Pacers-Heat, Hibbert an All-Star, and the schedule

Early last week, the Pacers had won five of their last six games and were feeling great about the path they were on. Oh, how quickly things can change.

Since, the blue and gold have dropped three in a row and now host 2nd-place Miami tonight to Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

In all three losses, they have been in it near the end but have been unable to close. Poor execution in the final minutes along with some ill-timed mistakes have been costly.

“It’s a tough stretch but we’ll stay positive and I’m encouraged about what this team can be,” head coach Frank Vogel said after their loss to Denver. “We’re not wavering in our confidence. We understand with a schedule like this and little practice time there will be slippage.“

And he’s right. Every team is going to run into problems throughout the season because the schedule is so quirky. They have to put the losses behind them, move on, and begin a new streak. A winning streak.

55’s an All-Star
Roy Hibbert is a great player, but he’s an even better guy. And he got an honor he deserved.

Announced late last week, Roy Hibber was added to the All-Star team. As a reserve, he was selected by other coaches around the league which carries a lot more weight than being a popular vote with the fans. He takes his play seriously and has worked very hard to improve all the time.

Hibbert will be the 11th Indiana player selected to the game. He is also the third center, behind Rik Smits and Brad Miller.

In his fourth season, Roy is averaging 13.3 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game while shooting almost 50-percent from the field.

The wild schedule
At 17-10, the Pacers currently are fifth in the Eastern Conference. What’s been most impressive about their success early has been where they have done it — on the road. The Pacers have played more games away from Indianapolis to start the season than any other team. 15 of their first 22 games in fact.

Now comes another challenge. The Pacers are set to embark on their first back-t0-back-to-back of the season.

Because the NBA decided to squeeze 66 games into four months, there were going to be problems with the schedule. This is one of them. Fortunately for Indiana, they have it about as good as it gets. Two home games and a quick charter to Cleveland in between. The Pacers will be fresh tonight when they face the Heat to start their three games in three nights.

Miami on the other hand, will be anxious to fly home. They are currently in the middle of a six-game road trip, playing Sunday in Atlanta and Monday in Milwaukee.

If the Pacers can get past Miami, their next seven games will give them an opportunity to separate from the pack. During the next stretch, they play Charlotte and New Orleans each twice — the worst team in each conference.

I am confident Indiana will get back to their winning ways, especially having five of their next seven at home. I also hope that Pacers fans come downtown to the fieldhouse to make it a rowdy atmosphere. The Pacers can’t be averaging above 12,000 fans per game and have only had a couple big crowds.

With the Super Bowl festivities complete, the Pacers are the primary entertainment in Indy. And they are making huge strides. Make your way to Bankers Life and check out this team. With a current promotion, you can get 2 tickets to five games for $55. That’s $5.50 each. C’mon! They are a talented and fun bunch to watch.