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Geregistreerd op: 18 Okt 2019
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 Geplaatst: 30-11-2019 02:39:53 Onderwerp: They had work ethics off the charts and are |
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| INDIANAPOLIS -- Paul George put an emphatic 360-degree twist on the Pacers latest blowout. Air Max 270 Pas Cher Du Tout . Lob Citys stars just watched in amazement. George scored 36 points, the last two on a reverse windmill dunk that brought fans to their feet and the Clippers to their knees in Indianas 106-92 rout Saturday night. "It was just instinctive," George said after helping to end the Clippers five-game winning streak. "I wanted to put on a show for the fans." The entire season has been a showcase for the Pacers (32-7), who have the NBAs best record, the leagues best home record at 21-1 and a 3 1/2-game lead in the Eastern Conference over two-time defending champion Miami. Georges highlight-reel dunks and Lance Stephensons increasingly commonplace poses are all becoming part of Indianas normal routine. George, last years Most Improved Player, has six 30-point games and 27 20-point games this season. The 23-year-old emerging star is ranked among the league leaders in scoring, free throw percentage and steals, and he might be higher in rebounds and assists if the Pacers werent blowing teams out with regularity. Critics might contend the only real thing missing from his resume is pizazz. Those complaints disappeared with one dunk contest move that George saved for game time. Armed with a 20-point lead and a clear path to the basket, he leapt in the air, spun around, slammed the ball with one hand, stuck the landing and ran back to play defence. Fans and most of his teammates immediately jumped to their feet. "I just wanted to celebrate," Stephenson said. "I didnt want to get back on defence. Ive not seen one like that in a game Ive been in." Indiana fans havent seen anything quite like this season, either, not even when Reggie Miller was running the show. The Pacers have now won four straight, all by at least 14 points, and fell just short of winning four in a row by 20 or more points for the first time in franchise history. All this came on a night Indiana wasnt even at full strength in the second half. Power forward David West was ejected at halftime after the officials gave him a flagrant 2 foul after a replay review. All-Star centre Roy Hibbert and Wests backup, Luis Scola, started the fourth quarter on the bench in foul trouble and wound up taking the rest of the night off. Indiana didnt even need them. George barely missed, going 12 of 17 from the field, 5 of 6 on 3-pointers and 7 of 7 from the free throw line. He had six points and three steals, too. Stephenson, who leads the NBA with three triple-doubles, settled for 22 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists. Indianas bench pitched in, too. Danny Granger added 12 points and now has nine double-figure games in 14 appearances this season, while C.J. Watson had 11 points. The Clippers bigger problem was Indianas stout defence. Indiana had a 48-39 rebounding edge, a 42-32 edge on points in the paints and limited the high-scoring Clippers to 39.8 per cent from the field and six fast-break points. Jamal Crawford finished with 22 points off the bench, while Blake Griffin had 19 points and rebounds and DeAndre Jordan finished with 12 points and 17 rebounds to lead Los Angeles (28-14). That wasnt nearly enough to keep up with the Pacers, who ended the Clippers run of four consecutive 109-point games. "We didnt play well at all," Clippers coach Doc Rivers said. "I thought their defence really rushed us. We talked about how they tried to channel you into their bigs and we kept falling for it over and over again. We just didnt execute offensively." Indiana led 28-18 after one, 45-27 midway through the second and by as much as 20 in the third quarter before the Clippers showed any indication they may rally. Crawford spurred a 9-3 run to end the third quarter and got the Clippers within 81-72 early in the fourth. But a layup from Stephenson started a 17-4 run, capped by Georges incredible dunk that gave the Pacers lots of momentum heading into a five-game West Coast swing that begins Monday at Golden State. "Its just guys rising up to the occasion and stepping up," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. "Lance and Paul, they can do a lot of things." Notes: Indiana completed its first season sweep of the Clippers since 2005-06. ... The Clippers five-game winning streak matched a season best. ... Hibbert finished with five blocks, all in the first quarter. ... Indiana has won 20 games this season by 10 or more points. Nike Air Max 270 Destockage . -- Billy Donovans bench came up big, bailing out top-seeded Florida in a tight game against what was supposed to be an overmatched opponent. Nike Air Max Pas Cher Chine . The two-time Olympic halfpipe gold medallist informed ESPN on Monday he plans to compete in Apsen, Colo. https://www.grossistechaussurepascher.fr/ . Moors, from Cambridge Ont., landed a double-twisting, double somersault in the layout position, en route to a score of 14.600 points in the womens floor exercise, more than a full point ahead of runner-up Pia Tolle of Germany.FIVE QUICK HOOPS THOUGHTS 1. SPURS WIN TITLE: The model NBA franchise. Bottom line, Im hopeful that everyone saw how beautiful the game is when its played with the team concept in mind and thats the right way to play. In a society where if very "Copycat" aligned, this could be a really good development for the game as a whole on all levels. Every coach out there has the blueprint that we all witnessed for the sacrifice and selfless play that is the core principle of the sport. Now its on every coach to demand that the game be played (and important for folks in authority to back this concept and their leaders) in the proper fashion with We/Us always coming first before I/Me and a guys nonsensical "brand". Youre a player, not a "brand". Its a TEAM game - always will be. Fingers crossed that young players across the globe and particularly here in North America (where some have a warped view of what the sport is) see this as a cool way of playing the game and that the "pass" is a great way of "expressing yourself". 2. LEBRON JAMES (Heat): Im tired of the knuckleheads that bash him vs. Michael Jordan. Hes a totally different player in a different era. The guy plays hard, is a great teammate and is the only reason the Heat even were able to compete in short stretches. I saw no Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Horace Grant, Toni Kucoc, John Paxson or Steve Kerr out there for Miami in this series. The guy was fighting many times on his own. Hed be a guy that I would be honoured to coach and Id say more than 99 per cent of players - current and retired - would love to have him as a teammate. Is he as good as Jordan? No. So what? Its not like he isnt laying it on the line each night. Hes still terrific and not the problem. Im far from an apologist. He has made his fair share of mistakes but at the core, he carries himself properly and values the team concept. I would take him any day of the week on my team. 3. CARMELO ANTHONY (Knicks): I said this after Game 4 and Ill say it again, I think the Melo to Miami rumours were a distraction to the Heat - particullarly to guys like Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. Air Max 270 Pas Cher Homme. By the way, the two of them played poorly to say the least (24 points combined on 26 shots in Game 5). Not sure where he ends up but hes a wonderfully talented player who is an amazing scorer who Im not totally sold understands the 10-man (5-on-5) game and the value of team play. He needs a very strong coach and point guard to get him to see the light. In my opinion, Jason Kidd really helped him last season in his final year as a player, allowing him to understand the right way to play. With him though, its a daily fight to continue to get him to shake off bad habits and buy in to the value of the team game. He knows right from wrong - hes a big boy with tons of talent and money. Accountability is key with him. You keep him on the right path and he can really help you but you have to battle him every day. Ask George Karl - thats tiring. It can be done though. You need great energy and persistence to get him to do it each day. Teams need to decide if they want to fight that fight. 4. SHANE BATTIER and RAY ALLEN (Heat): Battier has already announced his retirement (guys actually retire? Not too often these days - normally guys hang on for anther deal as long as possible) and Allen might choose the same path. Both of them are FIRST CLASS, top-notch professionals who got everything out of their games. They had work ethics off the charts and are coachable. Wonderful examples of the best the game has to offer. Have always admired their approach. When you think of all the lucky guys who had a chance to play with these guys over the years, it has made the game better. Their influence and maturity were impactful, as was their play. 5. DAVID BLATT (Coach): Has had great success overseas and in international competition. Happy to see his name mentioned for the Cavaliers head coaching job as well as the top assistant job with the Warriors. Long overdue. Hes a top-notch offensive coach and gets a ton out of the talent level at his disposal. Very adaptable and creative. Would be a nice addition to the NBA coaching fraternity in some role. ' ' ' |
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