By CHRIS GOFF and CLIFF BRUNT ISL Staff All season long, IndySportsLegends.com writers Cliff Brunt and Chris Goff will be there to chronicle the Pacers. But let’s peer into our crystal ball. Will the Pacers win the Central Division? The NBA title? Who will surprise? Who’s going to disappoint? Who will prove the most important […]
Continue ReadingBy CHRIS GOFF ISL Assistant Editor INDIANAPOLIS – Donald Sloan is trying, at least, to make friends on the Indiana Pacers. It’s the challenge of joining a group with established social patterns. Sloan has been there before. In fact, he’s been everywhere. He’s played for three different teams – Atlanta, New Orleans and Cleveland – […]
Continue ReadingBy CLIFF BRUNT ISL Editor INDIANAPOLIS — Danny Granger went down with an injury in the first quarter and didn’t return. Relax. It’s not that serious. Granger left Wednesday’s 92-85 preseason loss to Dallas with a strained left calf. The injury is noteworthy because he missed most of last season while recovering from surgery on […]
Continue ReadingBy CLIFF BRUNT ISL Editor INDIANAPOLIS — Saturday’s game between the Chicago Bulls and Indiana Pacers isn’t a typical preseason matchup. Derrick Rose, who has missed the last year and a half with a torn left ACL, is set to play. Danny Granger, the Pacers’ leading scorer for most of the past decade, is back […]
Continue ReadingBy CHRIS GOFF ISL Assistant Editor INDIANAPOLIS — Here are five quick impressions following the Pacers’ annual media day Friday afternoon at Bankers Life Fieldhouse: Granger: Starting doesn’t matter: Pacers forward Danny Granger, somewhat evasively but surely, indicated that whether he re-assumes a starting role does not matter when he returns this season, setting a […]
Continue ReadingBy CHRIS GOFF ISL Correspondent One of the intriguing preseason storylines will be the integration of Nate McMillan, a very accomplished head coach, as a secondary voice in a new organization. The Pacers won’t hop over the luxury tax line to keep recently acquired Rasual Butler, Ron Howard and Darnell Jackson. Those three players are […]
Continue ReadingBy CHRIS GOFF ISL Correspondent If TMZ followed basketball players this offseason, would the entertainment network have noticed Lance Stephenson’s goings-on? Did they, anyway? Less than two months remain for the Pacers to extend Paul George. Otherwise, the blossoming superstar will hit free agency next summer. Make no mistake: Indy will offer, or has offered, […]
Continue ReadingBy CHRIS GOFF ISL Correspondent C.J. Watson was excited for his 5-year-old daughter Ayanna to start kindergarten today. While playing in the NBA is a thrill for these guys, for many, being a good parent is their most important role. On a loaded roster, I don’t know what Danny Granger’s on-court role will be, but […]
Continue ReadingBy CHRIS GOFF ISL Correspondent Larry Bird’s being honored with a 15-foot-tall statue at Indiana State. Turns out all his years of honing a stone-faced expression made it easy on the sculptor. I loved Saturday’s trade for multiple reasons. Not only was it a metaphoric house-cleaning of last season’s biggest mistake (Gerald Green), but they’ve […]
Continue ReadingBy CHRIS GOFF ISL Correspondent Larry Bird’s dry sense of humor is quite amusing at times. George Hill withdrew from this week’s USA Basketball mini-camp in Las Vegas due to a scheduling conflict. Should the Pacers’ front office be disappointed? Arguably not, since it only means fewer miles on the tires and just one less […]
Continue ReadingBy CHRIS GOFF ISL Correspondent The word ‘gregarious’ was invented to describe Roy Hibbert, whose social media initiatives are never-ending. A wild card next season is the Pacers’ ability to field a lineup of four above-average 3-point shooters surrounding Hibbert. Use Chris Copeland at power forward, Danny Granger at the 3 and C.J. Watson as […]
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