Indiana Pacers Blog – Page 44 – NBA Blog

NBA fines Frank Vogel, Ivan Johnson, and Michael Gearon

Indiana Pacers head coach Frank Vogel has been fined $15,000 for his comments about how the referees should officiate the Pacers’ upcoming series with the Heat, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President Basketball Operations. Vogel’s comments were made during a media session on Thursday, May 10.

Atlanta Hawks forward Ivan Johnson has been fined $25,000 for directing an obscene gesture toward fans, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President Basketball Operations. The incident occurred following the conclusion of the Hawks 83-80 loss to the Boston Celtics on Thursday, May 10 at TD Garden.

Michael Gearon, an owner of the Atlanta Hawks, has been fined $35,000 for publicly criticizing NBA officiating and making negative comments about an opposing player, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President Basketball Operations. Gearon made his comments on Wednesday, May 9 at a speaking engagement in the Atlanta area.

Pacers coach Frank Vogel says Heat are biggest floppers in NBA

The Heat’s second-round playoff series with the Indiana Pacers hasn’t even begun, but already, Miami has drawn the first charge.

This one had nothing to do with Udonis Haslem or Shane Battier stepping in the way of a driving Pacer and it did not result in a referee blowing a whistle. Rather, Pacers coach Frank Vogel assumed the whistle-blower role, labeling the Heat the worst floppers in the NBA.

Given an opportunity to backtrack, Vogel instead went on South Florida radio Friday to say there are times Heat defenders begin to fall “before contact is even made.”

Scoffing at the suggestion he was providing the Heat with bulletin-board material, Vogel told 640-AM host Orlando Alzugaray he was merely saying something that “needed to be pointed out.”

The Heat refused to fire any counter charges, saying the series is about Game 1 at AmericanAirlines Arena at 3:30 p.m. Sunday, not about any verbal lobs.

— Reported by Hal Habib of the Palm Beach Post

Pacers beat Magic 105-87, advance to 2nd round

After years of losing and players finding trouble, the Indiana Pacers finally gave their fans something to really cheer about. Danny Granger scored 25 points to help the Pacers defeat the Orlando Magic 105-87 on Tuesday night and clinch their first-round Eastern Conference playoff series 4-1.

”I’m just so happy for our fans,” Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. ”They’ve endured a lot those years when we struggled. To finally see us come back and have a winning team again and somebody that has a chance to do something special this year. That’s what they deserve. Pacers basketball is back.”

The Pacers will play Miami or New York in the second round. Miami leads that series 3-1, and as the final minutes ticked away, fans began chanting, ”Beat the Heat.”

”It was electric,” Granger said. ”The crowd was crazy. They had a lot of momentum going. They pushed us in that fourth quarter.”

It was a tough series for Orlando, which played all five games without All-Star center Dwight Howard because of a back injury. They took the opener, then watched Indiana put together its first series win since 2005 and its first clincher on its home court since the first round of the 2000 playoffs. No player on Indiana’s roster had won a playoff series while playing for the Pacers…

Darren Collison scored 15 of his 19 points in the fourth quarter and George Hill added 15 points for the Pacers, who trailed by two at the end of the third quarter but outscored the Magic 36-16 in the final 12 minutes…

Jameer Nelson led Orlando with 27 points and made 5 of 8 3-pointers. Glen Davis, a thorn in Indiana’s side throughout the series, scored 15 but made just 6 of 17 shots. The Magic, who made just 5 of 16 shots in the fourth quarter, didn’t want to use Howard’s absence as an excuse.

— Reported by Cliff Brunt of the Associated Press

Pacers beat Magic in OT, take 3-1 series lead

George Hill hit a pair of free throws with 2.2 seconds left in overtime to help the Indiana Pacers survive squandering a 19-point fourth quarter lead and beat the Orlando Magic 101-99 on Saturday to take a 3-1 series lead.

David West scored 26 points, including 12 in the third quarter and four in overtime for Indiana. Danny Granger added 21 points.

The Pacers won their third straight game and will try to close out it out Tuesday in Indianapolis.

Orlando had a final chance to tie the game in the closing seconds, but Glen Davis’ fade away jumper bounced off the side of the rim.

Jason Richardson led the Magic with 25 points and Davis added 24 points and 11 rebounds…

Hibbert finished with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Hill started slow, but was huge down the stretch and ended up with 12.

All five Magic starters reached double figures, with Nelson adding 12 points and Ryan Anderson and Hedo Turkoglu chipping in 11.

— Reported by Kyle Hightower of the Associated Press

Pacers dominate Magic 97-74 to take 2-1 lead

Danny Granger had 26 points and nine rebounds, Roy Hibbert added 18 points and 10 rebounds, and the Indiana Pacers beat the Orlando Magic 97-74 on Wednesday night to a take a 2-1 lead in the first-round series.

The Pacers regained home-court advantage with the victory, riding good shooting early and building a 29-point lead in the fourth quarter.

They also dominated scoring underneath thanks to a 46-33 rebounding edge and have outscored the Magic 81-43 in the third quarter in the series.

Glen Davis led the Magic with 22 points, and J.J. Redick added 13. The Magic never led, struggled to get any scoring in the paint, and made a series-low five 3-pointers.

Game 4 is Saturday in Orlando.

Indiana coach Frank Vogel’s implored the Pacers after each of the first two games to make better shot selections.

They finally did it in Game 3.

It translated into their best shooting of the series as the Pacers built a 23-point lead in the third quarter and led 76-55 entering the fourth.

— Reported by Kyle Hightower of the Associated Press

Pacers defeat Magic 93-78, even series 1-1

An Orlando team without its top rebounder, injured All-Star center Dwight Howard, dominated the boards in the first half to take a two-point lead. The heavily favored Pacers stewed in their locker room as they faced the possibility of taking a two-game deficit to Orlando for Game 3 on Wednesday…

The Pacers responded, asserting complete control inside during the second half of a 93-78 win in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference first-round playoff series. Indiana grabbed 12 of the first 13 rebounds in the third quarter and outrebounded Orlando 26-13 in the second half…

Indiana lost Game 1 81-77 on Saturday and felt its season slipping away in Game 2 before rallying…

David West had 18 points and 11 rebounds and has emerged as a stabilizing force for the Pacers…

Granger and George Hill each added 18 points and Paul George had 17 points and eight rebounds for Indiana. The Pacers won despite making just 2 of 20 3-point attempts and Granger, the team’s leading scorer this season, shooting just 7 for 21 from the field.

Indiana held the Magic to 36 percent shooting overall. Indiana has held the Magic below 40 percent shooting in both games…

Davis led the Magic with 18 points and 10 rebounds, but he shot 5 for 16 from the field. Davis, the loudest talker after Saturday’s win, was the first player off the court on Monday.

J.J. Redick scored 13 points and Jameer Nelson added 12 for Orlando.

— Reported by the Associated Press

Roy Hibbert improved shot-blocking by watching Dwight Howard

Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert improved his ability to block shots without fouling by watching the NBA’s best center — ironically, the missing anchor in the middle for the Orlando Magic in this NBA playoff series.

Hibbert said watching film of Magic All-Star Dwight Howard helped him understand how to jump straight up with his arms extended to contest shots.

Hibbert set a franchise playoff record by blocking nine shots in Game 1 Saturday.

Howard is out for the rest of the season with a back problem.

“I watched tape of Dwight do that when I was a rookie when he was in the playoffs,” Hibbert said. “I tried to learn some things and it’s been working for me.”

— Reported by Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star

Roy Hibbert has chance to shine in playoffs

Indiana Pacers center Roy Hibbert doesn’t have any excuses.

Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard, a nemesis of Hibbert and every other center in league, is on the sideline in street clothes for the rest of the season.

It’s Hibbert’s time to star under the bright lights of the playoffs. It’s time for him to show why he was named to the Eastern Conference All-Star team this season. It’s time for him to show he deserves a hefty pay raise when he hits the free agent market this summer.

“I have to take things and look at each matchup and make sure I dominate on both ends of the floor,” Hibbert said. “I can’t have any lags in my game and I have to be on top of my game every game.”

Howard, the league’s premier center, is out for the rest of the season after surgery to repair a herniated disc in his back.

That leaves Hibbert as the marquee attraction in the middle. He has had the best season of his four-year career, averaging 12.8 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.0 blocks.

— Reported by Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star

Metta World Peace suspended 7 games for elbowing James Harden

The Lakers’ Metta World Peace has been suspended for seven games without pay for striking the Thunder’s James Harden in the head with his elbow, the NBA announced today.

The incident, which resulted in a Flagrant Foul Two and ejection, occurred with 1:39 remaining in the second quarter of the Lakers’ 114-106 victory over the Thunder on April 22 at Staples Center.

“The concussion suffered by James Harden demonstrates the danger posed by violent acts of this kind, particularly when they are directed at the head area,” NBA Commissioner David Stern said. “We remain committed to taking necessary measures to protect the safety of NBA players, including the imposition of appropriate penalties for players with a history of on-court altercations.”

The suspension will begin with the Lakers’ next game at Sacramento on April 26. The remaining games of the suspension will be served over the next six games in which the player is eligible and physically able to play, including this season’s playoffs.

To view the incident, click on this link.

The Los Angeles Lakers have issued the following statement from General Manager Mitch Kupchak following the NBA’s announcement of the suspension of Metta World Peace:

“Metta has for the most part been a model citizen both on and off the court since joining the Lakers. Still, his most recent lapse in judgement is not to be condoned or accepted. His actions could have seriously injured another player, and his absence during this suspension will hurt our team as well. While we accept the league’s decision, we will be supportive of Metta and try to help him be more professional on the court.”

Larry Sanders suspended, Danny Granger and David West fined

Milwaukee Bucks forward Larry Sanders has been suspended two games without pay for initiating an altercation, failing to leave the court in a timely manner and actions following his ejection – all during the Bucks’ 118-109 loss to the Indiana Pacers Thursday at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The suspension was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations.

In addition, the Pacers’ Danny Granger and David West have both been fined $25,000 for instigating and adding to the escalation of an on-court incident, which occurred with 3:29 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Sanders will serve his suspension during the Bucks’ next two games: Saturday versus the New Jersey Nets and Monday against the Toronto Raptors.