SB Nation Bay Area: All Posts by Tom Lewis

Pacers vs. Heat Links: Stealing Game 2 sets up epic Racers and Pacers Sunday in Indy

2013-05-25T15:17:54Z

The Indiana Pacers stole Game 2 in Miami with David West using his 7'4" wingspan to swipe a pair of turnovers on Miami's final two possessions. With the Eastern Conference Finals knotted at 1-1, the focus shifts to the Fieldhouse where a rabid crowd will support the Pacers and their effort to take a series lead in Game 3 on Sunday.

Not sure Indy could be any more electric leading up to the Sunday night tip. With the Indy 500 festivities going full throttle, the sell out crowd on Sunday night will be amped up and ready to roar.

Tons of links today but all of the words don't come close to giving the recap of Game 2 like this picture from the Indy Star's Matt Kryger. The same guy who nailed the Hibbert block of Melo is back the PG's dunk on Birdman. Spectacular!

PHOTO:@paul_george24 dunks hard on the Birdman. @indystar #pacers twitter.com/MattKryger/sta…
— Matt Kryger (@MattKryger) May 25, 2013

Check out the links:

Pacers at Heat - Game 2 - Box score and highlights

Game Rewind: Pacers 97, Heat 93, Game 2 | THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE INDIANA PACERS

NBA Playoffs 2013: Paul George ready for his return to the big stage - SBNation.com

Hibbert scores 29, George 22 as Pacers stop Geat - 1070 The Fan

Radio Highlights | Pacers Blogs

Bob Kravitz: Was Roy Hibbert in the game in the final seconds? Darned right he was. | Indianapolis Star | indystar.com

Pacers: LeBron shows the ultimate respect to Paul George | Pacers Insider

Pacers Aren't Celebrating After Game 2 Victory | THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE INDIANA PACERS

Hibbert Plays Both Ends | THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE INDIANA PACERS

Pacers edge Heat this time 97-93 to tie Eastern Conference Series at 1-1 - Hot Hot Hoops

Post-Game Grades: Pacers Steal the Ball Late, Game 2 in Miami, Home-Court Advantage | 8 Points, 9 Seconds

First Thoughts: Pacers-Heat Game 2 - Indy Sports Legends

Conference Finals Weekend Preview: Examining the Grizzlies' D and the Pacers' O - The Triangle Blog - Grantland

Miami Heat: Indiana Pacers even series - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

Paul George is welcomed into big time in Pacers' Game 2 victory - NBA - CBSSports.com News, Scores, Stats, Fantasy Advice

Winderman: LeBron's Turnovers Doom Heat

Indiana ties the Eastern Conference finals behind Roy Hibbert’s dominance and LeBron James’ miscues | Ball Don't Lie - Yahoo! Sports

Ray Allen’s shooting struggles against the Indiana Pacers continue | Ball Don't Lie - Yahoo! Sports

Pacers assistant Brian Shaw tells refs ‘Ball don’t lie’ after Ray Allen misses technical free throw | Ball Don't Lie - Yahoo! Sports

Paul George earns LeBron James' respect as Pacers show they're a worthy challenger to Heat - Yahoo! Sports

Pacers steal Game 2 away from Heat in Miami, 97-93 - AP

NBA Playoffs 2013: Pacers-Heat Game 2 in GIFs - SBNation.com

Heat vs. Pacers: Can Miami survive its Dwyane Wade problem? - SBNation.com

NBA Playoffs 2013: Roy Hibbert's defense helps key Pacers' Game 2 win over Heat - SBNation.com

Pacers dominate Heat down stretch, get split in Game 2 - Miami Heat - MiamiHerald.com

Linda Robertson: Miami Heat’s long-range game missing the mark - Linda Robertson - MiamiHerald.com

Pacers' growing resilience leads them past James, Heat - NBA - Ian Thomsen - SI.com

LeBron James he is 'nowhere near close' after being compared to God | The Point Forward - SI.com

Pacers-Grizzlies NBA Finals wuld be a dream come true - SheridanHoops.com

Pacers Announcer Mark Boyle Rips Miami Heat Fans | Page-Q

VIDEO: David West forces two late turnovers by LeBron James - CBSSports.com

Heat-Pacers: The attention paid to Roy Hibbert was justified - CBSSports.com

Video: Pacers’ Paul George throws down poster dunk on Heat’s Chris Andersen | The Point Forward - SI.com

RareInk - Paul George over Birdman

Raptors in serious negotiations with Nuggets GM Masai Ujiri, according to report

2013-05-25T14:33:34Z

The Toronto Raptors are working to close a deal with Masai Ujiri to become the team's next general manager, according to Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski.

Ujiri earned NBA Executive of the Year honors this past season for his front office work as GM of the Denver Nuggets. But according to Wojnarowski, Denver is not interested in a bidding war to keep their general manager when his contract ends on June 30:

Ujiri will take the next couple days to fully consider the move, but significant momentum has gathered that likely will lead to Ujiri's departure from the franchise that he completely remade into a Western Conference contender, sources told Y! Sports.

Ujiri's Denver contract expires on June 30, and it appears Nuggets ownership has no intention of making an aggressive counter to the Raptors' dogged pursuit of the NBA's Executive of the Year.

Player personnel decisions are the life blood of any NBA franchise and strong front office decision-making is even more important under the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. The new CBA pushes teams toward adhering to the salary cap, with larger penalties for going over. Mistakes in managing the cap and player production per dollar will be magnified going forward.

The Raptors are already bumping up against the projected salary cap tax line for next season, so they will need strong leadership in the front office to find the right deals and players at the right price to improve their results on the court. Should he depart from Denver, Ujiri will leave behind a similar situation with the Nuggets, who had a strong regular season but will be looking to improve after losing in the first round of the playoffs.

More from SB Nation:

• LeBron disagrees with Jordan's scouting report

• The strangest NBA award picks

• The Nets, a coaching search and loads of cash

• 3 reasons Dwight Howard should sign with Golden State

• Prada: Would Hibbert have stopped LeBron?

• NBA mock draft consensus: Noel to Cavs | SB Nation's Big Board

NBA Playoffs 2013: NBA players enjoy Paul George dunking on Birdman

2013-05-25T13:52:26Z

Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals paused for a beat late in the third quarter while everyone around the world digested Paul George blowing by LeBron James and then throwing down a one-handed dunk on top of Chris "Birdman" Andersen.

Then came the reaction in various forms, which for several NBA players watching at home, included Twitter. Anthony Morrow summed up the initial reaction of everyone watching the game perfectly.

DAMN PG!!!!!!!!
— Anthony Morrow (@MrAnthonyMorrow) May 25, 2013

James Harden weighed in with his impression of the finish over Birdman.

Paul George dunk was crazy!!!!!!
— James Harden (@JHarden13) May 25, 2013

Jared Cunningham joined in the disbelief of what he just saw from his bud.

The big bro PG. Damn bruh @paul_george24
— Jared Cunningham (@J1Flight) May 25, 2013

Willie Green had to agree with the early reviews of the play.

Nasty is right...
— Willie Green(@DetroitWillie34) May 25, 2013

Willie Reed saw PG expressing his inner-most emotions all over Birdman and the Heat.

Paul George that's how you feel???

Chandler Parsons had the tweet of the night, though:

OH MY @paul_george24!!!! Put it on his head!
— Chandler Parsons (@ChandlerParsons) May 25, 2013

NBA Playoffs 2013: Paul George ready for his return to the big stage

2013-05-25T13:11:40Z

You have to make plays to earn genuine respect in the NBA. Make those plays in critical moments of high-profile playoff games and that respect turns into star status.

Indiana Pacers forward Paul George is suddenly a star on the big stage, engaged in a duel with LeBron James and earning the respect of the best player on the planet. Late in the third quarter of the Pacers Game 2 win over the Heat, George hesitated and then burst by James before rising and throwing down a one-handed jam over Chris Andersen.

The play passed assertive to the land of vicious. George also drew a foul on Birdman, who apparently splattered all over George Hill's shirt on the play. The fantastic finish at the rim temporarily put the Pacers up five until LeBron closed the quarter with a long three, then gave George a little dap while telling him, "I got you back, young fella."

The ultimate sign of respect for George and his game.

The nod from LeBron illustrates how far George has come in the span of just one year. Last year in the second round of the playoffs, the Heat gave PG no respect when the Pacers were on offense. In fact, they wanted him to have the ball and try to make a play because they knew he wasn't ready.

The painful truth was laid bare before George on the game film, which he wore out over the summer while working to improve his game. He realized his solid defensive play helped the Pacers slow down the Heat, but his horrid offensive play wiped out any good he did at the other end. He noticed the Heat players giving him no respect on the offensive end and vowed to change.

He went to work on his ball handling and shooting, all of which remain works in progress. But his willingness to put in the work has lifted his confidence to be a playmaker on offense and the results continue to astound as he is making big plays at big moments in big games. The results have been impressive with an All-Star appearance and selection to the All-NBA third team.

Bench coach Brian Shaw also helps fuel George's fire, continually challenging him with stories of the relentless work ethic he witnessed from Kobe Bryant. That led George to ramp up his game-day routine early in the season to add 400-500 shots and a lift a few hours before tip time. The routine took a physical toll for a couple of weeks as George started getting cramps late in games. But soon enough, he adapted to the routine and raised his level of fitness to where he can go all day now.

And not just go, but go through and over any opponent while leading his team to a conference finals win and earning the respect of the game's elite along the way.

More from SB Nation:

• LeBron disagrees with Jordan's scouting report

• The strangest NBA award picks

• The Nets, a coaching search and loads of cash

• 3 reasons Dwight Howard should sign with Golden State

• Prada: Would Hibbert have stopped LeBron?

• NBA mock draft consensus: Noel to Cavs | SB Nation's Big Board

Pacers vs. Heat, Game 2: Game thread, lineups, TV info and more

2013-05-24T21:30:07Z

2012-13 NBA Playoffs
(0-1)	@	(1-0)
May 24, 2013 - 8:30 p.m. ET
AmericanAirlines Arena - Miami, FL
TV: TNT ---- Radio: AM 1070/107.5 FM The Fan
Probable Starters
George Hill	PG	Mario Chalmers
Lance Stephenson	SG	Dwyane Wade
Paul George	SF	LeBron James
David West	PF	Udonis Haslem
Roy Hibbert	C	Chris Bosh

The Indiana Pacers head to tip time in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals with plenty of room for improvement after losing to the Miami Heat in Game 1. Of course, the Heat have similar thoughts but since we care more about the Pacers here are a few areas the Pacers need to improve:

- The Pacers had 20 turnovers which was actually one less than the Heat but entirely too many for the Pacers to absorb going forward. Even worse, 19 of those 20 gifts were donated by the starting unit, 10 by Paul George and David West alone. Appreciate the possession.

- The Pacers won the rebound battle 43-38 but that's not enough of an advantage. The Pacers have to control the glass much better and limit the Heat on the offensive glass where Miami grabbed 16 extra chances.

- George Hill and Lance Stephenson combined to make just four of 19 shot and miss all seven of their three-point attempts. These guys are Indiana's X-factor players and they were outplayed by Miami's backcourt. Stephenson seems particularly too amped up at times and had some wild shot attempts. Good, open shots but just wild misses. He's done a good job of bouncing back and getting comfortable as he finds himself in these situations with escalating importance. He'll have to grow up quick.

- The Pacers have to win the hustle plays. No play illustrated how the Heat were a step quicker to the ball than when Roy Hibbert blocked Dwyane Wade's shot only to have Norris Cole beat Paul George and David West to the ball and then turn it into a quick LeBron three-ball. Killer.

- The Pacers bench was "only" outscored 25-18 in Game 1, but Chris Andersen had 16 of those bench points for Miami. Again, a lot of that goes back to the hustle plays but a guy who averages five points per game can't get loose like that, again.

- Oh, and "Old School" David West had a monster first half and strong overall offensive effort for the Pacers. That's something that can't change.

So what other improvements are you hoping to see from the Pacers?

For more on the Heat, check out Hot Hot Hoops. Also, leave your thoughts and observations on the game in the comments.

Want to go to some upcoming Pacers games? Indy Cornrows is your source for Indiana Pacers tickets.

2012-13 NBA Playoffs
(0-1)	@	(1-0)
May 24, 2013 - 8:30 p.m. ET
AmericanAirlines Arena - Miami, FL
TV: TNT ---- Radio: AM 1070/107.5 FM The Fan
Probable Starters
George Hill	PG	Mario Chalmers
Lance Stephenson	SG	Dwyane Wade
Paul George	SF	LeBron James
David West	PF	Udonis Haslem
Roy Hibbert	C	Chris Bosh

- Oh, and "Old School" David West had a monster first half and strong overall offensive effort for the Pacers. That's something that can't change.

So what other improvements are you hoping to see from the Pacers?

For more on the Heat, check out Hot Hot Hoops. Also, leave your thoughts and observations on the game in the comments.

Want to go to some upcoming Pacers games? Indy Cornrows is your source for Indiana Pacers tickets.

Pacers vs. Heat, Game 2: Game coverage

2013-05-24T18:09:58Z

The Pacers have another chance to bring home a win from Miami when they face the Heat in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Happy Carb Day! Those heading out to IMS today should have plenty of time to continue the party this evening while finding a spot to watch the Pacers and Heat square off in Game 2.

The Pacers fell one play short in Game 1 with "The Layup" delivering a stunning loss. Time to officially move on today and put the pedal to the metal for another 48 minute battle. Consider in Game 1, the Pacers biggest lead was seven points while the Heat's largest advantage was five points. The game was tight and intense throughout, a serious pleasure to watch, final result notwithstanding.

What makes the NBA playoffs so difficult is trying to maintain that physical and mental intensity throughout a series. That will be the challenge for the Pacers tonight, especially for their younger players soaking in the spotlight of the Eastern Conference Finals. They have to step up to a higher level of play than they showed on Wednesday since LeBron and friends will be ready.

Check out the links:

The World Snarls and Vogel Smiles | THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE INDIANA PACERS

Pacers playoffs: 4 things the Indiana needs to do to even their Eastern Conference finals series with the Heat | Indianapolis Star | indystar.com

Bob Kravitz: It's not fair everybody now knows Frank Vogel's name for the wrong reasons ... but it's also deserved | Indianapolis Star | indystar.com

Roy Hibbert is in LeBron James' head - TrueHoop Blog - ESPN

Pacers have no more margin for error in Miami - 1070 The Fan

CourtVision: Roy Hibbert, the Protector - The Triangle Blog - Grantland

Pacers Playoff Central: Roy Hibbert calls out Shane Battier for dirty play | Indianapolis Star | indystar.com

Roy Hibbert of Indiana Pacers calls Shane Battier of Miami Heat dirty - ESPN

James, Bryant voted to All-NBA first team - AP

Heat’s D Exposes Granger’s Absence " NBA.com | Hang Time Blog

2013 Playoffs: Pacers-Heat Game 2 viewer's guide - Indy Sports Legends

Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel expect more in NBA Eastern Conference finals. - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

Miami Heat’s Ray Allen going back to work - Miami Heat - MiamiHerald.com Miami Heat’s Ray Allen going back to work - Miami Heat - MiamiHerald.com

Roy Hibbert Says Shane Battier Kneed Him In The Dick On Purpose - Deadspin

The Pacers Did Everything Wrong On LeBron's Buzzer-Beater - Deadspin

Heat-Pacers Game 2 Preview: Keep calm and don't lose the ball

A few thoughts about Roy Hibbert - TrueHoop Blog - ESPN

NBA Playoffs 2013: 5 things that ruled about Heat-Pacers Game 1 - SBNation.com

LeBron James, Kevin Durant headline All-NBA First Team | The Point Forward - SI.com

Pacers vs. Heat Links: Pacers have to rev it up again for Game 2 on Carb Day

2013-05-24T11:00:00Z

Happy Carb Day! Those heading out to IMS today should have plenty of time to continue the party this evening while finding a spot to watch the Pacers and Heat square off in Game 2.

Check out the links:

The World Snarls and Vogel Smiles | THE OFFICIAL SITE OF THE INDIANA PACERS

Pacers playoffs: 4 things the Indiana needs to do to even their Eastern Conference finals series with the Heat | Indianapolis Star | indystar.com

Bob Kravitz: It's not fair everybody now knows Frank Vogel's name for the wrong reasons ... but it's also deserved | Indianapolis Star | indystar.com

Roy Hibbert is in LeBron James' head - TrueHoop Blog - ESPN

Pacers have no more margin for error in Miami - 1070 The Fan

CourtVision: Roy Hibbert, the Protector - The Triangle Blog - Grantland

Pacers Playoff Central: Roy Hibbert calls out Shane Battier for dirty play | Indianapolis Star | indystar.com

Roy Hibbert of Indiana Pacers calls Shane Battier of Miami Heat dirty - ESPN

James, Bryant voted to All-NBA first team - AP

Heat’s D Exposes Granger’s Absence " NBA.com | Hang Time Blog

2013 Playoffs: Pacers-Heat Game 2 viewer's guide - Indy Sports Legends

Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, Indiana Pacers coach Frank Vogel expect more in NBA Eastern Conference finals. - South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

Miami Heat’s Ray Allen going back to work - Miami Heat - MiamiHerald.com Miami Heat’s Ray Allen going back to work - Miami Heat - MiamiHerald.com

Roy Hibbert Says Shane Battier Kneed Him In The Dick On Purpose - Deadspin

The Pacers Did Everything Wrong On LeBron's Buzzer-Beater - Deadspin

Heat-Pacers Game 2 Preview: Keep calm and don't lose the ball

A few thoughts about Roy Hibbert - TrueHoop Blog - ESPN

NBA Playoffs 2013: 5 things that ruled about Heat-Pacers Game 1 - SBNation.com

LeBron James, Kevin Durant headline All-NBA First Team | The Point Forward - SI.com

Paul George named to All-NBA third team, LeBron James tops All-NBA first team

2013-05-24T02:21:21Z

Indiana Pacers forward Paul George had a devastating end to his night at AmericanAirlines Arena after LeBron James slipped by him for the game-winner in Game 1.

Things improved for PG on Thursday as he was named to the All-NBA third team as voted on by a panel of 119 media members. Of course, LeBron earned the most votes to headline the All-NBA first team where he was joined by Kevin Durant, Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul. Heat guard Dwyane Wade also made the All-NBA third teams with PG.

Roy Hibbert and David West were among the players also receiving votes.

Here are the full results:

ALL-NBA FIRST TEAM

LeBron James, Miami: (119 votes) 595 points

Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City: (102) 555

Tim Duncan, San Antonio: (45) 392

Kobe Bryant, LA Lakers: (91) 521

Chris Paul, LA Clippers: (97) 537

ALL-NBA SECOND TEAM

Carmelo Anthony, New York: (24) 397

Blake Griffin, LA Clippers: 132

Marc Gasol, Memphis: (38) 295

Tony Parker, San Antonio: (16) 273

Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City: (20) 306

ALL-NBA THIRD TEAM

David Lee, Golden State: 79

Paul George, Indiana: 73

Dwight Howard, LA Lakers: (17) 203

Dwyane Wade, Miami: (3) 145

James Harden, Houston: (5) 253

Also receiving votes, with point totals: Brook Lopez, Brooklyn, 132 (7 First Team votes); Stephen Curry, Golden State, 72; LaMarcus Aldridge, Portland, 62; Chris Bosh, Miami, 59 (4); Joakim Noah, Chicago, 56 (3); Zach Randolph, Memphis, 45; Al Horford, Atlanta, 31 (2); Paul Pierce, Boston, 24; Al Jefferson, Utah, 20 (1); Tyson Chandler, New York, 19 (1); Roy Hibbert, Indiana, 9; Luol Deng, Chicago, 8; Kevin Garnett, Boston, 8; Ty Lawson, Denver, 8; Josh Smith, Atlanta, 7; Deron Williams, Brooklyn, 6; Pau Gasol, LA Lakers, 4; Serge Ibaka, Oklahoma City, 4; Omer Asik, Houston, 3; Kenneth Faried, Denver, 3; Raymond Felton, New York, 3; Kyrie Irving, Cleveland, 3; Carlos Boozer, Chicago, 2; Mike Conley, Memphis, 2; David West, Indiana, 2; Rudy Gay, Toronto, 1; JJ Hickson, Portland, 1; Andre Iguodala, Denver, 1; Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas, 1; Nikola Pekovic, Minnesota, 1; Rajon Rondo, Boston, 1; Nikola Vucevic, Orlando, 1.