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The Pacers Report with Mike Rich & John Robertson (2.107.1) · The Central Indiana Sports Report

0:01
[SPEAKER_02]: You are listening to the Pacer's report with Micritch and John Robertson.
0:06
[SPEAKER_02]: Only on the Central Indiana Sports Report.
0:18
[SPEAKER_02]: Pacer's fans welcome back to the Central Indiana Sports Report.
0:22
[SPEAKER_02]: or the Pacers report.
0:24
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm your host, Greg Mendelte, join tonight by our Pacers guy, Mike Rich, and our NBA slash fever guy, John Robertson, to talk some Pacers Tuesday night.
0:35
[SPEAKER_02]: A 116105 over the Sacramento Kings on Monday.
0:41
[SPEAKER_02]: their second time and just over a week winning back to back games, sandwiched between a couple of losses six wins now, still the third worst record in the league, but only a half game behind the net's moving up the charts, and guys were seeing some signs of life.
0:59
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, about time I think this teams start to figure each other out, get used to each other, building some consistency with the people who are playing.
1:14
[SPEAKER_01]: This Ethan Thompson is a pleasant surprise.
1:18
[SPEAKER_01]: Is it Ethan Thompson?
1:22
[SPEAKER_02]: I still have not done a research on the story.
1:27
[SPEAKER_01]: He was a played in California high school.
1:31
[SPEAKER_01]: I want to stay championship played against La Mello and Le Antelo ball.
1:36
[SPEAKER_01]: He's 26 year old rookie.
1:38
[SPEAKER_02]: 26 year old rookie.
1:39
[SPEAKER_02]: I knew that.
1:41
[SPEAKER_02]: And I knew he played at Oregon State and he was a six five wing.
1:44
[SPEAKER_02]: That was it.
1:45
[SPEAKER_02]: I never heard of them.
1:47
[SPEAKER_02]: It was just all the sudden play in minutes.
1:49
[SPEAKER_02]: It was pretty wild.
1:50
[SPEAKER_01]: And I think his dad coaches at Oregon State.
1:53
[SPEAKER_01]: He brought some good energy tonight.
1:55
[SPEAKER_01]: Just a lot of hustle plays.
1:58
[SPEAKER_01]: Good.
1:58
[SPEAKER_01]: offence of rebounds gave gave our shooters opportunity to get some extra shots and possessions at the end.
2:08
[SPEAKER_01]: Big possessions at the end.
2:09
[SPEAKER_01]: Big possessions on on the floor going after the ball.
2:12
[SPEAKER_01]: That's what you want to see.
2:14
[SPEAKER_01]: saw a lot of enthusiasm from the bench.
2:17
[SPEAKER_01]: It's really cool to see how it burns.
2:20
[SPEAKER_01]: You hate saying him on the bench, but he's definitely still just really invested in these players.
2:26
[SPEAKER_01]: I thought it was pretty cool.
2:27
[SPEAKER_01]: He had a perfect jersey on tonight.
2:29
[SPEAKER_02]: He did.
2:29
[SPEAKER_02]: He got a lovely enthusiasm except for when he's cheering for Iowa State.
2:33
[SPEAKER_02]: That was not fun watching him do that on.
2:35
[SPEAKER_01]: No, no.
2:37
[SPEAKER_02]: There's a lot more fun tonight.
2:39
[SPEAKER_02]: Everybody has their flaws.
2:40
[SPEAKER_02]: That's right.
2:41
[SPEAKER_02]: It's done.
2:42
[SPEAKER_02]: The guys who are going to be part of this championship level team in the next couple of years.
2:50
[SPEAKER_02]: Siakim, Nimhard, Mathur and McConnell.
2:54
[SPEAKER_02]: and even Jaris Walker were all pretty good.
2:58
[SPEAKER_02]: And McConnell wasn't great.
2:59
[SPEAKER_02]: It didn't have his best game, but he was McConnell.
3:01
[SPEAKER_02]: To see them hard play as well, he did tonight, 28 points, 12 assists.
3:06
[SPEAKER_02]: When they have their whole team together, they're showing signs that this team is going to be a contender when they're, when they're healthy.
3:15
[SPEAKER_00]: I think we kind of all noticed that it was easy to get down on the team when they were losing all the games, right?
3:21
[SPEAKER_00]: But if you really used your rational brain instead of your emotional brain, we said we were missing so many people.
3:27
[SPEAKER_00]: All the pieces were just not there and they didn't have a roster.
3:32
[SPEAKER_00]: on the floor at the same time, more than once or twice.
3:34
[SPEAKER_00]: So I really think we got a lot of talent.
3:37
[SPEAKER_00]: I think we're looking at it and I'm like, I hate to keep saying it.
3:39
[SPEAKER_00]: We have another fever situation where we've got a rag tag group that's missing their core.
3:44
[SPEAKER_00]: It's just trying to put it together, but they love playing and they're trying to figure it out.
3:47
[SPEAKER_00]: And I don't think these guys don't like championship contenders by any means this year.
3:52
[SPEAKER_00]: Like I'll be happy to make the playoffs, but I think they got a lot of surprise left in them, 2026 run towards the playoffs.
3:59
[SPEAKER_00]: And you didn't mention J-huff.
4:01
[SPEAKER_00]: I like J-huff.
4:02
[SPEAKER_01]: I think J-huff's an upgrade.
4:05
[SPEAKER_01]: He played well tonight.
4:06
[SPEAKER_01]: I thought inside.
4:08
[SPEAKER_01]: He played a lot more inside.
4:09
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't know if he even took a three pointer tonight.
4:12
[SPEAKER_02]: Guys, we need to talk about something though.
4:15
[SPEAKER_02]: I'd say a Jackson's just not an MBA player.
4:18
[SPEAKER_02]: Maybe it was the Achilles.
4:19
[SPEAKER_02]: We saw signs of life from him early in his career.
4:23
[SPEAKER_02]: Maybe it's the injury.
4:24
[SPEAKER_02]: Maybe he just needs time to get back from that.
4:26
[SPEAKER_02]: But man, he looks like he's lost.
4:31
[SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I agree lost.
4:32
[SPEAKER_02]: He's been in the NBA for five years now.
4:35
[SPEAKER_01]: I agree.
4:36
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't know if last year being out and just not back in and he really hasn't found his place on the team.
4:43
[SPEAKER_01]: He hasn't found his role.
4:44
[SPEAKER_01]: He has went from the bench.
4:46
[SPEAKER_01]: Started out as a starter went to the bench back to a starter.
4:50
[SPEAKER_01]: I think that's Rick Carlisle playing with a lineup quite a bit too, but he can't find the right spot for Isaiah Jackson to be
5:01
[SPEAKER_02]: with what they're doing right now, J. Huff is the better fit with the starters.
5:06
[SPEAKER_01]: I would agree with that.
5:07
[SPEAKER_01]: And he did take three three pointers and missed all of them.
5:10
[SPEAKER_00]: I just take a stop taking three pointers all the time, J. Huff.
5:13
[SPEAKER_00]: That's still about six less than miles would have taken though.
5:15
[SPEAKER_00]: That's right.
5:17
[SPEAKER_01]: That's true.
5:18
[SPEAKER_01]: And Jair's walker took too many threes, but he hit a couple of them tonight.
5:23
[SPEAKER_02]: Jerry's Walker looked competent tonight.
5:26
[SPEAKER_02]: He went, a few nights here.
5:27
[SPEAKER_02]: He's actually looked competent.
5:29
[SPEAKER_02]: I got to a point where I'm like, man, is this guy ever going to recover from this funky's and he just looks like he just started learning how to play basketball at times.
5:40
[SPEAKER_02]: And it's, we just seen him too much with the glee and in his minutes with the patient.
5:47
[SPEAKER_02]: I know that's not who he is.
5:49
[SPEAKER_02]: He's a guy that plays with instinct and flow.
5:52
[SPEAKER_02]: Um, really good.
5:54
[SPEAKER_02]: So like I said, I think the key to the night signs of life really good sign of life from George Walker tonight.
6:01
[SPEAKER_01]: Good signs of life.
6:02
[SPEAKER_01]: Good to see mother having another good game.
6:06
[SPEAKER_01]: Again, see outcomes to steady as he's been.
6:09
[SPEAKER_01]: The whole season.
6:12
[SPEAKER_01]: And it lasts 11 of 12 games.
6:15
[SPEAKER_01]: He scored over 20 points.
6:18
[SPEAKER_01]: That's just consistent as can be.
6:22
[SPEAKER_02]: Solid, uh, all start this year, hopefully.
6:26
[SPEAKER_02]: Madder and best game since it came back from the injury, I think.
6:31
[SPEAKER_01]: Oh, and all I think I thought it was a really good game for Madder.
6:35
[SPEAKER_00]: Are you still wanting him traded?
6:37
[SPEAKER_00]: Yes.
6:39
[SPEAKER_02]: And not because I don't like him as a player.
6:41
[SPEAKER_00]: No, you're good.
6:42
[SPEAKER_00]: I just I didn't know if you were still there are two options.
6:44
[SPEAKER_02]: You either trade him or you trade Haliburton because they are not two guys who can play together.
6:51
[SPEAKER_02]: They're just aren't.
6:52
[SPEAKER_00]: Do you trade them this season or do you trade wait until the off season going to move them?
6:56
[SPEAKER_00]: I'll let Kevin pressure figure that out, but here's what I think.
7:00
[SPEAKER_02]: I think the patients can win games and lose draft position because they might be able to package whatever their draft pick is with Maveram.
7:09
[SPEAKER_02]: to move up and get a franchise player.
7:12
[SPEAKER_02]: So there were a lot of options out there, and tonight was much better.
7:15
[SPEAKER_02]: There was part of what I'm talking about with the ball movement, the player movement with Madden.
7:20
[SPEAKER_02]: Every time he gets the ball, he just holds it and lets the defense set up, and...
7:25
[SPEAKER_02]: He's good enough to beat his defender, but nobody's open because all the guys are being defended because he just held the ball for five seconds and let the entire defense get in defensive position.
7:37
[SPEAKER_02]: What the Pacers are gonna do with Halibut and I just don't think matter in fits, but if they want to win games this year, I'll tell you what, matter in the game.
7:45
[SPEAKER_02]: He is a hell of a score.
7:47
[SPEAKER_02]: One day he's gonna average 30 points a game for somebody I believe.
7:51
[SPEAKER_01]: I thought this was the second game in a row, he played pretty well.
7:54
[SPEAKER_01]: see played pretty good against Chicago as well.
7:58
[SPEAKER_01]: After tonight, 25 to two assists, 44 percent, 44.4 percent from three point on in a battery is the better trade value you have on him as well.
8:13
[SPEAKER_02]: I think the Pacers can use this rest coming up.
8:17
[SPEAKER_02]: They don't play again until Friday they go to Philadelphia.
8:20
[SPEAKER_02]: Then they're at home Sunday against the wizards.
8:22
[SPEAKER_02]: They win in Philadelphia, then that's some serious signs of life, but I don't think they're quite to that point yet.
8:28
[SPEAKER_02]: But again, the wizards come to town, and what was really, really rough schedule early on, has some possible wins coming up.
8:41
[SPEAKER_00]: I honestly think they can get a win against just about any team if it's the right night.
8:46
[SPEAKER_00]: If they're just playing well, I think any given night they could get a win.
8:49
[SPEAKER_00]: I just think that we got into this funk where they were, oh and whatever, we didn't know when they were going to get their first win.
8:56
[SPEAKER_00]: But now they're starting to, starting to figure it out and everybody's starting to come back.
8:59
[SPEAKER_00]: Team starting to be there.
9:02
[SPEAKER_00]: I don't think they have a real sense of urgency to be honest with you.
9:06
[SPEAKER_00]: And nor do they need one.
9:09
[SPEAKER_02]: It's kind of a, it's a bummer being six and 18, but it's kind of a win when every time you go out and win a game, it's a sign that next year, the core that you have is going to be great around Haliburton assuming he's healthy and every time you lose it's good for the draft, which is an outstanding draft at the top and it's outstanding depth.
9:33
[SPEAKER_02]: And the Pacers have all kinds of assets and a guy who knows how to use them to me.
9:37
[SPEAKER_02]: I watch every game kind of the win win as the Kings come back.
9:41
[SPEAKER_02]: I was like, hey, man, they played well for three quarters.
9:43
[SPEAKER_02]: And if they lose, oh, well, but glad they won.
9:47
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm happy with the wins, but the losses aren't that much of a bummer because it didn't not pay enough in the end.
9:55
[SPEAKER_01]: I was thinking the same thing for a guy.
9:57
[SPEAKER_01]: I was just like, and here comes here comes Sacramento.
10:00
[SPEAKER_01]: They're taking a lead at the end of the game.
10:04
[SPEAKER_01]: three quarters and and a half and you know, we made made loses, but I really don't care.
10:11
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm happy they won.
10:14
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm always happy that when they went and yeah, I agree.
10:18
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm not disappointed.
10:20
[SPEAKER_01]: I don't have the same expectation on this team as I've had with previous years over the last couple
10:37
[SPEAKER_02]: AJ on the bucks of Lost 10 of their last 12 games.
10:44
[SPEAKER_00]: Yeah, I've heard some rumors that there's no happiness in Milwaukee in Brutown.
10:50
[SPEAKER_02]: Well, but Miles Turner was supposed to cure all their ills, man.
10:55
[SPEAKER_00]: I know.
10:55
[SPEAKER_00]: I heard the rumors that like, you honest, once out, like I've heard them out.
10:59
[SPEAKER_00]: It's not a rumor.
11:00
[SPEAKER_00]: They're looking for a partner to trade.
11:03
[SPEAKER_00]: So then you got what?
11:04
[SPEAKER_00]: Miles is the franchise player at that point.
11:07
[SPEAKER_02]: I know that they're saying in return for yannas they are expecting a player better than Miles Turner to be I won't get one for sure.
11:16
[SPEAKER_02]: I would have Miles Turner might even be part of the package that Milwaukee might say if you take yannas you got to take my how they're gonna move him with the amount of money they have to pay him
11:29
[SPEAKER_02]: Trace yourselves.
11:30
[SPEAKER_01]: If a team can get Janice and they have to take miles is contract that that's possibility.
11:37
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, they have a bit of good way to go rather than yeah, they have really screwed themselves haven't they?
11:45
[SPEAKER_02]: But their demands are that they want players now and they want players in the future and as good as Janice is, they're going to get that.
11:53
[SPEAKER_02]: So they'll probably be able to
11:58
[SPEAKER_02]: with whatever trade they make and they might be able to get themselves out of this by unfortunately for them getting rid of the greatest player is played for that franchise since cream up dual-dubar so well speaking of him I wouldn't be surprised to see the NBA try and push him to the lakeers so we have to be with Luke and LeBron.
12:20
[SPEAKER_02]: But then Lakers can't match anything like that.
12:22
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm just saying NBA, I'll find a way to do three way for a way trade.
12:27
[SPEAKER_02]: You might be able to get it done if you did that.
12:29
[SPEAKER_02]: Miami Atlanta are the two that everybody's talking about.
12:33
[SPEAKER_02]: I think the one that you should be watching out for is the Indiana Pacers.
12:37
[SPEAKER_00]: No way.
12:38
[SPEAKER_02]: No way.
12:39
[SPEAKER_00]: He's not.
12:40
[SPEAKER_00]: He's not.
12:41
[SPEAKER_00]: He's not.
12:42
[SPEAKER_00]: There's no way.
12:43
[SPEAKER_00]: No shot.
12:44
[SPEAKER_00]: he hates the Pacers.
12:46
[SPEAKER_00]: He would not.
12:47
[SPEAKER_02]: He would love to play with Aliburton.
12:49
[SPEAKER_02]: He would love it.
12:52
[SPEAKER_02]: Beloved.
12:54
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm talking.
12:55
[SPEAKER_02]: It's a dark horse because it's in the division.
12:58
[SPEAKER_02]: That's a possibility because the Pacers can match everything that they're asking, including a first-run graphic that's going to be a top 10.
13:06
[SPEAKER_00]: If he comes here, I'm not buying his jersey.
13:09
[SPEAKER_02]: Why would...
13:12
[SPEAKER_02]: He's one of the nicest guys in the world and he's one of the best players on the planet.
13:16
[SPEAKER_00]: Nope, I don't want him, I don't want him or Paul George in the blue and gold.
13:22
[SPEAKER_02]: John Robertson, you're out of your freaking mind, man.
13:26
[SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, this is, that would change everything, man.
13:30
[SPEAKER_01]: Depending on the game, I would probably, I would probably, I would, I would, I would, I would, I would,
13:39
[SPEAKER_02]: Oh, Oklahoma City's the other one.
13:42
[SPEAKER_02]: That's a possibility, but I'm not sure why Oklahoma City would want to do that.
13:46
[SPEAKER_00]: I wouldn't.
13:46
[SPEAKER_00]: There's no, he's good, but Oklahoma City's a good young talent already.
13:50
[SPEAKER_00]: Like, and they've got, they've got a nicely level talent that's going to be there for a while.
13:54
[SPEAKER_00]: Like, why would you risk what you've got for one player?
13:57
[SPEAKER_01]: They don't even have to give up much.
13:58
[SPEAKER_01]: They have plenty of draft capital.
14:00
[SPEAKER_01]: They could give up.
14:02
[SPEAKER_02]: They have draft capital.
14:03
[SPEAKER_02]: They got really good young players.
14:04
[SPEAKER_02]: They can't even get on the court because there's a thing.
14:08
[SPEAKER_02]: How much
14:10
[SPEAKER_02]: Sam, you're asking us genius, but he probably stockpiled too much because now they're kind of, they got 12 good players and they can't play them on.
14:19
[SPEAKER_02]: It's a bit of a conundrum, but they're what 104 and one this year.
14:23
[SPEAKER_02]: So it's not that much of a conundrum.
14:27
[SPEAKER_02]: They're really good.
14:28
[SPEAKER_02]: I don't think anyone's beaten them.
14:31
[SPEAKER_02]: Speaking of which, we're doing MBA report pretty soon, John, I know you're been watching all of the MBA, particularly with the Pacer struggle.
14:37
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, I have been being a game pass and I watch as many games as I can.
14:41
[SPEAKER_00]: Uh, it's been a, like I told you guys before we started, I've just been so swamped with high school stuff, taken on the role of game production, which is so much fun, but like it's a lot of work.
14:51
[SPEAKER_00]: So I just really haven't had a ton of time to watch, but I've been watching the standings.
14:54
[SPEAKER_00]: I've been box score watching.
14:56
[SPEAKER_00]: I can't watch the games.
14:57
[SPEAKER_02]: I feel like I wasted my 100, whatever it costs for game pass, but I'm very grateful to YouTube because I can watch.
15:06
[SPEAKER_02]: all the games in 10 minutes and you don't get the entire feel of the game, but you get a pretty good idea of a game, particularly when early in the year when I'm looking for is who the new guys are contributing where and the new names I don't know and things like that, YouTube really helps with that, so you can watch games in 10 minutes and you can be an expert without actually watching the game.
15:30
[SPEAKER_00]: Well, yeah, I know you don't want to get into it tonight, really, but I'll be honest with you.
15:33
[SPEAKER_00]: I did not see Detroit being as good.
15:35
[SPEAKER_00]: I saw Detroit being good, like I predicted them to be a top four, but I did not see them as good as they are.
15:43
[SPEAKER_02]: I would have put them somewhere in the four, five, six, rings for sure.
15:46
[SPEAKER_02]: They just grew up faster than anyone expected.
15:49
[SPEAKER_02]: I'm shocked by that.
15:50
[SPEAKER_02]: The Celtics are probably the story right now, right?
15:53
[SPEAKER_00]: Celtics being way better, and I thought I was going to say Cavaliers being an eighth spot.
15:56
[SPEAKER_00]: I thought Cavaliers were going to be way better than this.
15:58
[SPEAKER_00]: So those are the real surprises from everything else.
16:01
[SPEAKER_00]: The Raptors too, man.
16:03
[SPEAKER_00]: I didn't really, I can't say that.
16:04
[SPEAKER_00]: I thought the magic would be higher than the Raptors for sure.
16:08
[SPEAKER_00]: I wanted to go into all of it tonight, but I'm just saying,
16:12
[SPEAKER_00]: It's a surprise thus far, but we'll see how it all shakes out by the end early.
16:19
[SPEAKER_02]: The main thing to see what happens with Houston and Mike Rich just saw the Denver Nuggets live.
16:23
[SPEAKER_02]: And let me tell you if Jamal Murray plays like he did, that night the Nuggets won't lose.
16:30
[SPEAKER_02]: Nuggets are tough, air tough.
16:32
[SPEAKER_02]: Jamal Murray is kind of the key to the NBA because when he's really good, the Nuggets are almost impossible to be.
16:43
[SPEAKER_02]: So we'll see what happens there.
16:45
[SPEAKER_02]: Thanks guys, final thoughts on the Pacers.
16:48
[SPEAKER_00]: I would just say enjoy the low stress season because whatever happens happens, no pressure.
16:53
[SPEAKER_00]: Just enjoy it like you can, because next year the expectations are gonna be through the roof.
16:57
[SPEAKER_02]: And if they play like they did tonight, they're fun to watch and entertaining even if they lose.
17:03
[SPEAKER_01]: They're doing all right with getting crowds to come out and see them, the tickets are reasonable.
17:08
[SPEAKER_01]: I'm definitely the only game I care if they win as Thursday night if they can beat the next time.
17:15
[SPEAKER_01]: It's a win for the month.
17:19
[SPEAKER_01]: They can lose the rest of them if they beat next on Thursday, that's good enough for me.
17:23
[SPEAKER_00]: I haven't been to a game yet this season.
17:25
[SPEAKER_00]: I need to get out.
17:26
[SPEAKER_00]: I normally have gone to a couple by now, but it's just been some man.
17:30
[SPEAKER_00]: It's just been busy.
17:31
[SPEAKER_00]: Life's busy.
17:32
[SPEAKER_00]: I know I'm preaching to the choir.
17:34
[SPEAKER_00]: I'm sure all your listeners are busy, and they've got stuff going on.
17:37
[SPEAKER_00]: Normally I just am able to find time to get to some games.
17:42
[SPEAKER_00]: The one night I was gonna go, we had a snowstorm in it.
17:44
[SPEAKER_00]: I was like, I ain't going now.
17:53
[SPEAKER_02]: This is joining in the Sports Report is a product of ITG Media.
17:58
[SPEAKER_02]: An out-of-season.