What Indiana Pacers did to beat Sacramento Kings in a new way | Mathurin, Siakam, Nembhard shine

What Indiana Pacers did to beat Sacramento Kings in a new way | Mathurin, Siakam, Nembhard shine

Pacers win again. They’ve won four out of six. Their defense was pretty good outside of one stretch. Their offensive process was awesome, especially in the first half. Their big three very good. Ethan Thompson starts but really makes it happen at the close. And we’ll open the notebook from Pacers Kings on today’s Locked on Pacers podcast. You are Locked on Pacers, your daily Indiana Pacers podcast, part of the Locked On podcast network. Your team every day. What’s up everybody? Happy Tuesday and welcome in to another edition of the Locked On Pacers podcast where we of course talk about the Indiana Pacers. As always, my name’s Tony East. I cover the team for Forbes and Circle City Spin. And today the Pacers won again. That’s four of their last six. another two in a row. They’ve not beaten very good teams in the stretch, but they’re very obviously playing better if you watching them at all. If you’ve been watching them on defense, if you’ve been seeing those field goal percentage numbers, look at that. The Pacers are making shots and actually guarding and looked better than the Kings for almost all this game outside of one putrid stretch, which is the story of their season, but they were better enough in their good play that their bad play did not actually sink them. So much to get to from this one. how the Pacers did this in a very weird way offensively. Their big three being very good, their defense, Ethan Thompson started and certainly keeps earning the role. Who needs the paint and the defense and we’ll open the notebook at the end. Okay, I want to start with what made this game so funky and interesting to me from a Pacers perspective and that is the way it really got split up makes the stats not look so crazy by the end of the game. But the Pacers free throw attempt numbers were so interesting. In the first half they were living at the line, right? Uh and the Pacers finished the game to be clear with 28 free throw attempts. Okay, that’s a healthy number if you go look at their season numbers. 28 right in the middle 11th 12th of their total season. I promise this will be interesting in a second. In the first half of the game, 22, excuse me, 20 free throw attempts, eight in the second half. The Kings had 15 in the first half and they kept that closer to alive but also dipped down to eight. The game got kind of changed in intensity and paint pressure and fight and officiating a little bit in the second half and that really made for a funky Pacers offensive night where they did not score in the paint and still had a healthy offensive game. 34 points in the paint for the Pacers in this game is super low. Like if they lose a game where they scored 38 point 34, what am I saying? 34 points in the paint. I would be talking on this podcast like, man, they’ve got to get in the paint better. They’ve got to play from there. But I don’t even think they weren’t playing in the paint that much. Just the way they generated their offense from there or using that part of the floor was very different in a way that we haven’t really seen from the Pacers before. Obviously, if you get to the paint and get fouled and you attempt 20 free throws in the first half, that’s great. You’re still getting points from the paint, but you’re not actually scoring at the basket. And if you look at the Pacers shot chart in this game, you’ll see two long twos from the left side, four from the right side out of the paint, three from inside the circle, one top of the key, two outside the restricted area. Right. They won this game, but their offense was, to be clear, pretty good. Like I thought their process was fine. The shots they took, I thought were not all good, but mostly good. They made they won this game because one they made those free throw attempts that they stacked up in the first half of the game which they earned. They got into the paint and got fouled. Only Andrew Demhard missed a free throw in this game. Every other player made every single free throw they took. 26 for 28. Thing two they did well is they shot the three well. Again, 40% from deep in this game for the Pacers. Just the fifth time they’ve done that in a game this season. Matherin, we’ll get to him. Is rolling from deep. This is the first time in his career he’s had 10 threes over a two-game stretch. Two threes for Ethan Thompson again, two for Andrew Nhard, two for Jarus Walker, two for Garrison Matthews. That’s all huge, right? Making jumpers is important, but they made their bread in this game with mid-range twos, which TJ McConnell does that a lot. And he was not good at that in this game. He was two for nine, but Jarus Walker was hitting midies. Andrew Nehard hit eight twos in this game. Pascal Seakum hit nine twos in this game in a game where the Pacers had 34 points in the paint. Those two players combined for 17 twos. Obviously, they are not getting all of the Pacers points in the paint. You can do the math. The Pacers won this game by making mid-range jump shots. Shots that they have a lot of guys who have a pet shot. Seakum can turn and shoot basically over anybody from anywhere. But TJ McConnell’s good from there. Nehart has spots that he gets to. Even Jarus is kind of working through this like swim move floater deal that he gets to every so often, although they only took one in this game, right? They they were working those shots. And you don’t love those if they’re at high volume. But in this one particular game, on this one night, welcome back to the OG days. The mid-range was actually an important weapon for the Pacers, and that led to just a different offensive night than you’re used to. And I thought watching this game that it wasn’t going to help the Pacers cuz early in the game that that when it was tied or close at the start, the Kings were making shots and the Pacers were getting to the foul line. And I thought, man, eventually if the Pacers can’t get to the foul line, this is going to fall apart. 60 start to the Kings in the second quarter. The Pacers weren’t getting to the foul line then. It’s a four-point game. Uh-oh. But it never went away. The Pacers kept their free throw attempt numbers up till halftime. They started to make more shots again. And so, yes, eventually their offense stopped making some of those shots, but once that came back in the final six minutes, they got it done right. They they they were only settling, I thought, for like one part of the game, and that was obviously their stretch where they looked dreadful, and the Kings made a huge dent. The Kings went from down 19 to leading by three with six minutes to go. Some of that was they finally scored, but a lot of that was the Pacers settling and their offense kind of dying. Then when the starters came back in with, you know, six minutes to go, down by four, Nemhard and Matherin and Seakum and Ethan Thompson and everybody really besides whatever center was on the floor, the centers were one for seven combined. They came back in and they immediately made shots again, jump shots, and it’s just a goofy thing. The last time the Pacers won a game where they had 34 or fewer points in the paint, was October of 2022, over three years ago. This is an atypical way for this specific team to try to score the ball, but they did a really wonderful job of actually doing it and executing that in this game. I think their shot diet from three was very healthy. 14 for 35 is good. Making your free throws really helps. Taking care of the ball. Only 13 turnovers really helps. They did a lot of little stuff well and that gave them enough error to live in the mid-range for a little bit. I’m not saying that this was a mid-range win, but it was more so that than maybe any other game this season in a way that I thought was very fascinating for the Pacers, but money at the foul line helped. Shooting threes well helped and they get a win over the Kings. The other part of this that obviously everybody’s going to point to quickly and as they should, the defense was once again quite good. Uh the Kings only score 105 and they had 101 with six minutes to go and the it looked like the Pacers were about to give this one away after that dreadful stretch to start the fourth. It’s 10197 after Russell Westbrook hits a mid-range shot himself with 559 to go and the the um Matherin and Seakum and Thompson and Nemhard came in with 754 to go and the game was Pacers up by two at that stage. The lead had already gone away without them on the floor. And from that six-minute basket from Westbrook on, the Kings got a 4-foot bucket from Demar De Rozan and a fadeaway Russ mid-range shot with 259 to go. With 259 to go, Russ hit that shot. The Kings did not score again the rest of the game. Turnover from Lavine, miss at the layup. Miss layup, excuse me, from Westbrook. Westbrook turnover, Lavine turnover, missed to Rosen in the lane. The Pacers walled off the paint. Their offense was good. They were getting to the basket in this stretch of the game after some huge threes from Nhard Matherin, but their defense was awesome late and it really was at most stretches of the game. The stretch where the the Kings came back which was like early to mid third to mid fourth that 12ish minutes of play the Pacers defense was not particularly good. I would say the other 36 35 whatever minutes it was once again quite good. The Kings in this game did not shoot well from three and they only took 22 threes by the way. So, the Pacers were really stressing with work in the paint and defending around the basket. The Kings only 23 turnovers. The Pacers kept their fouls to 15. 19 turnovers for the Kings. I think I said turnovers a second. I meant 23 free throws for the Kings. 19 turnovers for the Kings. The Pacers did very well slowing Keegan Murray. They did not make Maxine Rainard have a fun night in the paint. Zack Lavine goes six for 13. Westbrook goes 10 for 16. Every bench player with the exception of Presence Aua was pretty unimpressive or uninspiring with the ball. The Pacers defense was once again good. And you can and should say, “Okay, the Pacers have won four of six. Sure, but they’ve beaten some bad teams.” They have. They’ve beaten very bad teams. The Kings are very cold of late. They did just beat the Heat. The Bulls are super cold of late. And the Wizards stink. No doubt. I’m not here to tell you they’re like impressive quality wins. First of all, the Pacers record isn’t good enough for that to really matter. But even including that stretch were two games against the Cavs and Nuggets who blew the doors off the Pacers. Even including those two games, the Pacers defensive rating since November 28th, which seems very random, but that’s when they play the Wizards. Um, and that would be about two weeks ago, little less than that. Uh, when this comes out, that will be 11 days ago. The Pacers in that stretch are eighth in defensive rating right now. And I think that every game from last night is in there. and they’re seventh in net rating in that stretch. So, obviously, again, they got pummeled twice in there, but their defense has been legitimately more impressive of late. If you’ve just watched them, you just know, right? I felt the same way about the Pacers in late 2023, in the 2023 24 season. They moved Jayen Smith into starting lineup and the numbers weren’t like jarringly different, but if you just watched the Pacers then, you knew they were defending better. That’s how I feel right now is that yes, the numbers are obviously better, but even counting in for easy schedule, just watch them. They just look better. Their transition principles are better. The way they use huff to keep them around the basket to not be, you know, defending faster guys on the perimeter is more effective. They just look better and more connected and more synergized with a plan that works for the roster they have. They look good. They looked good in this game. They beat a Sacramento team that has a lot of threatening scorers and they are now I can’t read my screen very well. I’m clicking around too much. Six and 18. Something about that is still, let’s be clear, still a terrible record. That’s a terrible terrible record. Six wins in 24 games is bad. Something about six and 18 sounds like normal to me. It sounds like normal bad and not like atrocious bad. Anyway, that’s not a compliment. The Pacers have not played well, but they have won four of six. Two other things that were huge in this game. Ethan Thompson, hello. Is this actually a thing? The top three guys were all quite good. Lot to get to coming up right here on the Lockdown Pacers podcast. But first, everybody, I very quickly need to tell you about FanDuel. NFL Sundays move so fast. One big play, suddenly everything feels different. That is what makes live betting with FanDuel so exciting. You’re not just watching the game. You are reacting to it in real time. With FanDuel, you can place bets as the action unfolds. Every drive, every momentum swing, every highlight moment. Live betting is the best when the game starts to shift. A receiver gets hot, a defense tightens up, the momentum flips after a turnover, whatever it may be. FanDuel lets you jump into the moment. Like right after Ohio State misses a chip shot field goal, live spreads and money lines adjust instantly. Player props update as guys heat up. You can bet next touchdown scores, drive results, and more. It keeps you locked into every snap, every drive, every possibility. So if you want to be right in the middle of the action this season, visit fanol.com to place your NFL live bets all season long. FanDuel, the game moves fast and so can you. We’re back here on Lock on Pacers. Thanks for making this your first listen today. And every single day, your second listen, Lockdown Kings, Matt George will tell you about the other side of this game. Hey, very quickly, I need to tell you about what we’re doing at Lockdown now. Something called the Everydayers Club. It’s very cool. Uh, it is a way for you to listen add free audio of this podcast. A membersonly disc D discord and more for the most loyal fans of whatever show, this show, your favorite locked on podcast, whatever it can be. I’ll put a link to it in the description of this. But, um, I I think you should look into it if especially if you already are an everyday who listens every single day. It’s a cool thing to be locked on Pacers everyday listener. Okay, let’s continue here. Pacers Kings. Uh, the top three guys shined again. This was something I talked about after Pacers Bulls. This has been a theme for a lot of the Pacers better stretches this season. Their top three, their best three. Calling it a big three seems silly because that phrase has been used for like three studs, but these are good players. Uh Ben Matherin, great game again, 25 points in the flow. It was not like the Bulls game in that I said after that game, what really impressed me about Matherin is that was his high one of his higher scoring games this season. In fact, it was second, but he didn’t have any like massive burst quarter. He didn’t have over 10 in any quarter. In this game, he did. In the first quarter, he was quite hot, but he still played well. Four for nine from deep seven. Total makes 25 points for Ben Matherin. Pascal Seakkum. I think Rick Carlo set it perfectly. You just kind of get used to this in a way that we maybe shouldn’t with Pascal Seakum. Uh the exact quote from uh Rick Carl postgame is Pascal is a guy we take for granted. He just goes out there and he produces great numbers virtually every night. A lot of people dismiss this because it’s what he does. And I totally agree. I totally agree. Pascal Seakum in this game 23 points, five rebounds, four assists. That’s basically his averages for the season. That was basically an average game and he was quite good. Plus 14 at team high for him in this one. So that’s 48 points combined for two the big three. And Andrew Nhard fantastic 10 for 18 on his way to 28 points. If he made all his free throws, he would had 30 to go with four rebounds, 12 assists, and two steals. He was everywhere. I think the thing with Nemhard that I keep looking at is these assist numbers. keep jumping out right at me and going, “Whoa.” This is perhaps the best sign of Pacers offensive connectivity. His last five games with assists are 12776 and six. He’s obviously been around four to six the whole season. This is his most consistent stretch of staying on that line of assist numbers this season, averaging a game over five games. And it’s just click like you can, again, you can just see it. And obviously, assist numbers are correlated with the team making shots. And the Pacers offense has made shots of late, right? If you just go through for forever, I was talking about how bad this team was at shot making. They have shot uh above 44.5% in all of their last I believe eight games now and it would have been nine out of 10. They’re only in Cleveland was their only crummy game basically in a month because you’re about to count the break of time, right? They are making shots again that’s going to make your assist numbers look better. But you also have to set up good shots to make them. And Nemhard, you can see the passing being there. You can see the offensive improvements for him as he kind of balances the right amount of probing and the right amount of setup to do with his teammates. I think he’s playing quite well. He was really, really good uh in this game. Just a couple notes on the best guys. I thought Seakum did well to see doubles and get off the ball, especially late in this game. The Kings were trapping him late to try to get him out of it. And the Pacers did a really good job uh moving it around. Ben Matherin, Rick Carlo says postgame, quote, Mather’s playing really well. I agree. The jumpers rock and he was scoring from absolutely everywhere in these games and I just think he’s been in rhythm in a way that that makes him look really effective. Like obviously in this first quarter, I already talked about this, but he did have his surge. 11 of his 25 came in that quarter, 40% of his points basically, but he still was spreading out a lot of his scoring. He still had 14 across the rest of the game. He’s just been much more comfortable with the catch and shoot of late in a way that I think is really important. Uh, and my Nemhard note, it happened against the Bulls and I didn’t realize it. I didn’t say it and it happened again tonight after an entire season of having a negative single game plus minus in every game, which is just hilarious. Like because I don’t think Andrew, even in games, he was a positive. His his plus minus was a negative. It was doing a very poor job of actually being reflective of his play to me. Two games in a row, plus four against Chicago, that was his first positive game. Then in this game, plus a lot. Uh, I’m on the wrong tab. Plus 13, the second best for the Pacers. That’s obviously very silly, but I couldn’t Someone pointed that set out to me. I think it was Kyle Taylor, and I was like, “That can’t be right.” It is. It was. It’s no longer correct. Uh, the top three guys all worthy of praise. We’ve done it a million times, but they all did it in different ways. And and like I went through Seakum and Matherin for a bunch of the stretch of the Bulls game. Today, it was Nemhard in the passing. If they can keep doing this, the pitchers will always have a chance, right? They’ll have three very capable players. They can keep to them out there at all times. This has been a good stretch for that group. Jay Huff had eight points and seven rebounds. He was the the in four blocks in four blocks in 31 minutes. He’s a block machine. He was the fifth starter. He’s going to or the fourth starter, excuse me. He’s going to be the fourth starter for a long time. The fifth starter today with no Shepard, no Smith was Ethan Thompson. And that’s the last guy I want to get to before we do the notebook because this is crazy, man. He’s looking good. This guy wasn’t in the NBA 10 days ago. And the Pacers scoop him up in the last day in November on a two-way instead of Ray Jay Dennis who already landed with the Clippers. I don’t know if everybody saw that. And I’d never seen him play in the NBA cuz he hadn’t. He only played in preseason games. I’d seen him kick the Mad’s butt in the G-League, but we’ve seen what that has and has not done for players in the past. Like Mac McClung, for example. Not saying Mac McClung was bad, but you know what? G-League success not always indicative of of NBA sustainability. And I’m not even saying Ethan Thompson’s going to keep doing this, but man has he been good. He was awesome in Chicago and in this game against the Kings. Six points, five rebounds, two steals, no turnovers. 27 minutes and 46 seconds of play. Really, really good stuff from Ethan Thompson who’s just filling in the gaps. He’s not afraid to keep it mo like he has the shepherd syndrome of like feeling like he always has to do something, which is good, but he’s not overthinking it. He’s not being too jittery. He’s making his shots. He has been very good. So, in these two last two games, the first two meaningful rotation games of his career, and he’s been like, “Yep, I’m ready.” And that’s huge for the Pacers that he’s been doing this. Now, his real impact on this game is actually less to do with any well, not any less to do with just reading the stats and seeing that he made two threes. That’s all great. He’s defending pretty well. He’s getting hard matchups. That’s all great. He closed the door of this game. He slamed shut on the Kings with huge plays in crunch time. None of which were making shots. 108 103 after a Demar D Rozan finger roll. 3:30 to go. Pascal Siaka misses a jump shot. Uh-oh. Deep in the shot clock. No worries. Who else but Ethan Thompson’s going to come over and get the offensive rebound. And then immediately he gets it to Pascal again who’s open from three. He misses again. No worries. Here comes one Ethan Thompson to get once again an offensive rebound. The possession ends with Seakum scoring at the basket. Pacers go up seven. Then a steal uh a few possessions later. Another offensive rebound after Matherin misses a three with a minute 28 to go in a five-point game. Ethan Thompson was everywhere. They didn’t credit him with the steal. I didn’t realize this. The ball got thrown under the basket and he clearly stole it. They gave it Jayhuff did tip it, but they gave it to Jay Huff. Uh the Pacers actually did turn it over, but you ended possession and he was guarding very well. Ethan Thompson was awesome to close this game. Awesome. We’ll see what he can continue to be. He’s played four NBA games now. His sample size is so low. He could immediately stink in a couple games. It could happen. But he has been a legitimately good and useful player in consecutive wins for the Pacers. And here’s why it was so fascinating that he closed the game like I just described. Because I mentioned Seakum double teams not very long ago. Seakum saw a double on a on a play late and all of his doubles were coming the same way. It wasn’t the closest two defenders. It was Seakum’s man and Ethan Thompson’s man was like, “I’m going to go guard Pascal Seakum. I don’t care about guarding this guy.” And most of Thompson’s made shots came well before that strategy was deployed. If you’re not being guarded, you had to find other ways to help. Great. Go run in and get every loose ball and every rebound and guard Demar Rozan. That’s how you make it so it doesn’t matter that you’re not being guarded. Great stuff from Ethan Thompson late. We’ll see if this continues, but this has certainly been fun. Doesn’t sound like N Smith and Shepard are like super super close. So, this might be a thing that keeps happening. Can I say I’m opposed to him continuing to start? I would think long term and start Jarus Walker myself at this stage of the season, but I get it. If this is the guy that’s going to glue everything together, go for it. Uh, let’s empty the notebook. So much to get to still from this game. Garrison Matthews, Johnny Fury, Jarus Walker. So many more things to come here to close out today’s lockdown on Pacers. But first everybody, let’s quick talk about Mint Mobile. You know, there’s no reason to let big wireless drain your wallet, especially during the holidays. Right now, Mint Mobile is running their best deal of the year. All of their unlimited plans are 50% off. That means you can lock in three, six, or even 12 months of unlimited premium wireless for just 15 bucks a month. It’s the easiest way to take your overpriced phone bill and give it the full Scrooge treatment. And what makes this even better is how simple and it makes the switch. 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Has to be locked on Pelicans. Derek Queen, what a second half. This stat line looks crazy. Most of it coming in the third and fourth quarters. Kid might be good. Trade was still dumb, but the kid might be good. Look at him go. Okay, let’s get through many other things from this game. I thought it was so funny early in this game when Jay Huff faked a three and Maxi Marina just jumped as high as he could and full speed at him to try to block it. This is the first play of the game. Jay Huff walked right past him, threw a foul. First two points of the game for the Pacers were Juff free throws. First two points for any team in this game. Poor Maxim Rain, who’s a good player. Uh what are you doing? What was that? Uh Jay Huff though, besides that, the block machine was the thing for him as usual. It’s just been ridiculous. Uh at halftime of this basketball game, Jay Huff had four blocks and Isaiah Jackson had two. The Kings had one as a team, right? Those two were doing a good job protecting the paint in a game that the Pacers weren’t scoring at the paint themselves. You got to get the paint point balance in your favor in some way. There you go. That’s a good way to do it. Uh Jarus Walker after a crummy game where he had to learn, he had to sit with it. He had to watch that Bulls game. He got benched until late. Played much better. Uh Ricardo acknowledged that post game as well. It was quieter, right? It wasn’t like a dominant or anything, but three three for five. He took five shots. He had 12 points. He made all his free throws. He made two threes, two turnovers is not great, but three boards and an assist. Good game from Jarus Walker back in it. Putting his best foot forward. Some great defensive reps on Malik Monk in this game as well. And Malik Monk went a whopping 0 for five from the field. Jarus Walker deserves a lot of credit for that. Speaking of good defensive reps from Young Wings, Johnny Fury better. At least you’re seeing him, right? That his first game back you saw nothing. That was against Denver. in Chicago. Okay, there’s a little more here, a little more there. Then in this game, 10 and a half minutes for Johnny Fury. He made a three. It looked very comfortable. Then he took another one right after that looked very uncomfortable and he completely missed it. So he’s got to figure out when his shots are coming a little bit for confidence. But two steals, two boards, and a and a turnover is not great. But one of his steals came where he’s guarding Zack Lavine. And Lavine’s trying to drive left and just go right through this smaller kid that they joked looks like a middle schooler last year. The Pacers did. And Fury stood him up and was awesome and tough and hung on him and battled and got a steal on that play on a stud who just scored 40ome points against the Miami Heat. That was a big play. That was one of the big first like, okay, there’s a thing Johnny Fury is doing that, you know, they can see, okay, maybe he’ll be a great defender if he keeps on this path. And that’s what Eddie Garrison and I talked about, you know, last week. What do we want to see from him? What are he going to be, man? What’s he going to be when he’s playing for real? Uh, this is for real and he’s getting some stops. He’s got to shoot a little better and find more offensive impact. But that was all very noteworthy. Russell Westbrook was cracking me up in this game. He played very well to his credit. uh triple double. And I didn’t even realize when if you had asked me what I thought Russell Westbrook’s stats were when he got his triple double, I would have said like eight points, five rebounds, and four assists. He finished with 24 points, 12 boards, 14 assists. He was very good. He was very, very hard to stop. He also hit a three on the first possession, like smacked his head and was looking at Ben Matherin, and then he rocked the baby a bunch, and he was talking to the Pacers bench. None of this was problematic. It was just very funny and a part of the game. Uh but good for Russell Westbrook, who just the Pacers had no answers for. Uh and that was part of why their lead evaporated. at one point. Uh, one play that made me laugh was the Kings went to this zone press and I actually want to talk about this player at the end, but it just led to a wideopen corner three for the Pacers that they turned into a four-point play. And it’s some of that stuff that’s like, man, as good as the Pacers played and you can see their field goal percentage be better, which it was never for a long time. They only shot 44% in this game, but that’s much better than it was early in the season. I mean, the Kings defense was just very silly and at times pathetic, but then the Pacers played meh and they were up by 12, right? That’s the sign of an improving team is that they can play bad and be better and even on possessions where they didn’t play awesome, they would just get a nice easy look like they would just move the ball around to do nothing and suddenly they were open. So that’s some of that’s the Kings just not being very good. Some of that is the Pacers finally being a more capable team. Last guy I want to do notes from because who knows if we’ll do it again. So, I mentioned a play not too long ago where the Kings and I mean this was less than a minute ago. You sure remember the Kings went zone on a press and they just did not guard the corner at all and the Pacers threw it to like half court and they just turned and I forget who threw it to Garrison Matthews, but Garrison Matthews was just completely wide open for a corner three. I mean, of all the players to lose, maybe the best shooter on the Pitcher and he had another corner three, I think, on his very next shot attempt. Maybe don’t leave Garrison Matthews open in the corners. Uh yes. Okay. His second three came with 125 to go in the first quarter and Matthews first three was uh before that against Yeah. with 446 to go as Drew Eubanks got out on him. Like maybe don’t do that. The game ends. So first of all, that was a funny press break. Like how one, how do you not guard the corner? I I get that you don’t think that that pass might be there, but like that is the easiest shot in basketball is a corner three that’s wide open. Or at least like not the easiest shot. It’s the best points per shot jump shot in basketball and the Kings just let it happen and then foul him. Uh Garrison Matthews drilled it. Then he drilled another one. That’s not great if you’re the Kings. He was just at the corner a lot in this game. You can’t let him get open from there. However, he went two for six in this game and he bid did not a lot else. A block, an assist, a rebound plus seven. He was fine. So, it’s noteworthy to me that and I thought this even on his first 10day I mentioned this one time. It was the Charlotte game I think. I can’t remember. No, that can’t be right. It was a game that Jay Huff played well and whatever game Jay Huff had 14 points in like two milliseconds and the Pacers win that game. Jay Huff was just not being guarded at all early in the game. And I promise this is a Garrison Matthews thing. And he made threes and then finally that team was like, “Okay, we’ll guard Jay Huff.” This was the Bulls. Garrison Matthews in that exact same game. The second he checked in, the Bulls were like, “No, we’re not letting this guy get open. We’re being glued to him.” So, he did not shoot well again. He had, I would say, two really solid games on the second 10day where the vision of what he could be and how he could help the Pacers was extremely obvious and that’s good. You know, I get why they would want him. Rick Carlo started him in a game and continues to turn to him even with Jeremiah Robinson on the team. Should they keep him? That was the last game on his last 10day. He cannot sign another hardship 10day or any 10day for that matter with the Pacers this year. Should they keep him over Jeremiah Robinson? I don’t know. What would I do? I would keep Jeremiah Robinson. I think he’s impressive. He’s not as good of a shotmaker as Matthews, but he’s a good rebounder. He can move on defense, but shooting is very important and the Pacers have been awful at it this year. And Matthews is historically been good at it. He wasn’t awesome on his two 10 days. He was way better as a player on the second 10day. I’m glad that happened so people could understand who he is and why the Pacers wanted him. He at least did stuff. So, we’ll see what happens with that. You know, the corner three was just like, how are you losing Garrison Matthews on a wide openen three? and he made his first two shots in this game and I think he missed the next five. So, not a great close for him as he fights to see if he should still be on the team. But I do think the decisions we’ve seen the Pacers make in the last couple days do suggest that they like him and could want to keep him. My own opinion of JRE and Garrison Matthews should be irrelevant to them obviously, but I think they should keep Jeremiah Robinson or all. I think when they get N Smith back and Shepard back, neither of these guys will play anyway, so it’s not a huge deal. But which one is more likely to figure for you either this season or beyond? the rebounding defense guy. There are more ways you can use him. Obviously, the shooter can basically be in any lineup, but they have other shooters. Nmith can shoot, for example, is one of them. They don’t have as many good rebounding wings, and defense is always important, too. That seems very um simple. That seems almost too simple. And I if they keep Garrison Matthews, I would totally get it. Like, I could sit here with this mic in my hand and explain it to you and tell you why they did it. I don’t think they should do that, but they could. they might consider it. Uh, okay. That is Pacers Kings. So, we’ll be back tomorrow with it’s the cup break and it’s the first mailbag of the season. We will do another one as the usual rhythm breaks go for the NBA season. The first one is before the season, the second one is the cup break, the third one is all-star break, and the fourth one is closer to the end, but it’s the first one. Uh, I’ll tweet the prompt out tomorrow asking for questions. Um, so that’s the best way to submit them. And once I get too many, I will delete it. I apologize, but I have to limit it to the right number. We’re going to do two parts. So, uh, Wednesday’s show will be a mailbag and Friday’s show with a guest in between talking about the Pacers and who’s on their team and things of that nature. So, looking forward to this time off to really assess this team before they play again on Friday. Next week, we’ll have lots of guests as well. We’ll finally start talking trades next week because December 15th approacheth. Thank you all so much for listening today. You can find me on social media at Tony AR East and this podcast at Lockdown Pacers. Thank you guys so much for listening. We’ll see you tomorrow talking more Pacers. Till then everybody have a wonderful day.

The Indiana Pacers picked up their 4th win in 6 games by beating the Sacramento Kings on Monday. How did they do it? Why were their jumpers on point from their top talents? Host Tony East breaks it all down.

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