Nets Look To Fend Off Pesky Pacers in Game 6

This article is from the archive of The New York Sun before the launch of its new website in 2022. The Sun has neither altered nor updated such articles but will seek to correct any errors, mis-categorizations or other problems introduced during transfer.

The New York Sun

Indiana basketball fans are a lot like New Yorkers in that they like their hoops with a lot of grit and defensive intensity. That’s why they adore this edition of their Pacers. With three starters out, the Pacers are continuing to battle the favored Nets tooth and nail, and it should make for a very competitive Game 6 tonight at Conseco Field House in Indianapolis.


The big story each night for the Pacers has started in the trainer’s room. Point guard Jamaal Tinsley has played only a few minutes in the series and is likely gone for the season due to an Achilles’ tendon injury. Forward Peja Stojakovic, has missed Games 2 and 4 of the series – both Pacer losses – with a knee injury. His status is questionable for tonight. During Tuesday’s shootaround, center Jeff Foster strained his lower back, which prevented him from playing in the game. Finally, star power forward Jermaine O’Neal came down with an illness, but he played.


Despite being badly undermanned in Game 5, the Pacers relied on solid defense (highlighted by 11 steals) and good play from their rookies to rally from several double-digit deficits. The game hung in the balance until Vince Carter’s spectacular dunk with 28 seconds left sealed the 92-86 win for the Nets.


Stojakovic’s minutes went to rookies Danny Granger and Sarunas Jasikevicius, who combined to shoot 7-of-13 from the field, and Granger grabbed 10 rebounds. Their play enabled the Pacers to space their offense and get O’Neal the ball in his favorite spots on the floor. He quickly drew fouls on Nets center Jason Collins, forcing him to the bench and making New Jersey dependent on veteran journeyman Clifford Robinson.


The Nets responded by taking advantage of Foster’s absence and using power forward Nenad Krstic on double teams against O’Neal. Foster’s replacement, Austin Croshere, relies on his outside shooting; all three of his hoops on Tuesday came from behind the arc, and on offense he often spotted up on the perimeter rather than roll to the rim. Confronted by two big bodies, O’Neal frequently passed out of the double teams, usually to swingman Stephen Jackson or to Tinsley’s replacement, Anthony Johnson. Neither shot well, however. Jackson was 6-of-16, including a horrendous 1-of-7 from behind the arc; Johnson was 5-of-15 and 1-of-4 from downtown.


Their valiant effort notwithstanding, the Pacers are starting to show the strain of playing shorthanded. Jackson was critical of Granger’s defense on Carter on his final dunk, and he suggested that his injured teammates need to “suck it up.” In fact, Granger’s defense on Carter had been stellar for most of the fourth quarter. The rookie took charges to draw Carter’s fourth and fifth fouls during the frame. His defense also made Carter into a jumpshooter for much of the period.


Prior to the dunk, however, Carter had hit his previous shot, a three-pointer, so Granger bit on an up-fake (not an unreasonable decision) and got burned by the result.


Aside from having two chances to close out the series, the Nets should be happiest about Krstic’s continued development. At the rate he’s going, he will soon be an elite player even in an era in which great power forwards are almost as commonplace as branches of Starbucks.


The Serbian big man has a smooth outside shot that has made him deadly on high pick-and-roll plays. On Tuesday night, the Nets began running curl plays with Richard Jefferson coming around Krstic at the top of the key. If the defenders responded to Jefferson’s attack of the rim, the Nets found Krstic open for a mid-range jumper. If they didn’t, Jefferson had an easy layup.


The Nets also succeeded in holding the Pacers to one shot on most of their possessions, out-rebounding Indiana 50-37. Carter went to the boards especially hard, grabbing 15 rebounds. The Pacers had only eight offensive boards.


New Jersey’s biggest negative has been the shooting of point guard Jason Kidd. The Nets’ leader has continued to excel in assists – Tuesday night he had a team playoff record 15 – and rebounds. However, he took only six shots, sinking two. By the second half, it was clear that Kidd no longer trusted his jumper, long the weakest part of his otherwise superb game – and the Pacers were backing off of him in an attempt to clog the passing lanes. Kidd is shooting only 30.1% from the field and will have to improve to keep the Pacers from cheating on defense.


Entering tonight’s Game 6, Pacers fans have reason for optimism and the Nets should be concerned. Missing one, then two, then three starters, Indiana has given the Nets all they can handle. As the series goes deeper, it’s likely at least one, and maybe two, of the Pacers’ key players will return. The Nets have played very well in the series, but to close it out, they’ll have to play even better. Meanwhile, the Pacers are showing why they were a dark horse pick to go all the way in some preseason predictions.


mjohnson@nysun.com


The New York Sun

© 2024 The New York Sun Company, LLC. All rights reserved.

Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The material on this site is protected by copyright law and may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used.

The New York Sun

Sign in or  Create a free account

By continuing you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use