, that was clear to anyone watching the game.
“There was no other option but to push through, and find a way, and keep believing in himself the way he did,” said Hill, who was terrific despite his back tightening up. He was one rebound short of his second triple-double of the season (24 points, 10 assists, 9 rebounds) in 48 minutes.
The Wizards’ defense, which ranks third in the NBA, gave the Pacers fits all game. They made it difficult to initiate offense. When the Pacers needed something, though, they went to guys that had been there.
It was Stuckey at the end of regulation, Paul George in the first extra session, and Miles in the second overtime. In between, we saw incredible hustle from Roy Hibbert to cause few turnovers and tip in a missed free throw, despite having a tough night (and season against the Wizards), West finish a key layup and connect with Hill for another, and continue to be the force that he is.
“How bad you want to win the game” Miles, who led the Pacers with 25 points, said of the team turning it around after offensive woes. “Make the play, step up, and do what you got to do. It’s confidence, belief in what we do everyday and belief in each other.
“These are the games you live for.
The Pacers have been conservative with George’s minutes, about 15 per game. Late in the fourth quarter, he told coach Vogel and the trainers that he felt fine and would be ready if called upon. He was in at closing time of the final three quarters, and hit a big 20-foot pull-up that knotted things at 85 in the first OT.
By this time, guys were even more fatigued. The Wizards, who already have clinched a playoff spot but haven’t been locked into a seed, chose to play their guys the entire way, including four players at least 42 minutes.
“They were really tired,” reserve big man Ian Mahinmi said of his teammates. “Really tired. At one point, Roy [Hibbert] and George [Hill] were close to exhaustion. It’s playoff basketball. You play to win and you put everything on the line.”
It’s at these times, these big moments when a team’s character is revealed — if not already.
“We have great character,” Vogel said. “We’ve known that about this group for a few years now. I just love being part of this group.”
Strong character is critical in the moment, but also moving on. Looking beyond the fact that the Pacers are coming off a double-overtime win and had to travel while the Grizzlies were off on Tuesday, this is where the players’ drive and heart will stand out.
Oh, and VigilantSports.com can report that they’ll suit up in the Flo-Jos, the fan favorite uniform in which they are 7-0 this season when wearing.
“We control our destiny at this point so everybody has to bring everything and we got to play survival mode,” said Paul George. “We got to get this win.”
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Tuesday’s game, which was nationally televised on TNT, started after 8:15 p.m. and didn’t conclude until 11:15 p.m. ET. Being the final home game, the players stayed on the floor to interact with fans and give signed items away before showering and spending a few minutes with the media. The team was to be on the plane by 12:15 a.m. and they arrived in Memphis, where they gain an hour, around 2:15 a.m. ET, about 19 hours before tip-off.
With ESPN adding the game to its schedule, tip-off isn’t until 9:30 p.m. ET. For once, they’ll appreciate the later tip time, as well as the extended timeouts that come with having a nationally televised game.
After a late arrival, coach Vogel plans to let everyone sleep in another hour or two, moving their usual 12:30 p.m. meeting back to around 2:00 p.m. They’ll have a film session and then head over to the arena early evening.
“You win, you’re in. You lose, and you’re probably out. Just got to regroup,” Vogel said of the quick turnaround.
With Brooklyn hosting Orlando at 8:00 p.m., the Pacers will know the result of that game by halftime of theirs — and if it truly is a must-win game.
Memphis is in the playoffs, but they could finish either 5th or 6th in the conference. It’s unclear if they’ll play their starters, and if so, how much. According to their game notes, Tony Allen is out and Mike Conley, Marc Gasol, and Jeff Green are all listed as questionable.
One of the Pacers’ bigger concerns will be at point guard, where none of the three guys are healthy. Hill just played over 48 minutes and his back flared up, backup C.J. Watson (sore right elbow) hasn’t done much in over two weeks, and Donald Sloan has been hampered by a toe injury for more than a month.
Sloan says it’ll be difficult for each individual to judge where they’re at until morning.
“Not until you get in bed, wake up, and have to do it all tomorrow,” he told me. “I think that’s when we’ll see where guys’ energy level is. I’m sure a lot of guys will be a little banged up tomorrow, feeling stuff in the morning that they don’t feel right now.”
Every guy was asked to consider how they would muster up the energy.
Paul George: “I felt the way I feel after any other game and I felt fine that next game. I’m riding on that.”
David West: “Get some rest tonight, sleep all day tomorrow and be ready to play.”
Ian Mahinmi: “It’s the biggest game of the year. Tomorrow could be the last game of the season. If anybody’s banged up or a little tired, it’s not going to matter too much.”
C.J. Miles: “I’ll be all right. I’ll figure it out.”
Again, it’s win and they’re in. But that’s easier said than done, of course.