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PACERS 127, HORNETS 118: Reaction with Mike Rich (2.90.2) · The Central Indiana Sports Report

• 0:00
  [SPEAKER_02]: You are listening to a special edition of the Pacer's Report with Migrich.
• 0:06
  [SPEAKER_02]: Mike's reaction to the Pacer's 127-18 victory over the Hornets and Indianapolis on Wednesday.
• 0:30
  [SPEAKER_02]: for a special addition of the Pacer's report with Mike Rich.
• 0:36
  [SPEAKER_02]: His reaction to the Indiana Pacer's 127-18 home win over the Charlotte Hornets and Mike, that was so much better.
• 0:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: Bow, essence time.
• 0:47
  [SPEAKER_02]: We've been waiting for a while, and not just the record, Mike, the last couple of weeks were kind of depressing at how bad it got.
• 0:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: It was, I almost when you asked me about your on the podcast tonight, I was like, you know what?
• 1:03
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm going to change it up and I'm not going to watch the game and just see what happens.
• 1:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: I still ended up watching the game and I'm glad I did that you came to play tonight.
• 1:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: They're playing a team that they, I think are much better than a wins a win.
• 1:20
  [SPEAKER_02]: There are a couple of teams in the league, they're incompetent.
• 1:23
  [SPEAKER_02]: Hornets are probably going to win 25, 30 games.
• 1:26
  [SPEAKER_02]: I don't think they're going to be the very bottom, but the pace is starting to get some guys back, and they don't seem helpless anymore for sure.
• 1:35
  [SPEAKER_01]: Now, they look like there's some direction on the floor.
• 1:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: I was just super impressed with Matthew and how well he's responding, since he's come back, and
• 1:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think that block in the fourth quarter.
• 1:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't even know if he got credit for that block, but I thought that was just the huge momentum swinging.
• 1:53
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that's the thing.
• 1:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: They're able to stop momentum of their opponent.
• 1:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that was really evident tonight.
• 1:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: And they're wasn't a time during a game.
• 2:02
  [SPEAKER_01]: I was like, wanted to come back and beat up my,
• 2:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: Well, nervous in the fourth quarter, but I was just like, yeah, I was getting frustrated.
• 2:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: I was like, can't let this this team back in.
• 2:13
  [SPEAKER_01]: You got to put your foot on their throat and knock them out.
• 2:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: So on off, great game.
• 2:20
  [SPEAKER_01]: A lot of positives to take from that and build on.
• 2:25
  [SPEAKER_02]: We'll talk about that positive and positive number one tonight without question is,
• 2:30
  [SPEAKER_02]: Benedict Madden, as you mentioned, may have saved the game, although I think they probably would have won any way, but Darlin got a steal as about the trim the lead to six points in the fourth quarter, and Madden hustled back, got a block.
• 2:43
  [SPEAKER_02]: And Mike, we've been talking about Benedict Madden as a trade piece all year, and there's no question that he is.
• 2:51
  [SPEAKER_02]: We heard from Kevin
• 2:54
  [SPEAKER_02]: his game doesn't quite fit in with the rest of the team.
• 2:57
  [SPEAKER_02]: He's the clear trade chip all that, but I want to say that guy is a great basketball player who isn't phenomenal score and if he plays like he did tonight, he can contribute to a team in a lot of ways.
• 3:13
  [SPEAKER_02]: He plays hard, he plays defense, he makes smart decisions and he isn't a lead offensive player.
• 3:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: absolutely a lead offensive player, but what we're seeing is is that defense is evolving.
• 3:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's maturing.
• 3:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: He is maturing.
• 3:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: We've seen him come up as a kid and he's growing into a man in front of us.
• 3:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: We knew coming into the season.
• 3:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: This was a big season for him to really prove himself one way or another.
• 3:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: He's going to get a good contract.
• 3:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I definitely agree that he's still a trade piece for the Pacers, but I love the F for he put out tonight and just kind of took over.
• 3:54
  [SPEAKER_01]: He out rebounded all of our centers combined.
• 3:56
  [SPEAKER_02]: Tell me about next comment, Mike, was, yeah.
• 3:59
  [SPEAKER_02]: We talked about his offense.
• 4:00
  [SPEAKER_02]: We talked about his defense.
• 4:01
  [SPEAKER_02]: His rebounding tonight was excellent.
• 4:04
  [SPEAKER_01]: Excellent.
• 4:05
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, 12 rebounds.
• 4:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: And I think the three centers went to he was fighting.
• 4:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: He was fighting.
• 4:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: He was fighting for rebounds.
• 4:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: He had good hustle plays.
• 4:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: Uh, just two games back before games he's been phenomenal.
• 4:22
  [SPEAKER_01]: There's just not one thing.
• 4:24
  [SPEAKER_02]: I, I, his game has.
• 4:34
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think he's going to be a 25 point per game score for whoever he plays for.
• 4:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: And he can go for 40 in a night.
• 4:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: Showed question.
• 4:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's it's going to happen.
• 4:45
  [SPEAKER_02]: No question.
• 4:48
  [SPEAKER_02]: Assuming that the Pacers go the direction of Halle Burton and the high speed and the ball movement.
• 4:54
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's probably a foregone conclusion that they're not going to be able to pay him either.
• 4:58
  [SPEAKER_02]: That he's going to be somewhere else, but man.
• 5:00
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think along with another piece, you could probably build a team around a guy like Benedict Madher, and so it's going to be a huge piece for the Pacers, a huge asset, whether it's for the Pacers or another team going forward.
• 5:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: You could definitely be Batman or Robin on a lot of teams and
• 5:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: take take teams to a different level and he is a heop he's absolutely just a just a big chip to have and the patient but in the in the patient's bag to deal or keep or
• 5:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think we all know he's not going to be signed by the Pacers, but it makes no financial sense.
• 5:45
  [SPEAKER_02]: He's going to bother making himself a lot of money.
• 5:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: A lot of money.
• 5:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: And he's going to play well enough to wear the Pacers can of 40.
• 6:00
  [SPEAKER_02]: Another thing, like, only 14 minutes the night, but really good to see old TJ McConnell back, really the first time this year.
• 6:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: And this was a great game for TJ 14 minutes, 14 points, six or six fill goals, two or two for three pointers.
• 6:18
  [SPEAKER_01]: It was awesome to see, and they just left you wide open and you had them both.
• 6:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: I just felt that was so cool to see.
• 6:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: Six rebounds, eight assists.
• 6:28
  [SPEAKER_01]: Just to tell the hell of a stat line for 14 minutes.
• 6:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: Again, it's good to see our players coming back.
• 6:38
  [SPEAKER_01]: We knew it's been games season, you know, barring injury.
• 6:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: This was a good team and these guys playing together and getting some time together and the chemistry is building.
• 6:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: They can get 11 more games and we can be 500.
• 6:56
  [SPEAKER_01]: We're 11 under 500.
• 6:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: I just keep playing to get to 500 before mid season.
• 7:03
  [SPEAKER_02]: Man, that's going to be quite a climb.
• 7:07
  [SPEAKER_02]: it is, but it's possible.
• 7:10
  [SPEAKER_02]: I'll say this, man.
• 7:11
  [SPEAKER_02]: Pascal Siakim is consistently great every night.
• 7:16
  [SPEAKER_02]: Namhard just takes control of the offense, but they're going to have to get better production from Isaiah Jackson.
• 7:24
  [SPEAKER_02]: He's in foul trouble all the time and just makes stupid plays and he's very
• 7:37
  [SPEAKER_02]: You know, I call him a generic miles turner because he's very similar in a lot of ways, but he made him play himself into a bigger role tonight.
• 7:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: And you don't want to see your seven foot guy shoot nine three pointers.
• 7:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: And again, like I said, matter now rebounded the center position.
• 7:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that's just, you know, it doesn't work.
• 7:59
  [SPEAKER_01]: We, we need an inside presence defensively, offensively, we need rebound, we need
• 8:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 8:07
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 8:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: And that's what we're getting.
• 8:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: Be points in the paint.
• 8:12
  [SPEAKER_01]: We're getting killed by every team.
• 8:14
  [SPEAKER_01]: Everything is beat us by 15 points.
• 8:16
  [SPEAKER_01]: You're back.
• 8:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: You probably look at see that we are getting just demolished in the paint.
• 8:25
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yep.
• 8:25
  [SPEAKER_02]: Something's got to change there.
• 8:29
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah.
• 8:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: The combination we have right now just.
• 8:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: That's it's it's just a band a dunk by Jay Huff tonight was beautiful.
• 8:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: It was and it was it was a great game by Jay Huff.
• 8:46
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yeah, I'm not trying to down play his game, but that's not something we're going to see consistently from Jay Huff.
• 8:52
  [SPEAKER_02]: We didn't like it with Miles Turner.
• 8:55
  [SPEAKER_02]: We're definitely not going to like it with Jay Huff.
• 8:57
  [SPEAKER_02]: The nine three pointers he was four for nine.
• 8:59
  [SPEAKER_02]: That's good.
• 9:00
  [SPEAKER_02]: But I want to see my center have more rebounds than three point attempts.
• 9:05
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yeah, or don't or don't judge fewer three more.
• 9:08
  [SPEAKER_02]: By the way, four for nine outside the three point line three for four inside the three point Like we saw a lot with the Pacers last year.
• 9:17
  [SPEAKER_02]: Six guys in double figures, mother in 24.
• 9:20
  [SPEAKER_02]: Siakim 22.
• 9:22
  [SPEAKER_02]: Jay Huff off the bench with 20.
• 9:24
  [SPEAKER_02]: Andrew Nimhard, a great 16 points.
• 9:30
  [SPEAKER_02]: TJ McConnell, as you mentioned, the perfect game.
• 9:32
  [SPEAKER_02]: Ben Shepherd at a nice game.
• 9:33
  [SPEAKER_02]: One of those guys, though, was not Jarris Walker, who I think played a better game tonight.
• 9:43
  [SPEAKER_02]: He finished with nine points and was a little more selective and I thought was a better contribution to the team.
• 9:49
  [SPEAKER_02]: Not great, but better.
• 9:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think he was better and I think it's because of where he's at in the rotation.
• 9:57
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think it's not too big of a moment for him to come off the bench and and be that that player with the second squad and I think that showed tonight and you know that's where I think he needs to be and he needs to continue to grow and develop and there's there's still high hopes for this kid he's still young.
• 10:20
  [SPEAKER_02]: He's the exact kind of player they need him that's starting line up and.
• 10:24
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's a little disappointing that he's not able to answer that bill.
• 10:29
  [SPEAKER_02]: He just has an answer to yet.
• 10:31
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think we're giving time.
• 10:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: We continue to, you know, nurture him and he'll come around.
• 10:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: And he needs more minutes on that second team.
• 10:43
  [SPEAKER_01]: Oh, he's going to get him.
• 10:45
  [SPEAKER_01]: Yes, he's going to get him.
• 10:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: And like you said, I think Shepherd played a hell of a game.
• 10:50
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think all the starters others in Jackson played a hell of a game.
• 10:56
  [SPEAKER_02]: And let's not forget the Jerry's Walker just turned 22 years old.
• 11:01
  [SPEAKER_02]: Right.
• 11:01
  [SPEAKER_02]: Right.
• 11:02
  [SPEAKER_02]: But I thought when I saw him as a rookie and his court vision and his willingness to pass the ball and his able
• 11:17
  [SPEAKER_02]: By now, he'd be a serious contributor to this team and the truth is, if Neese Smith is playing, Terus Walker probably has a pretty small role.
• 11:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: When Neese Smith comes back, his role is going to continue to dwindle.
• 11:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: So, he needs to take the opportunity, why he's got it.
• 11:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: Why Neese Smith is out to prove he needs to be in that rotation.
• 11:44
  [SPEAKER_02]: Better be one of the keys to the season and my, I think it's going to be an interesting season no matter what happens because of the possibilities with the trades and the assets the Pacers have and the the possibility of having a high draft pick and what is expected to be one of the great drafts of all time.
• 12:09
  [SPEAKER_01]: I hope that we're not.
• 12:11
  [SPEAKER_01]: I can at the top of the draft this year.
• 12:15
  [SPEAKER_01]: I hope we get this turn around.
• 12:17
  [SPEAKER_01]: I hope we make the playoffs, but either way, we want to be interested in the ones they need.
• 12:23
  [SPEAKER_01]: I'm not going to be unhappy either way.
• 12:26
  [SPEAKER_01]: As long as this team continues to put effort out there and they continue to learn, they continue to grow.
• 12:33
  [SPEAKER_01]: And we've talked about this before in previous podcasts.
• 12:37
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, this is kind of a wash year.
• 12:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: You know, see what we got and see what what pieces we need to make us ready for the 26, 27 season even if they rally and make the play off, they might have the assets to get to the top of this draft.
• 12:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: They definitely could.
• 12:58
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think if you're looking at the key piece that's needed on this team is the center.
• 13:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: No question.
• 13:10
  [SPEAKER_01]: And in the only way, you're getting a great, I mean, a great center is you're drafting at the top or you're trading.
• 13:19
  [SPEAKER_02]: And I think they might have the assets to do either one of those.
• 13:22
  [SPEAKER_02]: And it's a pretty exciting thing in the middle of what's been a miserable start to the season, but much, much better tonight.
• 13:30
  [SPEAKER_01]: much better tonight.
• 13:32
  [SPEAKER_01]: It was not as much cursing of the TV.
• 13:34
  [SPEAKER_01]: I was happy to see we didn't have four games and four technical files for timeouts.
• 13:41
  [SPEAKER_01]: And so all in all, it's a good night.
• 13:48
  [SPEAKER_01]: It's a good night.
• 13:57
  [SPEAKER_02]: Mike that ends a 8-game losing streak, a really miserable 8-game losing streak.
• 14:03
  [SPEAKER_02]: Started the season with a 5-game losing streak, but there was a lot of promise, even at 0 and 5.
• 14:09
  [SPEAKER_02]: Then they beat the Warriors and start to think, they might have something here, and then a really miserable 8-game losing streak.
• 14:16
  [SPEAKER_02]: Come to an end, and now they start to try to start there.
• 14:20
  [SPEAKER_02]: They're first winning streak of the season, but it will be very difficult.
• 14:23
  [SPEAKER_02]: The NBA Cup begins on Friday,
• 14:28
  [SPEAKER_02]: In Cleveland, against one of the NBA's best teams, a disappointing 10 and 6, but will be a clear favorite in this one, J.M.
• 14:37
  [SPEAKER_02]: on Prime Video Mike.
• 14:40
  [SPEAKER_01]: I like the matchup.
• 14:42
  [SPEAKER_01]: I like being the underdog.
• 14:44
  [SPEAKER_01]: I don't think they're going to get blown out by 15 points.
• 14:47
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think it'll be a close game.
• 14:51
  [SPEAKER_01]: And, I'm actually going to pick the Pacers to upset the Cavaliers on Friday.
• 14:57
  [SPEAKER_02]: Mike, I love your optimism, but the paces are losing this game by teleport.
• 15:02
  [SPEAKER_02]: They're going to get blown out, let's go.
• 15:06
  [SPEAKER_01]: Sorry.
• 15:08
  [SPEAKER_01]: I think that's going to be Madden's first 40 point game.
• 15:11
  [SPEAKER_02]: I hope you're right.
• 15:12
  [SPEAKER_02]: I think that would be incredible.
• 15:13
  [SPEAKER_02]: Yes, be an analytics.
• 15:14
  [SPEAKER_02]: By the way, have the paces a 10% chance of winning the game.
• 15:19
  [SPEAKER_02]: So that is going out a little bit.
• 15:21
  [SPEAKER_02]: That's why they play the games.
• 15:23
  [SPEAKER_00]: That's right.
• 15:28
  [SPEAKER_02]: The cast lost a home tonight to the rockets to fall to ten and six.
• 15:33
  [SPEAKER_02]: I expected them to win 60, 65 games this year, so definitely a disappointing season for them, but down in the mids, I was having a great year and that is a really good team.
• 15:43
  [SPEAKER_00]: I'm looking forward to it.
• 15:45
  [SPEAKER_00]: It's a couple of tough games in the row with the Cavaliers and the Pistons back in Indianapolis.
• 15:52
  [SPEAKER_01]: Really good thing is we moved up in the standings.
• 15:55
  [SPEAKER_01]: We now do not have the worst record on the NBA.
• 15:59
  [SPEAKER_02]: Thank you for listening, please do us a huge favor.
• 16:11
  [SPEAKER_02]: If you like this podcast and if you're still listening 20, some minutes in, I assume that you do.
• 16:17
  [SPEAKER_02]: Please do us a huge favor and share it with the patient's fan in your life.
• 16:28
  [SPEAKER_02]: It's here talking about what Central Indiana's pork fans are talking about every single day.
• 16:33
  [SPEAKER_02]: Thanks again, Mike.
• 16:34
  [SPEAKER_02]: Always appreciate it.
• 16:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: Thank you, Greg.
• 16:36
  [SPEAKER_01]: There's a great time when you go pastures.
• 16:39
  [SPEAKER_01]: Go pastures.
• 16:50
  [SPEAKER_02]: Central Indiana's pork report is a product of IG Media, and I love Susie.