San Antonio Spurs slow Stephen Curry with Danny Green
Green held the sharpshooter to less than 40 percent from the floor
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Indiana Pacers: Questions Surrounding Danny Granger’s Season-Ending Surgery
It has been recently reported by Scott Agness on his Indiana Pacers‘ blog that Danny Granger has underwent successful surgery on his left knee, but he won’t be ready to return until training camp next season.
His left knee surgery was deemed a success, but you don’t really know until months later. It’s unclear what exact surgery was performed but all signs point to a full recovery, although knees are unpredictable and often finicky. The Pacers expect him to be ready for training camp in October.
So what does this mean for the Pacers?
For one, Granger was the leading scorer of the team for the past five seasons and was a major contributor to the Pacers’ playoff appearances in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 campaigns.
Although he’s not the best player on the team anymore—and probably won’t ever be again—he’s still a proven player with plenty of experience to offer to this young group of players.
Since the 2007-08 season, Granger has averaged 21.4 PPG in over 35 minutes per game with the team, and his offensive production has been missed all season, as the Pacers stumbled to a bottom-10 offensive team for most of the season.
They have picked up their offense as of late, and are currently ranked 18th in offensive efficiency this season (per Hollinger’s Team Stats), largely due to the resurgence of key players like David West and Roy Hibbert.
Additionally, Granger’s absence for the rest of the season, and the playoffs, would bring up a few interesting questions.
Paul George has been having a break-out season thus far, garnering an All-Star selection and cementing himself as one of the best all-around swingmen in the league. However, he has yet to prove that he could play under intense pressure during the playoffs.
At just 22 years of age, George is still growing and developing. His past two playoff appearances have been mediocre, as he registered 8.6 PPG on 36.7 percent shooting in 16 total playoff games (per Basketball Reference).
Could the Pacers risk dealing Granger and his hefty contract that pays him $14 million next season?
Granger would still have value during the offseason as he continues his recovery, and the Pacers could try to snatch a few young pieces or a cheaper veteran role player to build around their core of Paul George, David West and Roy Hibbert.
The Pacers organization must remember that this season’s success has been accomplished without Granger. Although they had a slow start early in the season, the team has adjusted, and George’s emergence is a story in itself.
How will the rest of the team respond in the playoffs?
We all know Granger was a great scorer, but he was also a great defender at his position. Last season, he held opposing small forwards to a PER of 12.7 (per 82games.com), which is incredible considering the high amount of talent at that position in the league today.
George has picked up his play on defense this season and has made a name for himself as one of the premier perimeter defenders in the league. Unlike Granger, George is more versatile defensively and could defend any quick point guard or big forward because of his blend of length and quickness.
The rest of the team has picked up the scoring load for most of the season, but they will need to be just as effective in the playoffs. George is playing Granger’s natural position, so most of the burden will be on him to produce on offense.
West is arguably the best pure scorer on the team, and he’s expected to contribute mightily in the scoring column as well.
It’s never easy for a team to lose their franchise player and expect to remain an elite team. However, the Pacers have demonstrated that they are the real deal, even without their former All-Star in the lineup.
If the Pacers could pull everything together and make a long playoff run, Granger’s absence will be forgotten very quickly, and the team would have plenty of options in the offseason.
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Indiana Pacers Face Serious Offseason Decision Due to Danny Granger’s Injury
This is exactly what Indiana Pacers former All-Star Danny Granger had been trying to avoid all season.
After months of non-surgical treatments failed to solve his nagging left knee problems, Granger will indeed be headed under the knife and is now officially out for the season (via USA Today).
But the news carried a far more somber tone than one of panic. Despite the fact that they got just 74 minutes spread out across five games from Granger, the Pacers (44-26) have established themselves as one of the Eastern Conference’s elites.
How did they manage to maintain, improve even, on their success from last season? A team that went 42-24 in a strike-shortened regular season, then went on bring the franchise its first postseason series win since 2005. A team that was unquestionably still led by Granger, who averaged nearly six more points (18.7 per game) than its second-highest scorer (Roy Hibbert, 12.8).
It took the birth of an All-Star (Paul George), a season of redemption (Lance Stephenson) and the most intimidating frontcourt tandem in the Eastern Conference (Hibbert and David West).
The fact that it all came while Granger was largely restricted to an observer’s role is nothing short of remarkable.
But it also means that the Indiana brass are now facing a possible franchise-altering decision with regard to the future of Indiana’s hobbled star.
While it seemed unthinkable as recently as last season, the Pacers may have already flashed their cards this season. When Granger’s name made a rare cameo on this season’s trade deadline rumor mill (via Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld.com), Indiana’s thought process wasn’t entirely clear, but ideas were clearly in motion.
It’s not outside of the realm of possibility that George (17.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.8 steals per game) could have had the same breakout season while sharing the floor with Granger.
But the fact that the pair share the same natural position, small forward, and demand a heavy offensive workload suggest that it may have been more than coincidental that George’s best season as a pro came while Granger was out.
There’s no telling what effect Granger’s operation will have on his career. He’s been bitten by the injury bug before, having missed at least 15 in games in both the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons, and will turn 30 on April 20.
George’s presence can’t be overstated in this decision. Few players in the NBA today channel their energy to both ends of the floor the way he does.
And considering he’s all of 22 years old, he may not have a ceiling at this point.
But there’s also no telling where Granger’s trade stock lies, either. His scoring numbers have always impressed (this season snapped his five-year run of averaging at least 18.7 points), but he hasn’t shot above 43 percent since 2008-09.
Will his biggest value lie in his expiring $14 million contract for next season?
If so, will that bring enough in return for the Pacers to comfortably part ways with the player most responsible for transforming this franchise from one of the league’s biggest frustrations (Malice at the Palace, anyone?) back into a respectable organization?
If I had to put money on this outcome, I’d guess that Granger’s Pacers playing days aren’t over yet.
Teams are still figuring out the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement and what it means to their future ability to add expensive talent.
Granger is a pleasure to watch, a gifted scorer who refuses to back down from any challenge.
But he’s also a massive $14 million risk, and one that could potentially be had for pennies on the dollar as part of a loaded 2014 free-agent class.
If he’s moved next season, expect the transaction to take place around the trade deadline. The financial hit of his arrival will be lessened, and if he’s healthy he could bring some postseason help to both the Pacers and his future employer.
It won’t be easy for Indiana to cut ties with one of its brightest stars of the past decade.
But taking emotions out of the equation makes any potential Granger trade a possible great move for both the player and the team that he’s returned to relevance.
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Pat Riley to Danny Ainge: Shut up (Yahoo! Sports)
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Miami Heat President Pat Riley has added another chapter to his rivalry with the Boston Celtics.
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Pat Riley’s message to Danny Ainge: ‘STFU’
They competed against each other as coach and player. Now they’re going at it as execs.
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Pat Riley to Danny Ainge: ‘STFU’
Well now this is getting good. First Danny Ainge called Lebron James complaining about calls “embarrassing”, and then James fired back with “I’m not surprised by anything that comes out of Boston”. And now..well now things are getting serious. Pat Riley has fired back, through the media – And he is not pulling any punches. Here’s Ethan Skolnik of the Palm Beach Post via twitter. Pay Riley: “Danny Ainge needs to shut the f— up and coach his own team.” — Ethan J. Skolnick (@EthanJSkolnick) March 29, 2013 More Riley: “He was the biggest whiner going when he was playing and I know that because I coached against him.” — Ethan J. Skolnick (@EthanJSkolnick) March 29, 2013 That quote was delivered to the media by a Heat official. — Ethan J. Skolnick (@EthanJSkolnick) March 29, 2013 A slight edit a little later.. Correction to Riley quote: “Danny Ainge needs to shut the f— up and manage his own team.” My bad. Typing t…
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Danny Granger’s Absence Sets Stage for Paul George to Prove He’s Real Deal
Now that Indiana Pacers forward Danny Granger is slated to undergo season-ending surgery on his troublesome left knee, Paul George will get his chance to solidify his claim as the Pacers’ marquee player.
It’s a good thing he’s been auditioning for that role all season long.
Before we get into George’s fitness as a headliner, let’s briefly get back to the hard news on Granger. Per the Pacers’ official Twitter feed:
Granger’s absence certainly isn’t a good thing. With the Miami Heat still looming as a seemingly unbeatable juggernaut in the East, Indiana would certainly have preferred to have all hands on deck heading into the playoffs.
Psychologically, the official shelving of a well-liked and still valuable talent like Granger hurts.
But it’s hard to imagine that much will change for George or the Pacers from a practical standpoint. Granger made minimal contributions in just a handful of games this season. In what turned out to be a fruitless rehabilitation effort, his presence in the rotation really felt more like a novelty than an encouraging vision of what the Pacers might become.
In other words, Indiana has been counting on George to shoulder a heavy load since the season began, so it’s not like it’ll have to make wholesale changes to its rotations now that Granger’s absence is assured.
Anyone familiar with the Pacers knows that George has enjoyed something of a breakout campaign in 2012-13, logging 37.5 minutes per game and posting career highs in all of his counting numbers. From an efficiency standpoint, the increased workload hasn’t been kind to his rate stats—both his field-goal and three-point percentages are down from where they were last year.
That’s bound to happen with heavier minutes and bigger defensive responsibilities, though, so it’s pretty safe to call George’s campaign an unqualified success.
Besides, many of the young small forward’s contributions are of the subtler variety.
That may sound strange, considering George might be most familiar to casual NBA fans for his glow-in-the-dark performance in the 2012 dunk contest, but it’s true.
While it’s somewhat beside the point to compare the relative values of George and Granger, it’s important to have a good understanding of how the young wing fits into the veteran’s vacancy.
According to 82games.com, Indiana has been about 8.2 points per 100 possessions better with George on the floor this season. That figure isn’t quite up to par with the plus-11.3 that Granger posted in a relatively healthy 2011-12 campaign, but it’s nothing to sneeze at either.
From an objective vantage point, it’s not even clear that George is presently Indiana’s best player. Going by the numbers alone, David West has had a greater positive effect than George has this season. The gritty power forward’s team-best plus-10.1 net rating exceeds the one George has posted this year.
Plus, George’s numbers have tailed off a bit over the past couple of months. According to NBA.com, his shooting percentages and rebound rate have been in a three-month decline. At the same time, his turnover rate has increased.
But George is just 22 years old, and he’s handled the huge responsibilities the Pacers have foisted upon him with remarkable gusto. It should also be noted that Granger believes in George enough to have bestowed a blessing on his young replacement.
For most of the season, George had been playing with the belief that at some point, Granger would be on the court to help soak up some of the spotlight.
But now that Granger’s absence is certain, neither George nor the Pacers need to feel they’re in some kind of holding pattern until the real team comes together upon Granger’s return. The Pacers are who they’re going to be—at least for this season.
And ready or not, it’s officially George’s time to shine.
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Indiana Pacers Play Without Danny Granger Proves This Is Paul George’s Team
The Indiana Pacers spent the first month of the season lamenting the fact that their dear leader would be out for the first half of the season, and then Paul George stepped in and replaced everything that Danny Granger did for the team.
Sure, George is still a bit inefficient offensively, and he needs a nudge in the right direction when it comes to shot selection every now and then, but that’s not so different than Granger over the past few seasons.
George’s shooting percentages are a bit flat for where you would want your star small forward to be, as he’s at 42.4 percent for the season, but that’s actually a step up from Granger, who was shooting all of 41 percent a year ago.
The two are actually right in line offensively, at least when comparing George this season to Granger last, the only difference between the two is that George’s defensive intensity is a notch above that of Granger.
Granger averaged 18.7 points in 2012, while George is up to 17.6 this year, right around the same range in terms of overall output. On top of it all, Granger’s true shooting rate at 54.2 percent compared to George’s 53.6 percent is only the slightest advantage.
Elsewhere, George is clearly superior. He’s averaging 7.8 rebounds to Granger’s five in 2012, four assists to Granger’s 1.8, and a combined 2.4 blocks and steals compared to Granger’s 0.6.
The biggest difference between the two players? Granger turns 30 next month and George turns 23 in two months.
The choice there seems rather clear-cut.
Then the argument can be made that the true most relied-upon player that the Pacers have is David West.
In reality, that’s completely true. West is the most consistent, reliable scorer they have, and he’s an incredibly apt defender in the post, meaning he’s good for production night after night.
Hell, he even picked up the slack in the beginning of the season, realizing that he was going to have to shoot a ton if the Pacers wanted to keep from completely falling apart. The result was a suffering field goal percentage, but a team that was able to tread water.
He’s the main veteran presence on this team that doesn’t try to step on anyone’s toes and makes his presence felt by being a big, physical brute.
However, that’s also what clearly makes this team George’s.
West has spent his career playing a role, and doing so happily. Whether it be coming off the bench, being a second, third or fourth option, or taking a team on his back for periods of time, he’s done whatever’s asked of him.
Meanwhile, George’s past three months haven’t been him playing in any kind of specified role, it’s been him asserting himself to the top of the squad, and the rest of the team embracing him while filling in the holes around.
The most important thing to look at with George is to compare the team’s record when he’s having a solid game offensively to when he’s fallen off the horse.
Indiana is 13-15 when George shoots below 40 percent, and not surprisingly, a very large portion of these games came before the 2013 portion of the schedule, back when both George and the Pacers were struggling.
George definitely has a long way left to go in terms of becoming a true leader of the Pacers, which is why it has been nice having West around in such a large capacity, but his youth gives him plenty of room for improvement both in terms of leading his team and playing the game better.
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Grading Danny Granger’s Comeback for Indiana Pacers
Danny Granger‘s recent return to the Indiana Pacers created hype as the Eastern Conference playoffs near.
Unfortunately, his comeback has been a blatant disappointment thus far. His current return grade rests at a D.
Granger missed the first 54 games of the 2012-13 season due to a knee injury, but the Pacers hung around the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference without him. Amidst this, there was even reason to speculate if Indiana’s better without Granger, because his absence sparked Paul George’s development as a superstar.
While there is perhaps some logic to such thoughts, the truth is that it surely doesn’t hurt the Pacers to have a healthy Granger in the mix. A player of his caliber, who has led Indiana in scoring the past five seasons, is a potent ingredient come the playoffs.
But, Granger’s play since returning has lacked rhythm and efficiency. Consider his game logs in his five appearances:
| Opponent | Mins | Rebs | FG | Points |
| @Detroit | 19 | 2 | 1-10 | 2 |
| Golden State | 19 | 2 | 1-7 | 5 |
| L.A. Clippers | 19 | 2 | 5-10 | 12 |
| @Toronto | 10 | 3 | 3-5 | 8 |
| Chicago | 10 | 0 | 0-3 | 0 |
These numbers reveal how Granger hasn’t regained his normal style of play. His measly field-goal percentage and diminished minutes reveal that he’s slowly creeping towards his usual self.
Granger’s subpar performances are mildly disappointing, because as long as he’s healthy, he should eventually re-establish himself. Key phrase in that last sentence: “as long as he’s healthy.“
Granger has missed the Pacers’ last two games after receiving an MRI on his knee, which he aggravated in their recent win against the Chicago Bulls. The MRI unveiled no new damage, but he could still miss another week.
Therefore, Granger has not only struggled to find his game, he has also struggled to find his health. This isn’t a good combination.
According to ESPN, Pacers coach Frank Vogel did offer some reassuring words regarding Granger and the MRI he received,
“We’re looking at it as being precautionary, understanding it’s still a long season, there’s still a lot of time left,” Pacers coach Frank Vogel said before Indiana hosted the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night. “We want him to get back to 100 percent and this is the best way to do it. (He) did not push through when there’s above average soreness.
Furthermore, it was reported that if the Pacers were in a playoff situation, Granger would have been available.
This removes some of the concerns regarding Granger’s sore left knee, but it surely doesn’t eliminate all the fears this presents. There’s reason to worry that Granger will experience soreness throughout the next couple months and never gain fluidity this spring.
Plus, a prominent factor in all of this is timing. If Granger is going to be a core facet in the Pacers’ approach come the playoffs, then they must re-integrate him into their offensive schemes soon.
He must determine his niche on this year’s squad, which will look different from what his niche has been in the past. With the emergence of George, there’s no need for Granger to assume the “alpha dog” responsibilities of this ball club.
Therefore, they need time, preferably at least a few weeks, for him to carve his new-look role on the ascending Pacers. If this process is rushed because Granger misses numerous weeks and returns right before the playoffs, then Indiana will be ironing out chemistry issues in the postseason. Such a development should be avoided.
Granger can certainly turn his suspect comeback around. He has time and it all begins with health. If his body holds up and his knee is a nonissue, then his lethal scoring output should soon follow.
Quite frankly, it wouldn’t be shocking to witness Granger as his old self come April and May, when his three-pointers and midrange jumpers would be a nightmare for opponents. If this is the case, he’ll become one of the major faces of the 2013 postseason.
However, it also wouldn’t be shocking to see Granger sidelined continually with knee issues. Or, perhaps he’s still able to contribute but only sparingly because of recurring soreness.
So, which route will it be for Granger? Right now, his return grade is a distinct disappointment. Will this grade rise as the playoffs near and soon take place?
If it does, then the Pacers don’t merely become a team that can win a playoff series or two. They legitimately become a title contender with an array of weapons that can lead them to the NBA pinnacle.
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Danny Granger Injury: Updates on Pacers Star’s Knee
As if Danny Granger hasn’t already had enough knee problems during the 2012-13 campaign, the Indiana Pacers superstar has apparently suffered a setback in his recovery.
According to Gary Washburn of the The Boston Globe (via Twitter), Granger will be sidelined for the next week as he copes with soreness in his left knee.
Pacers coach Frank Vogel noted (per Washburn) that his star player is suffering from “above-average soreness,” but that it’s not the result of a new injury or even damage to the existing injury.
The swingman missed 55 games prior to his return on Feb. 23 against the Detroit Pistons.
In his season debut, the 29-year-old scored just two points, recorded two rebounds and dished out one assist while hitting on just one of his 10 attempts from the field (0-for-4 from three-point range).
His numbers weren’t much better over the five contests for which he was active, averaging just 5.4 points on 28.6 percent shooting, all while coming off the bench. He also grabbed just 1.8 rebounds every 15 minutes of play.
Granger came out after just eight minutes of play in a matchup with the Chicago Bulls on March 3, with Mike Wells of the The Indianapolis Star noting the soreness that will now keep him inactive for at least another week.
The Pacers are set to play the Boston Celtics on Wednesday, the Orlando Magic on Friday (March 8) and the Miami Heat in a nationally televised showdown on Sunday (March 11). But it seems possible that won’t see Granger back in action until the Minnesota Timberwolves come to Indiana on March 15.
This organization has largely persevered without the eight-year veteran—going 38-22 on the season thus far—but will likely need him in the lineup soon if they are to find playoff success.
Here’s hoping Granger can shake off the soreness sooner rather than later and return to the court by next week.
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