Wow. A lot has happened since I last put my digital pen to paper.

The Bulls, Defense, and Pretty Women

First, the Pacers rolled out their new starting lineup for the second time on Thursday against the Chicago Bulls and they once again won a (needlessly) tough game on the road.

Head Coach Rick Carlisle had been hinting at making changes for a few weeks prior to pulling the trigger. By inserting Aaron Nesmith and Jalen Smith into the starting five (the permanence of Andrew Nembhard with the group will be put to the test when Bruce Brown returns from his knee injury), Carlisle was hoping to address his team's biggest weaknesses: defending without fouling and finishing possessions on the glass. In the coach's words, "We've got to keep moving in the direction of physicality, better rebounding. And we've got to keep working at avoiding fouls." Or as he later – and more elegantly – put the dichotomy between the team's league leading offense and sputtering defense:

And hey, the defense was actually pretty good for the second game in a row. We shouldn't do too much chest pounding for stymying the short handed Bulls, but stopping anybody has been tough for the Pacers so far this year. Not only did they force the Bulls into poor shooting numbers, they kept Andre Drummond off the o-boards and finished the game with a respectable rebounding percentage. The result: holding to Bulls to a measly 104 points.

The Benefits of Eating Your Spinach

Much has been said about the lack of Jarace Walker's playing time. The Pacers have had a Walker-sized hole (at least on paper) in the roster for the better part of two years. Still, Carlisle has taken the approach that whatever playing time Walker gets will be earned not given.

It seems that Walker has responded to the challenge exactly how the coaches hoped he would. Last night he dropped 38 points with the Mad Ants on wonderful efficiency.

More importantly, however, it seems Walker is building the habits Carlisle deems championship-worthy. And as a result, I think we can finally expect Walker to get a real opportunity with the Pacers.

OG Got Traded... To The Knicks

Former Indiana Hoosier and longtime Pacers' trade target OG Anunoby got traded to the New York Knicks, tonight's opponent, this afternoon.

Accordingly, the Knicks will be shorthanded this evening and the Pacers' fan base will have to find another player to include in their fake trades.

OG Anunoby's fit on the Pacers roster continues to make a lot of sense. He's an excellent defender, a good outlet in transition, and a capable shooter. He can give you just about everything Obi Toppin does offensively while also helping our defense in a major way.

Nevertheless, what never made total sense to me is paying a premium for a role player right before he hits free agency (where he will be expensive in a different sense). NBA University basically sums up my thoughts on why I'm glad the Pacers ultimately didn't pull the trigger, though it will make the Knicks a much more formidable opponent going forward.

Speaking of Toppin, one of the fallouts from the trade is that his younger brother Jacob Toppin has been called up by the Knicks from the G-League. Tonight will be their first opportunity to play against each other in the NBA.

Generally the Knicks are a top-10 offense and a middle of the pack defense. They are one the best offensive rebounding teams in the league, so the Pacers will not be able to rest on their laurels tonight. Everyone will need to crash the glass like they did against the Bulls.

Due to the Knick's lack of depth, it will be important for the Pacers to push the pace like they normally do. The Knicks' front line is more or less intact but their bench is decimated. We should be able to create advantages with the second unit, as long as we force Thibs to play the reserves – something he's not always wont to do.

Injuries

Giving Back

How to Watch

Tipoff is at 7:00 PM ET.

TV: Bally Sports Indiana, NBA League Pass

Radio: 93.5/107.5 The Fan

See ya in the comments!

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