Four keys for Pacers to end losing streak

For the the second time this season, the Pacers’ losing streak has hit five. After beating lifeless Philadelphia on opening night, they dropped five straight as nearly one-third of their roster was sidelined with injuries.

A few games later, they brought A.J. Price in and the chemistry was great. They went on to win four of five games, including impressive road wins in Miami and Chicago. They went 1-1 during their Texas Two-Step, with stops in Dallas (win) and San Antonio (loss). But after a home win over Orlando, it’s been five straight Ls.

They want the tide to change soon, but it’ll be very difficult until next week. Tonight, it’s the Los Angeles Clippers. Friday, they’re at East-leading Toronto, and then the Pacers return home to play the Portland Trail Blazers. And although the Portland game is at home on the back end of a back-to-back, the Blazers will be wrapping up a five-game trip out east, so that may be their best shot. (Otherwise, they’ll surely be favored Monday night with the 6-16 Lakers make their annual visit.)

“We don’t have to win the next five in a row,” said Pacers (7-14) head coach Frank Vogel. “We have to win the next game. One game at a time.”

The team had an extended film session on Tuesday, diagnosing and hopefully repairing recent problems. Vogel wants to see improved player and ball movement, fewer turnovers, more trips to the foul line, and more togetherness on defense.

“You go in and see exactly what’s happening, why we’re not winning games, and things that are contributing to us losing,” Vogel said of their film session, a time he enjoys. “You work on it in practice and try to get better.”

Doc Rivers’ Clippers team is off to a strong start, with no horrible losses. The only surprising one was a home loss to Sacramento, who in spurts can be dangerous — especially with a DeMarcus Cousins manning the middle. They are 15-5 and winners of their previous eight games. While that’s very strong, a streaking Golden State team has rattled off 13 wins in a row and thus are, for now, the kinds of the ultra-competitive Western Conference.

“They are playing terrific,” Vogel said of the Clippers. “They are very well coached, superstars at a lot of different positions. It’s going to be a challenge. They are very tied together. But we’re playing in our building and we have to protect our home court.”

One issue the Pacers, meanwhile, are dealing with is players returning and unfamiliarity within lineups. Vogel has been starting Rodney Stuckey at the point, with second-year wing Solomon Hill has the 2. Seldom-used shooter Chris Copeland has gotten the nod at small forward and then David West and Roy Hibbert – both back from injuries – remains untouched.

Those changes consequently mix things up for the second unit, plus Lavoy Allen is now the backup center with Ian Mahinmi out six to eight weeks.

Injuries have altered the Pacers’ season, going back to August 1 when Paul George’s right leg snapped. To put injuries in perspective: players have already missed a total of 91 games going into tonight’s matchup with the Clippers. Last season, they missed just 69 games. Vogel has tried six starting lineup combinations through 21 games, after using a league-low three all of last year.

One challenge is guys being out, and the other is guys returning and getting back in game shape.

“Nobody is feeling sorry for us, but that’s what we’re going through,” Vogel added.

Added veteran C.J. Miles: “We got to continue to just stay together. That’s the biggest thing. And not let it make us fall apart when guys get frustrated and start to try to get those five games back in one play next game, or get a 10-point run back in one play. I think we got to just keep sticking to what we do and we’ve proven that when we come out and play hard and stick to what we do, that we can compete with anybody and we’ve done it with less guys than we have now.

“Just another phase we got to get through. Playing hard corrects a lot of things.”

So, what simple things can be done?

1) Get off to better starts;
2) Take much better care of the ball. Not only are those resulting in easy points for the opposition, but they are fewer shots on goal;
3) Play physical and attack the rim. That doesn’t mean go in out of control and look for contact. Officials typically rewards tough play;
4) Communicate. As on-court chemistry takes time, communication can simplify the process. They can’t read each other’s minds and do not yet know all of their tendencies. So, communicate.

“We’re down, we’re frustrated, we want to win,” said Vogel. “… We’re still getting after it with the approach that the next game could change our momentum.”