O'Brien Instills Fighting Attitude on the Pacers
November 5th 2007 04:25
Back in 2002, head coach Jim O'Brien guided the Boston Celtics to the Eastern Conference Finals. Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker led an up-tempo offense designed to outrun and outscore the opposition. In a short span of time, the Celtics were back in the hunt labeled as contenders. But it sure didn't last long enough. Soon other eastern teams caught up with them. The Celtics got fewer wins the following season and left much earlier in the post-season.
Soon enough, O'Brien was replaced in mid-season as Boston's head coach two years since making it to the Eastern Finals. He came back the following season to coach in his hometown Philadelphia as he led the Sixers to a 43-39 record and reached the playoffs yet again. But his stint with Philly proved to be short lived as he took two years off the NBA after his first and only season with them.
Now in the 2007-2008 season, O'Brien is back, this time, with the Indiana Pacers.
Indiana is coming off a 35-47 season and had just missed the playoffs for the first time since '97. O'Brien replaced Rick Carlisle prior to the season and willn be looking to guide the Pacers back to winning ways. Knowing the type of offense that coach Jim implements, there certainly are players who will benefit from his system.
One of those guys is six-year vet Jamaal Tinsley. In the Pacers season-opener, Tinsley displayed his ferlessness and terrific clutch play that made him a rookie sensation in 2001. He netted 16 of his 20 points in the 4th quarter and in overtime in a 119-110 win against the Gilbert Arenas-powered Washington Wizards. Tinsley actually almost had a triple-double in that game being only two assists and a rebound away from doing so. O'Brien instantly ressurected Jamaal's game with the system allowing the point guard to create for himself and his teammates by breaking up his man. Tinsley definitely has that kind of ability and it will be more maximized this season compared to the much more structured Carlisle system.
The two guys in the Pacers lineup that has been "pacing" Indiana in scoring so far this season are Danny Ganger and Mike Dunleavy Jr. Granger and Dunleavy are both averaging a little over 22 points a game.
In the Pacers second win of the season, Granger 10 of 13 from the field in the process of scoring 25 points to go with 9 rebounds to lead Indiana past the Miami Heat in a low-scoring 87-85 victory. Meanwhile, Dunleavy starred in their third straight win, this time, pounding the Memphis Grizzlies 121-111. Coach Mike Dunleavy Sr.'s chip off the old block had 27 points and 8 rebounds to help the Pacers remain unbeaten.
If the Granger-Dunleavy tandem is leading the team in scoring, where on earth is Jermaine O'Neal? Actually, O'Neal sat out his team's season opener against Washington due to a hypeextended knee but he came back in the game against Miami and tallied 10 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 blocks in only 24 minutes of playing time. His assist total tied his career high in that department. O'Neal has been Indiana's premier scoring option for years but now prefers to soften up the opposing defense with his post passing. This is actually a fine tactic as this set-up lessens the likelihood of O'Neal to reinjure his healing knee and opens up opportunities for his teammates to be more productive and the Pacer offensive to become more versatile.
O'Brien also commends the blue-collar work being done by the supporting cast made up of Ike Diogu, Kareem Rush, Marquis Daniels, David Harrison, Jeff Foster, Stephen Graham and Travis Diener. In those names, Diogu deserves special mention in his performance so far in this point of the season. The former Arizona State star is producing in double figure scoring with 13.7 a game. Diogu proved that he can be counted on if he starts or coming of the bench.
In the three straight games that Indiana won, It can very well be said that this team can definitely find ways to win. But it's still too early in the season and they have yet to be tested when they go up against stiffer competition in future games.
Coach O'Brien has done a pretty good job at reinventing the Pacers style of play for the better. it may remain to be seen how they will do for the rest of the seson but the fighting attitude that the Pacers have right now is a great character to have considering they are on a playoff comeback trail.
Jim O'Brien returns NBA coaching to fire up the Pacers
Soon enough, O'Brien was replaced in mid-season as Boston's head coach two years since making it to the Eastern Finals. He came back the following season to coach in his hometown Philadelphia as he led the Sixers to a 43-39 record and reached the playoffs yet again. But his stint with Philly proved to be short lived as he took two years off the NBA after his first and only season with them.
Now in the 2007-2008 season, O'Brien is back, this time, with the Indiana Pacers.
Indiana is coming off a 35-47 season and had just missed the playoffs for the first time since '97. O'Brien replaced Rick Carlisle prior to the season and willn be looking to guide the Pacers back to winning ways. Knowing the type of offense that coach Jim implements, there certainly are players who will benefit from his system.
One of those guys is six-year vet Jamaal Tinsley. In the Pacers season-opener, Tinsley displayed his ferlessness and terrific clutch play that made him a rookie sensation in 2001. He netted 16 of his 20 points in the 4th quarter and in overtime in a 119-110 win against the Gilbert Arenas-powered Washington Wizards. Tinsley actually almost had a triple-double in that game being only two assists and a rebound away from doing so. O'Brien instantly ressurected Jamaal's game with the system allowing the point guard to create for himself and his teammates by breaking up his man. Tinsley definitely has that kind of ability and it will be more maximized this season compared to the much more structured Carlisle system.
Tinsley fits well in the new Pacers style of play.
The two guys in the Pacers lineup that has been "pacing" Indiana in scoring so far this season are Danny Ganger and Mike Dunleavy Jr. Granger and Dunleavy are both averaging a little over 22 points a game.
Danny Granger leads the Pacers in scoring together with Mike Dunleavy Jr.
In the Pacers second win of the season, Granger 10 of 13 from the field in the process of scoring 25 points to go with 9 rebounds to lead Indiana past the Miami Heat in a low-scoring 87-85 victory. Meanwhile, Dunleavy starred in their third straight win, this time, pounding the Memphis Grizzlies 121-111. Coach Mike Dunleavy Sr.'s chip off the old block had 27 points and 8 rebounds to help the Pacers remain unbeaten.
If the Granger-Dunleavy tandem is leading the team in scoring, where on earth is Jermaine O'Neal? Actually, O'Neal sat out his team's season opener against Washington due to a hypeextended knee but he came back in the game against Miami and tallied 10 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 blocks in only 24 minutes of playing time. His assist total tied his career high in that department. O'Neal has been Indiana's premier scoring option for years but now prefers to soften up the opposing defense with his post passing. This is actually a fine tactic as this set-up lessens the likelihood of O'Neal to reinjure his healing knee and opens up opportunities for his teammates to be more productive and the Pacer offensive to become more versatile.
O'Neal's passing game will improve the Pacer's dynamics.
O'Brien also commends the blue-collar work being done by the supporting cast made up of Ike Diogu, Kareem Rush, Marquis Daniels, David Harrison, Jeff Foster, Stephen Graham and Travis Diener. In those names, Diogu deserves special mention in his performance so far in this point of the season. The former Arizona State star is producing in double figure scoring with 13.7 a game. Diogu proved that he can be counted on if he starts or coming of the bench.
Ike Diogu is proving to be an important cog at Indiana.
In the three straight games that Indiana won, It can very well be said that this team can definitely find ways to win. But it's still too early in the season and they have yet to be tested when they go up against stiffer competition in future games.
Coach O'Brien has done a pretty good job at reinventing the Pacers style of play for the better. it may remain to be seen how they will do for the rest of the seson but the fighting attitude that the Pacers have right now is a great character to have considering they are on a playoff comeback trail.
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