Pacers preview of Dum, Murph, and Ike

if they really think Mike Dunleavy is going to be able to match up with shooting guards defensively, they should be prepared for a most unpleasant surprise.  In fact if they think he is going to match up with anyone defensively it won't be pretty.  Also I would warn them not to expect many (successful) post ups, cause this is a guy that couldn't post up Steve Nash.  

On the flip side I hope Murph can go back to the player he was.  I remember a few years back he took Pau Gasol to the rack and threw a reverse down on his head, if he can get anywhere near that level again the Pacers future will have gone from terrible to slightly less terrible.  Heres hoping he can put up double doubles nightly again, and I can snatch him on my fantasy team.

How can you feel anything but pity and appreciation for the Pacers?

First the pity:
The crap they are spouting sounds like the exact crap you heard from the W's a few years ago.

IT'S NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN!!!

The DunMurphys sisters have peaked, both statistically and "intangibly".

The Pacers, like us before, keep trying to fool themselves about the impending b-ball skill extravaganza explosion by Dun. He has been in the league six f-in seasons.

Poor, poor Pacers.

Now, the appreciation:

Thank you for giving us a team captain, a heart and a soul and one of our most important players.

Thank you for giving us a "versatile" combo forward who not only has a shorter contract but is a better player.

Thank you for taking two joyless, soulless, poorly matched for our team (and it might turn out for yours, too) players with huge contracts.

gets dunleavy to start putting it together and play a consistent game.  we saw flashes of what he could be if he stormed the hole and played tough d.  too bad that was four years ago and he's sucked big time ever since.  but, he'll most likely be a cancer there too.

I'll never understand WTF they're doing with that roster.

DUNLEAVY IS NOT A SHOOTING GUARD.

TRADE A PF AND A SF FOR SOME GUARDS THAT DONT SUCK.

Dunleavy will get killed at the 2 on D. His problem is if he does not hit his shot early he is out the rest of the game offensively and guess how often he starts off hot!
I look for Murphy to rebound and have a decent year, giving them a double-double but still weak on D. Diogu is they guy they need to build his confidence. He can be a good player if he is properly motivated and given a chance to play. We got to give them something for what they gave us.

in a deal, if they ever want to get rid of Murph or Dunleavy's salary.

...and quit referring to Murphy's "double double" ability.  goodness!  i know we're all reluctant to lump him in with Dunleavy, given Mike's unprecedented lack of popularity here, but c'mon, he's a stiff on the same level.  you think if mike had stood in the lane for 2 straight years and taken only an occasional shot outside of 10 feet that his stats wouldn't mirror Murphy's?

Kawakami NAILED it right after the trade when he summed up why it was that Murphy was ever a double double guy.  it's really this simple: if you're on horrible teams that can't rebound, and miss a ton of shots, and you're 6'-10" and the only one consistently standing under the basket, then you're likely to get 5 easy baskets and 10 rebounds a game.  the reason you actually have far less value to any decent team than your stats would indicate is that on a good team there'll be 6 other guys that can not only do the 2 things you do better than you, but also the other dozen or so things that make you an NBA player.

the only person in that trade that there's ANY chance for is Ike, and that's only because he hasn't had sufficient chance to be given up on yet.

that sour, questioning look he would give teammates with his palms up, after a turnover. He NEVER admitted he was wrong for making a mistake on the floor and was always quick to blame it on someone else. The spoiled coach's boy could never be wrong, and he hid behind his "high basketball IQ" to make up for the complete lack of confidence that engulfed him every game. He should have just put the same focus on growing some balls....Shit I dunno, go to the boxing gym and get your assed whooped a couple times, then maybe you wont flinch so bad when you see even a 5-10 170 pound PG coming to contest your shot....that lil b*tch always punked out.