A lot happens each week with the Pacers and it’s not easy to stay on top of it. Pacers Last Week keeps you updated on everything going on with the franchise.
It’s the final week of the regular season. Can you believe it?
- Victor Oladipo was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the third time this season. No other Pacer in franchise history has earned the honor more than twice in a season.
- Glenn Robinson III’s Michigan Wolverines lost to Villanova in the NCAA basketball championship game. The team watched together in a ballroom at their Denver hotel.
- I had Chris Denari, the TV Voice of the Pacers, on the Pacers Podcast from his hotel in Denver to discuss how this team has surprised everyone, has succeeded on the road, their resiliency late in games, and more.
- Mad Ants forward DeQuan Jones was named G League Most Improved Player. He averaged 18.4 points and 4.9 rebounds per game this season in helping the Fort Wayne Mad Ants to the second best record (29-21) in the Eastern Conference.
- The inaugural draft was held for the NBA 2K League. Here’s what Pacers Gaming, one of 17 franchises, did…
- They beat the Warriors at home to become the first team to sweep the season series against Golden State since Steve Kerr became head coach in 2014. (And Red Panda made an appearance!)
- Jim Cornelison, known as the Anthem Singer for his performances pre-game at Chicago Blackhawks games, sang the National Anthem.
- The Mad Ants lost in the conference semi-finals of the playoffs, so their season is over. Rookie Ike Anigbogu immediately re-joined the Pacers.
- I introduced you to Kickstradomis, and explained how (and why) a handful of Pacers are having their shoes air brushed by the Los Angeles native.
- Victor Oladipo and Myles Turner were included on USA Basketball’s 2018-2020 National Team roster. They will gather in Las Vegas in late July for minicamp.
- The Pacers’ tank was on empty Friday night in Toronto. The 92-73 loss was their worst performance of the season. They shot a season low 30 percent from the field, managed a season low 73 points, and no starter scored more than five points. For Oladipo, it was his only game this season where he failed to reach double figures.
- By winning Sunday in Charlotte, their 21st victory on the road this season, they finished the season with a winning road record (21-20) for just the fourth time in NBA franchise history. For context, they went 13-28 one year ago.
- Domantas Sabonis led the Pacers with a career-high 30 points in Charlotte. Lance Stephenson, back where he spent the 2014-15 season, finished two points shy of his first triple-double in four years: 8 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists. (He was just 3 for 13 from the field.)
- Oladipo returned to the court after the win, in full uniform, to work on free throws with his coach at Indiana University, Tom Crean. Coach Crean is a loyal man who, to his credit, stays in close contact with his former players. Oladipo receives a text from Crean — about life, family, religion, or basketball — almost every day.
- Joe McConnell, the play-by-play radio announcer for Pacers games from 1972-77, passed away on Sunday due to “an extended illness.” Most notably, he was the Voice of Purdue football from 1994 through 2009. He was also behind the microphone for 23 NFL seasons, including 1992-94 with the Colts.
Look out, @QuinnBuckner.#BornReady pic.twitter.com/tw6equ86V4
— Scott Agness (@ScottAgness) April 6, 2018
Oladipo decided to get acrobatic on a Sunday!#Pacers pic.twitter.com/CuAIIJUeef
— NBA (@NBA) April 8, 2018
Oh hey, Lance. #Pacers pic.twitter.com/pGw5XsW8Io
— NBA (@NBA) April 8, 2018
New @UGABasketball coach @TomCrean is in Charlotte to see two of his former players, Victor Oladipo and Cody Zeller.#iubb pic.twitter.com/0LrhPl1BL9
— Scott Agness (@ScottAgness) April 8, 2018