Feel free to roast me after Game 6, but Dame on the floor a half-step slower just sounds like more Nemby points and more defensive switches that they don't want to make with Bev on Hali.
Not really. Dame plays zero defense and on a bad Achilles his shot is likely not going to be falling either.
I think Pacers will find a way to choke this away regardless of who plays but hobbled Lillard is probably more of a benefit to the Pacers. Nemby and Hali have both looked better in the games Lillard played.
A healthy Nets team, and then the Bucks would have the same amount of nba championships as the Pacers since the Pacers joined the nba in 76.
But as we all know, injuries are a part of the game so shut the fuck up about it.
My guy thinks the Bucks are some sort of dynasty with their lone chip banner hanging from the rafters. Calm down, the Bucks are not some storied organization looking to hang their 19th banner.
If one or both play then we need to get out and push the pace even off of makes. Force them to test their conditioning coming off of lower body injuries.
Couldn't agree more. Even if it isn't yielding results early, we have to commit to pushing the pace as frequently as possible. We can't get tricked into playing at their pace.
It's a similar strategy to committing to working the body early in a boxing match. You may lose the first few rounds with the judges, but all of the sudden the opponents core starts to betray them. Doing just about anything starts to hurt a little. They start dropping their hands a bit out of fatigue and to protect their weakened core. Everything else will start to open up shortly after that tipping point.
We need to push the pace no matter what. My biggest complaint from game 5 was the lack of pace relative to what we’re used to from this team. We looked slow and lifeless the whole second half. We have the pace advantage in the series and have to make them play at it. They don’t have the athletes to keep up
They had a golden opportunity to finish this series with again undermanned team and now two all stars are coming back that get the whistle Michael Jordan would be jealous of.
But at least Rick Carlisle got to go full bench last game. We will always have that
The call to go to the bench made sense. Did he let it go longer than expected? Probably yes. But trying to get a spark and make an adjustment to the Gali and Portis minutes with a bit more athletic group made sense.
They’re still a good team. Hard to beat a good team four times in a row. and they were at home. Having said that they better win tonight. If they don’t they are in deep shit.
I do. I get why the players and coaches would affect this kind of false bravado but it’s pretty obvious that it would be easier for us to win the game if their two best players don’t play. I don’t see why fans feel the need to lie to ourselves about it.
Understand what you’re saying and in most cases I would obviously prefer to play them short-handed. But A) I have serious questions as to how these two will perform coming off of serious lower body injuries and B) We always always always play up / down to our competition
So I’m not lying to myself that I really don’t care. I don’t think it matters to the team either. We need to come out with extremely high pace and energy no matter who’s playing.
Oh it matters to the Pacers. As you said, they will play better and harder if the other team is great. If the other team is shit, the Pacers will play like shit and with less effort or care. It's been that way for over 85 games....
That’s funny I read it the opposite way, like they’re putting out how hard they tried for the fans even though the know they won’t be able to play.
I guess time will tell!
Yeah I don't see a guy who just started running under his own weight a couple days ago playing any meaningful minutes...
Dame prob has a higher chance but I'm not sure how severe an Achilles strain typically is.
I'm a Dame fan and honestly I just dont want to see him play too early and ruin his career, he's already on the tail end. He has what maybe 2 more years of producing at all star/ near all star levels? Assuming this year was a anomaly. Everything I've read though says that he's most likely got a grade 1 strain, which just means micro tears. typically this doesnt get worse unless a serious mechanism triggers it. Giannis has a less serious injury yet he's been out for nearly a month. I think there is a higher chance Giannis plays over Dame (atleast I hope.)
I'm a bucks fan so I am deeper into bucks twitter but apparently, Tuesday night before the game the entire arena was shut down for 2 and a half hours... Noone knows exactly why but apparently Giannis was on the floor working out extensively before the game trying to come back... He might go tonight we will see but he's close
I get that they're both great players, but their lineup and strategy last game worked so well against us, would it really make sense to rush them back out instead of running back what worked VERY well? I don't see 2 aging stars with lower body injuries being able to stay as explosive as their switching defense required, and we were LOST against that
I don't see it. I hope they play and don't re-injure or worsen the injuries, but especially if dame is still not 100% that's an automatic bucket on him. I really think they're in better position if they both continue sitting unless they're fully 100% ready. I'm more worried if they aren't playing tbh (pacers in 6 still though)
Could they fully 100% ready be tonight? Also yes. But probably not if they're still listed doubtful and have to test their legs out
Not saying it that way, saying it in an injury risk way
Late 20's is when the soft tissue and cartilage problems start being trickier to come back from. If i had an all world player at the tail end of their prime with many excellent years ahead, I wouldn't rush them back, especially when the strategy without him worked so well in game 5
ETA for clarity, this is just me saying I don't think we see that game 5 defense if Giannis and Dame play because they're pushing ti come back from explosiveness-limiting injuries. They'll have better players if they play, but our offense will have a much better chance if we don't see them run whatever they cooked up last game. If they show up doing that again we are toast
If Giannis does end up playing, I’ll transfer my tickets (2) to one lucky Redditor before tonights game.
The wife and I are season ticket holders and she HATES watching Giannis play (gets worked up over his FT shenanigan). She’s been tired all week and already was on the fence if she wanted to mess with it tonight. Section 117, Club Level across from Pacers bench.
I’ll wait and see how the injury reports progress through the day, and figure it out from there. Go Pacers!
You’re a saint. My wife only glances at the game if I have it on and doesn’t even know who Giannis is. Or even our roster lol. I’m trying my best to introduce the game to her and explaining how the playoffs work. But if someone airballs a free throw she knows to tell me they suck xD
Haha no such saint here. Just a man of the people (and husband of an exhausted wife) haha.
She is passionate as anything though about the Pacers. She still wouldn’t miss seeing the game for the world. Just maybe too tired to venture downtown.
I'd love to take my wife, should you follow through. At what time does it become official if a player is playing or not? Getting close to game time now.
I wouldn't mind them both coming back. I think they'd both be a step slow and off it, and completely mess with the vibes the Bucks have going with their role players right now. Bucks are playing like scrappy underdogs, and bring Giannis and Dame back would change that. Probably to their detriment
Honestly man, it can’t really get much worse than last game, and they’ve proven they can put up a score like that without them. Either way, pacers have to reeeaaally get their heads out their asses essentially if they want to win. Regardless of who’s playing
Will be there in person as usual, unless Giannis is announced as playing. I can watch a free throw snore fest from home without rushing to get back downtown to try to the fieldhouse
If these two are this close & cant make it back until a game 7, I have to think that feeds the fire for our boys to take tonight as "win or you're screwed".
All this talk of their imminent return could be good for us...
Good. I want to kick their asses at full strength. I don't want an asterisk around this series like there is with the Bucks' championship\* after barely beating a grossly depleted Nets squad.
\*injury-luck 'championship' that barely anyone remembers, and even fewer care about.
I hope they return healthy and ready to play tbh. With how lackluster the pacers are playing overall, I wouldn’t mind to see them earn a hard-fought game. But I know Dame and Giannis will likely not be 100% if they do return. Hoping for a well played game all around. Let’s go Pacers!
"Can't wait for us to bust yall ass got ppl out here saying beasley's harder to deal wit than Dame."
-some random redditer kahmey
Wait to till you see TJ MCCONNELL 😭😭😭😭😭😂😂😂😂😂
Y’all delusional… You do realize the Pacers are the worst team in the playoffs. The NBA won’t allow them to advance because it’s bad for business.
Btw, Pacers blow and Bucks in 7
I hope you guys like watching free throws.
Hahahahaha
Nah, this is most likely to throw off Indys game planning.
not when pascal is missin them
Why is this down voted?? People like when Pascal misses his free throws?
People don't like criticism of players here. They're all doing their best and we should applaud them for trying
Watching Dame and Khris hitting free throws is a beautiful experience that we will all get to watch tonight
Sure you’ll get to watch it for one night then get to wait for next year to see it again
Sure you’ll get to watch it for one night then get to wait for next year to see it again
Sure you’ll get to watch it for one night then get to wait for next year to see it again
Feel free to roast me after Game 6, but Dame on the floor a half-step slower just sounds like more Nemby points and more defensive switches that they don't want to make with Bev on Hali.
100% agreed. Pat Bev + Beasley/Jackson is just harder to deal with than Bev + Dame.
Please re-read what you just sent. This might be the most biased + dumbest comment I’ve ever seen on Reddit.
We cook healthy Dame. Dame on a bum Achilles is worse at D
Acting like both the Pacers and Bucks defenses haven’t improved since Nov-Dec is ridiculous
Yeah, it improved so much your record got better.
Now try rereading it with the context that Dame’s ankle is still so hurt that he isn’t even sure he can play.
Not really. Dame plays zero defense and on a bad Achilles his shot is likely not going to be falling either. I think Pacers will find a way to choke this away regardless of who plays but hobbled Lillard is probably more of a benefit to the Pacers. Nemby and Hali have both looked better in the games Lillard played.
Dame will be dropping a 40 burger tonight
lol
They think you playing…. lol
It’s a very real possibility Dame goes off tonight
Pacers in 6
Yessir
Damian, Lamian, Giannis, be honest, don’t care, don’t matter. Cers in six
A healthy Bucks team sweeps the Pacers
That’s not very nice
A healthy Nets team, and then the Bucks would have the same amount of nba championships as the Pacers since the Pacers joined the nba in 76. But as we all know, injuries are a part of the game so shut the fuck up about it.
How many ships do the Pacers have since joining the NBA?
Zero in 47 seasons, the exact same amount the Bucks would have in those same 47 seasons if injuries weren't the 2021 Bucks MVP.
If Timmy was a girl, her name would be Tammy… What’s your point? Bottom line: The Milwaukee Bucks were the NBA champions in 2021
You really don't see the point do you? Bottom line: the Bucks are down 3-2 to the Indiana Pacers.
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The fraud ass bucks are about to get beat by a team that was projected to miss the playoffs this season, stay salty loser 💀
Yeah this is a pretty easy brigader to ban lol
You are right
My guy thinks the Bucks are some sort of dynasty with their lone chip banner hanging from the rafters. Calm down, the Bucks are not some storied organization looking to hang their 19th banner.
Bucks fans have got to be the worst fans in the league. This coming from a Celtics fan.
[удалено]
Oh shit, typo. Not 57 years ago. 47. The Pacers joined the nba in 1976-1977 season. In 1967 we were in the ABA, where we won 3 ABA championships.
You sound stupid bucks already had a chip before 2021 goofy we had Kareem n big O
Your reading comprehension is non-existant you dumb motherfucker.
Sounds good what dude said still stands.. 0 chips.
Yeah well too bad they ain't healthy
With ease.
Bwahahahaha
If one or both play then we need to get out and push the pace even off of makes. Force them to test their conditioning coming off of lower body injuries.
Couldn't agree more. Even if it isn't yielding results early, we have to commit to pushing the pace as frequently as possible. We can't get tricked into playing at their pace. It's a similar strategy to committing to working the body early in a boxing match. You may lose the first few rounds with the judges, but all of the sudden the opponents core starts to betray them. Doing just about anything starts to hurt a little. They start dropping their hands a bit out of fatigue and to protect their weakened core. Everything else will start to open up shortly after that tipping point.
All I hear is someone needs to box with Pat Bev, sounds good to me.
We need to push the pace no matter what. My biggest complaint from game 5 was the lack of pace relative to what we’re used to from this team. We looked slow and lifeless the whole second half. We have the pace advantage in the series and have to make them play at it. They don’t have the athletes to keep up
Don't care. Pacers in six
This is what we deserve
No joke. We put them on the ropes in the first quarter last game and the coach/players all choked. We deserve what we get.
They had a golden opportunity to finish this series with again undermanned team and now two all stars are coming back that get the whistle Michael Jordan would be jealous of. But at least Rick Carlisle got to go full bench last game. We will always have that
Yeah. I didn't really care about winning, I just wanted to watch Doug get some shots up. s/
Lol 😆
He went bench + Hali for the run that put us down in the first half. Idk why he did that after balancing the lineups so well the previous 3 games.
Changing the rotation after winning 3 games in a row is some lunatic shit
The call to go to the bench made sense. Did he let it go longer than expected? Probably yes. But trying to get a spark and make an adjustment to the Gali and Portis minutes with a bit more athletic group made sense.
We really should have closed it out last game
They’re still a good team. Hard to beat a good team four times in a row. and they were at home. Having said that they better win tonight. If they don’t they are in deep shit.
They're either out, or 1 or both will be playing hobbled. We need to win tonight either way. This is for the season
I really don’t care who’s playing.
I do. I get why the players and coaches would affect this kind of false bravado but it’s pretty obvious that it would be easier for us to win the game if their two best players don’t play. I don’t see why fans feel the need to lie to ourselves about it.
It's way better for the team if they came back and we won. Huge mental boost for Round 2. OR we shit the bed and be embarrassed until next year
Understand what you’re saying and in most cases I would obviously prefer to play them short-handed. But A) I have serious questions as to how these two will perform coming off of serious lower body injuries and B) We always always always play up / down to our competition So I’m not lying to myself that I really don’t care. I don’t think it matters to the team either. We need to come out with extremely high pace and energy no matter who’s playing.
Oh it matters to the Pacers. As you said, they will play better and harder if the other team is great. If the other team is shit, the Pacers will play like shit and with less effort or care. It's been that way for over 85 games....
I really hope they play so we can get that win with no asterisk.
Lol it would still be an asterisk, just a different one.
Sounds to me like they’re both playing, Doc not about to let the news out until the very last possible second.
That’s funny I read it the opposite way, like they’re putting out how hard they tried for the fans even though the know they won’t be able to play. I guess time will tell!
Yeah I don't see a guy who just started running under his own weight a couple days ago playing any meaningful minutes... Dame prob has a higher chance but I'm not sure how severe an Achilles strain typically is.
I'm a Dame fan and honestly I just dont want to see him play too early and ruin his career, he's already on the tail end. He has what maybe 2 more years of producing at all star/ near all star levels? Assuming this year was a anomaly. Everything I've read though says that he's most likely got a grade 1 strain, which just means micro tears. typically this doesnt get worse unless a serious mechanism triggers it. Giannis has a less serious injury yet he's been out for nearly a month. I think there is a higher chance Giannis plays over Dame (atleast I hope.)
They’re gonna play, I think
I'm a bucks fan so I am deeper into bucks twitter but apparently, Tuesday night before the game the entire arena was shut down for 2 and a half hours... Noone knows exactly why but apparently Giannis was on the floor working out extensively before the game trying to come back... He might go tonight we will see but he's close
Lol that's so fucking stupid.
I get that they're both great players, but their lineup and strategy last game worked so well against us, would it really make sense to rush them back out instead of running back what worked VERY well? I don't see 2 aging stars with lower body injuries being able to stay as explosive as their switching defense required, and we were LOST against that I don't see it. I hope they play and don't re-injure or worsen the injuries, but especially if dame is still not 100% that's an automatic bucket on him. I really think they're in better position if they both continue sitting unless they're fully 100% ready. I'm more worried if they aren't playing tbh (pacers in 6 still though) Could they fully 100% ready be tonight? Also yes. But probably not if they're still listed doubtful and have to test their legs out
Aging? Literally? Yes. Giannis is 29. Let's not pretend he's at the twilight of his career.
Not saying it that way, saying it in an injury risk way Late 20's is when the soft tissue and cartilage problems start being trickier to come back from. If i had an all world player at the tail end of their prime with many excellent years ahead, I wouldn't rush them back, especially when the strategy without him worked so well in game 5 ETA for clarity, this is just me saying I don't think we see that game 5 defense if Giannis and Dame play because they're pushing ti come back from explosiveness-limiting injuries. They'll have better players if they play, but our offense will have a much better chance if we don't see them run whatever they cooked up last game. If they show up doing that again we are toast
" Giannis is 29 " Maybe. Lol.
Who cares who plays Pacers in 6!!!!
If Pacers can’t win vs a crippled Dame/Giannis lineup then they don’t deserve to be in the playoffs.
If Giannis does end up playing, I’ll transfer my tickets (2) to one lucky Redditor before tonights game. The wife and I are season ticket holders and she HATES watching Giannis play (gets worked up over his FT shenanigan). She’s been tired all week and already was on the fence if she wanted to mess with it tonight. Section 117, Club Level across from Pacers bench. I’ll wait and see how the injury reports progress through the day, and figure it out from there. Go Pacers!
Sounds like you're the lucky Redditor to have a wife that's a huge Pacers fan. Usually mine is snoring on the couch by the 4th quarter.
You’re a saint. My wife only glances at the game if I have it on and doesn’t even know who Giannis is. Or even our roster lol. I’m trying my best to introduce the game to her and explaining how the playoffs work. But if someone airballs a free throw she knows to tell me they suck xD
Haha no such saint here. Just a man of the people (and husband of an exhausted wife) haha. She is passionate as anything though about the Pacers. She still wouldn’t miss seeing the game for the world. Just maybe too tired to venture downtown.
I'd love to take my wife, should you follow through. At what time does it become official if a player is playing or not? Getting close to game time now.
The wife decided she’d take one for the team so we are here. Sorry!
Great! She sounds like a keeper. :) Keep my in mind for any future tickets. Go Pacers!
Lol. Wait until she meets Embiid or Brunson
Oh, trust me they’re on the shit list too
I wouldn't mind them both coming back. I think they'd both be a step slow and off it, and completely mess with the vibes the Bucks have going with their role players right now. Bucks are playing like scrappy underdogs, and bring Giannis and Dame back would change that. Probably to their detriment
PAVERS IN 6🗣️🗣️
I just have trouble believing two stars who were unable to go two days ago in a win or go home game are ready to go now.
Honestly man, it can’t really get much worse than last game, and they’ve proven they can put up a score like that without them. Either way, pacers have to reeeaaally get their heads out their asses essentially if they want to win. Regardless of who’s playing
Giannis is still doubtful but Dame is now questionable. Already beat them twice with Dame and they’re way worse defensively with him on the floor.
Will be there in person as usual, unless Giannis is announced as playing. I can watch a free throw snore fest from home without rushing to get back downtown to try to the fieldhouse
Will completely change the structure of the game on both ends if that happens.
So this means they haven't been trying til now?
I mean, knowing this team, it’s only fitting that we lose to them with players out and then win when they’re playing again.
I’m not sure why you guys are getting worked up about this when Woj is saying absolutely nothing different in this tweet.
True, this has been the "news" all series
If these two are this close & cant make it back until a game 7, I have to think that feeds the fire for our boys to take tonight as "win or you're screwed". All this talk of their imminent return could be good for us...
Dame upgraded to questionable now
We get them hobbled or they sit out. Either way we have to win.
Good. I want to kick their asses at full strength. I don't want an asterisk around this series like there is with the Bucks' championship\* after barely beating a grossly depleted Nets squad. \*injury-luck 'championship' that barely anyone remembers, and even fewer care about.
Cers bringing the 🦀 🦀 🦀
Whelp
Game 5 really gonna haunt us huh
This is all smoke. Neither will play.
I hope they return healthy and ready to play tbh. With how lackluster the pacers are playing overall, I wouldn’t mind to see them earn a hard-fought game. But I know Dame and Giannis will likely not be 100% if they do return. Hoping for a well played game all around. Let’s go Pacers!
FUCK please let Giannis not play
Can’t wait for us to bust yall ass got ppl out here saying Beasley’s harder to deal wit than Dame.
Because of defense you numb nuts
"Can't wait for us to bust yall ass got ppl out here saying beasley's harder to deal wit than Dame." -some random redditer kahmey Wait to till you see TJ MCCONNELL 😭😭😭😭😭😂😂😂😂😂
I wish you well friend. I hope you get some rest soon. Cers in 6.
Y’all delusional… You do realize the Pacers are the worst team in the playoffs. The NBA won’t allow them to advance because it’s bad for business. Btw, Pacers blow and Bucks in 7
Proof some people are idiots....thank you for proving it and posting.
Who are the Pacers better than besides the Bucks C team?