Category Archives: NBA

Ep. 90: Behind the scenes of Gordon Hayward’s last year – with skills trainer Jason Smeathers

Jason Smeathers, Gordon Hayward, Boston Celtics

Gordon Hayward’s last year has not been easy. Next Tuesday, Oct. 17, is the one-year anniversary of his unlucky fall in Cleveland that resulted in a broken left tibia and dislocated ankle.

Jason Smeathers is Hayward’s friend and skills trainer, and has been with him for most of the last year. In Boston. In Miami. In Indianapolis. In San Diego.

Smeathers picked Hayward up for …

Ep. 89: Cody Parrent on Year 1 of Pacers Gaming

Pacers Game, NBA 2K League

Now that the first season of the NBA 2K League is complete, it’s a good time to take a look back at the year for Pacers Gaming. They went 5-9 and finish 13th in a 17-team league that will expand to 21 teams for Year 2.

I recently visited the headquarters of Pacers Gaming, the fourth franchise for Pacers Sports & Entertainment. Like the Pacers, …

Ep. 88: New Job Alert

Scott Agness, The Athletic

It’s time for another Pacers Podcast!

On this podcast, I’ll discuss my new job. Yeah … you read that correctly. You may know about it by now — and surely you have since I no longer write about the Pacers here on VigilantSports.com — but last month I officially joined The Athletic as their Pacers writer. The Athletic is the home of outstanding journalism where …

With LeBron Gone, Will the Pacers Rule the Central Division?

Victor Oladipo, Cleveland Cavaliers, Pacers, 2018 NBA Playoffs

In the 2013-14 season, the Cleveland Cavaliers continued a tradition spanning four years of missing the playoffs and not finishing in the top two of the Central Division. Over these four seasons, the Indiana Pacers qualified for the playoffs four times, winning the division twice and coming second to the Chicago Bulls twice.

But then, in July 2014, LeBron James returned to Cleveland to take …

Pacers 2018-19 schedule released, includes 12 national TV appearances

Pacers basketball is just two months away. They’ll open the regular season Oct. 17 at home against the Memphis Grizzlies. Two of their first three games are at Bankers Life Fieldhouse, and then they are on the road for five of their next six games.

Second-year President Kevin Pritchard will have nearly everyone back up top from last year’s team that went 48-34, including the …

2018-19 Pacers preseason schedule — all on the road

Myles Turner, LeBron James, Pacers

The NBA season will be here before you know it. For many, it feels as if the “offseason” only just got started. Now is the time when team executives take much-needed time away.

About six weeks before the Pacers gather again for training camp, dates for their exhibition games have trickled out.

Thursday, Oct. 4 — at Houston, 8:00 pm ET Saturday, Oct. 6 —…

Decision-making period over for Pacers – 14 players have guaranteed contracts for 2018-19 season

Pacers, 2018 NBA Summer League, Steve Gansey

The first two weeks in July are a crazy-busy time for league executives across the NBA and that continued to be the case this year. Fortunately, LeBron James announced his intention to join the Lakers just 20 hours in so everything else could carry on.

That begins with the NBA Draft and then it’s decision time on options for players and teams right before the …

Pacers wishing for a Christmas Day game soon

Darren Collison, Pacers

The Indiana Pacers won’t play on Christmas Day in 2018. They were not one of the 10 teams scheduled on what has become a showcase day full of hoops for The Association. That’s good news or bad news – depending on your perspective (and role).

“I rather play. It’s a special day,” All-Star Victor Oladipo said at Christmas time last year. “That’s big. It’s kind …