We're all about interactivity here in the world of the interweb. It's important that fans be given the opportunity for their voices to be heard.
Consider, for example, the enthusiastic responses to our Inside the Game report after the Pacers put forth one of their strongest outings of the season to rout a quality Oklahoma City Thunder team by 20 points on Sunday.
A sampling of the subject lines:
"Idiots!"… "Why now" … "STOPPP! … "PLEASE STOP WINNING!"
Welcome to bizarro world, where a five-game home winning streak can be viewed with disdain by the fans, where quality victories over playoff opponents like Charlotte and Oklahoma City only offend the local populace.
With the team hopelessly out of the playoff race, fans have been focusing on the lottery for a few weeks now, and each victory is seen as a step in the wrong direction in that regard.
Heaven help the Pacers should they beat Detroit tonight, producing the first series sweep in franchise history. And the Wizards, who visit Wednesday, are riding an 11-game losing streak.
It's not inconceivable, then, that the Pacers could be on the way to their longest winning streak of the season.
If it's maddening for fans, consider how this sudden burst of inspired play has affected the locker room. Frankly, the players might be just as mystified as the rest of us.
"It is frustrating to see it now," said Troy Murphy, "because this is what we've expected to do all year."
For the first time, the best players are playing well concurrently. Danny Granger has averaged 27.3 points in his last eight games. Murphy has averaged 18.3 points and 12.0 rebounds in the last eight. Roy Hibbert and Brandon Rush have combined for nearly 30 points a game in that same span.
Better late than never?
"You can call it what you want. It took too long," said Granger. "We're paying well right now but we just have to establish our identity, which really haven't all season, and play with some consistency.
"It's encouraging because we're really going to need the young guys. They're so important to the development of this team not just this year but next year and the years after that. When they play well, this team is really going to hit on all cylinders."
Two things to consider, however:
1) These wins might actually be good for the team next year;
2) A higher lottery pick guarantees nothing.
As to the first point, let's turn to Earl Watson, a wise and savvy veteran who has seen many, many things in his NBA career. He was with the Thunder last season, when the team won just 23 games but finished well, going 10-14 down the stretch.
Sunday's moribund performance aside, the Thunder have been one of the biggest success stories of this season.
"I can compare this to my last season in Oklahoma," said Watson. "Late during the year, it all came together and you could see it. Two similar young teams, over the summer they believed in the concepts, had continuity in what they believed in and you see the growth now. This team is very similar."
As to the second point, just look back at the rookie crop of 2009. The three best players are Tyreke Evans, Stephen Curry and Brandon Jennings. They were drafted at 4, 7 and 10 respectively. So it's not so much where you draft as how you draft.
So let yourself enjoy whatever success these Pacers can find as the season draws to a close. Better yet, let them.
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