The Pacers have lost seven straight, including a 140-122 defeat at the hands of the Celtics on Friday. Guard Andrew Nembhard says the team needs to raise its intensity level.
“Guys are fighting at times, but it’s not consistent,” Nembhard said, per Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star. “It’s not sustained throughout the whole game. Fighting some times doesn’t mean making shots or looking at the stat sheet, but doing those off-stat things. Sometimes we just have to put more onus on that and value it more.”
The Celtics, who led by as much as 28, shot 57 percent from the field and drained 20 3-pointers.
“It’s just everybody raising their intensity and their effort,” forward Jarace Walker said. “We’re just gonna have to get uncomfortable and do things that we’re not used to doing to end up on the winning side. Usually our talent and our skill and our shot-making take us there, but I think we have to find different ways to impact the game and just lay it out on the floor every night.”
Here’s more on the Pacers:
- Why did they release center James Wiseman so quickly after signing him on Dec. 20? Wiseman had to be “released” because the terms of his 10-day contract lasted through Dec. 30 but the hardship exception he was added on only lasted through Dec. 25, according to beat writer Tony East (Twitter link).
- Ben Sheppard and Aaron Nesmith are “progressing” in their rehab, according to coach Rick Carlisle, and it’s possible that Nesmith will return this month, East tweets. Strategically planned workouts are on tap for both players. Nesmith has been sidelined since Nov. 13 due to a left knee sprain. Sheppard has been out since Dec. 3 due to a calf strain.
- They play the second game of a back-to-back on Saturday with a road contest against the Heat. They didn’t arrive until the wee hours of the morning on Saturday as their flight to Miami was delayed for almost two hours, Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files tweets.