Last night was a wonderful thing to watch... I was going crazy with four minutes left when Jalen reentered the game with 18 assists- I really wanted to see him get 20. Jermaine O'Neal continued his dominance of the Cavs this year, with his best single game of the season (He has averaged about 16 pts, 13.5 rbs, and 4.5 blocks against the hapless Cavs this year). "Baby Barkley" Harrington had some foul trouble, but was murdering people with his all around game when he was in the lineup. I really think that the Pacers can take out the slow as molasses Sixers this year- our starters were killing their starters (without Iverson) in the first half of the Sixers/Pacers game two nights ago, before the reserves played the second half...
The Pacers have won ten straight games at Canseco, and they are playing their best basketball of the season right now. Travis Best is healthy again. Al Harrington is looking like "Baby Barkley" every second night. Austin Croshere has found his jumpshot, his hustle, and his game again. My man Jeff Foster has fought his way into the rotation, and he has brought his winning defense and rebounding with him- it is no coincidence that the Pacers really started to win when he solidified the rotation. Jermaine O'Neal is the best power forward in the East, and he is the second best shot blocker in the NBA- guess what team trails the leagues' leading shotblocking Mavs, for #2 in total team blocks- that's right, the Pacers! Jalen does not look like a point guard, but when he and Best are playing together, they really mesh for scoring and playmaking. Reggie is ready for the playoffs- he has finally begun to strut and glare again- he wasn't doing that earlier this year. All in all, many aspects of the talent rich Pacers have been coming together at precisely the right time, and I think that will spell disaster for the Sixers in the first round... The Pacers could very well contend for one of the top seeds in the East next year if they play like the have in this last month next year (much like a certain team from Dallas that was murdering people at the end of last year)... I am very happy that the long streak of hearing the following hallowed words in the playoffs will continue:
ARE YOU REEEEEEEAAAAAAADDDDDDYYYYYY PAAAAAACCCCCCEEEEEERRRRRR PEEEEEOOOOOPPPPPLLLLLEEEE !!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
