Pacers upbeat at halfway point

[645]

A tough road schedule. Inconsistent play. A performance worthy of Defensive Player of the Year from their best player. A trade of two starters.

All in the first 41 games of the season.

A fast start was the last thing anybody expected from the Indiana Pacers after they added eight new players last summer. But fans didn't expect losses to struggling teams like Minnesota, Charlotte and Boston, either, or to see their big offseason acquisition traded before the midpoint of the season.

Star

[645]

The Good

1. Jermaine O'Neal's play

O'Neal vowed last summer that he would have a career year. Hard to argue thus far. His scoring average is his lowest since the 2000-01 season, but he leads the league in blocks and could average a career high in rebounds. He has had 23 double-doubles and, more important, has missed just five games.

The Not So Good

1. Blame it on Club Rio
Training camp had barely started when Stephen Jackson was accused of firing a gun after a brawl at a Westside strip club. Fans turned on him -- again -- and CEO Donnie Walsh and president Larry Bird were left trying to clean up another mess after a summer of promising a new, improved attitude.
Walsh said Jackson needed to a fresh start after he traded him to Golden State last week.

The Rest of the Year

1. Is this it for Walsh?
Walsh, who has put together teams that have reached the playoffs in 17 of his 20 seasons, is in the final year of his contract. He said two weeks ago that he and owners Herb and Mel Simon probably won't talk about his future until the end of the season.

Star