The X-Factor (Why Hibbert & turnovers could cost the Pacers a trip to the Finals)

"Me dawg?"

You already know that I had to stop over at the Varsity on North Avenue before going to Phillips Arena on Wednesday night. When I pulled up these boyz were wrestling over the essence of preparation. Horace, the Roman poet born in 65 BC, said, “A heart well prepared for adversity in bad times hopes and in good times fears for a change in fortune.” Louis Pasteur, the famous chemist and microbiologist, spoke as eloquently as he could with a french fry in his mouth when he said, “Fortune favors the prepared mind.” Then Ralph Waldo Emerson shouted, “People only see what they are prepared to see,” now let me get that foot long and some fries playboy.

Once again the Indiana Pacers weren’t prepared to play the Atlanta Hawks in the "A" losing its 12^th straight to these boyz 97-87. They haven’t won in this freakin’ place since 2006 bruh, which is the team’s longest active streak against any team.

Now granted, they’ve played four games in five days and travel has been a beast with it being a -40 degree wind chill around this piece. So I get it! However, when you can’t seem to win a game in the same joint in more than 8 years that’s a problem pimpin’!

I say take all Magic City coupons away from boyz from now on before boarding the plane. I know how they get it in in the “A” bruh and it can be distracting. So from now on everybody is locked in their hotel rooms as soon as they arrive. If you have to treat them like they’re on the 6^th grade field trip with old lady Ms. Bumpers from the lunch room then so be it. Have somebody put on the hair net and keep it movin’ or better yet just go get Ms. Bumpers because she’s not doing anything right now, she's retired. But this foolishness has to stop right now!

When the Hawks jumped out of the bushes on these boyz 12-0 to start the game I knew that it was gonna be a long night. Then only 32 points in the first half made it even more difficult to climb out of the hole.

Paul George did what he does on a regular! He put up 28 points, grabbed 12 boards and called it lovely! Danny Granger even put 14 in the kitty after getting his first start in more than two years because my boy Lance Stephenson was out with a knee injury.

But once again ole dull Roy Hibbert refused to get out of the freakin’ limo! This dun scored 2 points, grabbed 4 rebounds and had 1 block! Did I mention that he’s 7’2” 290lbs? I just wanna make sure that you understand me on this. When you’re that darn big you can’t sit in the limo all night while you’re boyz are struggling.

Let's keep it real or all the way 100, whichever comes 1st! When you're 7'2" you get 10 points, 8 rebounds and 4 blocks handed to you gettin' off of the bus and you get 4 more points when you tie your freakin' shoes!

When they were in Miami a few weeks ago that dun sat in the ride all night and played cards. Even if he would have scored 10 points, got 4 blocks and 4 rebounds they could have beaten Atlanta!

I know that it’s the lowly Hawks and boyz aren’t really trippin’ on this loss but they aren’t playing the Hawks bruh! They’re playing Miami every night! The only team that they should be thinking about is the Heat! So when they win or lose games going forward the thought process should be how can this help or hurt us in our preparation to beat the Heat in the playoffs?

I know that you’ve got to play these cats because they’re on the schedule but if the goal is to get to the Finals you’ve got to make sure Hibbert shows up EVERY night! Not when he wants to bruh but when he has to. One night he's got 24 points and 10 rebounds and the next he's got 2 points and 3 rebounds! Consistency from Hibbert and reducing the overall team’s turnovers is gonna be the X-factor! Did I mention that they had 16 last night? That’s a problem when you're playing Miami because they're the best transition team in the league! Stop me when I start lyin’!

Holla At Ya Boy!
JayGravesReport
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The quote under the caption isn’t real but its REAL talk!