NBA Preseason 2010: Pacers Display 'Lack Of Hustle,' Lose Badly To Rockets 126-92

Already three games into preseason NBA basketball, and the supposed 'new look' Indiana Pacers seem an awful lot like the club which won only 32 games last season.

Indy Corn Rows explains:

It’s only the preseason. If you say it enough times, you can probably convince yourself that, and while this won’t be the same effort they give when the season starts, the fact this team can give nights like this isn’t a glowing beacon of progress.

Despite getting outmuscled and outhustled the entire first half, the Pacers found themselves in a back and forth game, but once the second half started, the Pacers forgot to dress up. From the curiously confusing, obnoxiously complex lineup of Dahntay Jones, Solomon Jones, Darren Collison, Brandon Rush, and Tyler Hansbrough to the final buzzer, the second half was absolutely unwatchable, and was nothing but bad omen after bad omen.

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Not much to say about this one besides the fact it was ugly. The Pacers were lazy on defense, lazy on offense (resulting in numerous avoidable turnovers), and were outspirited and outhustled, despite a quality first half on the boards. The team also struggled from the three point line again, setting up another disturbing trend as the regular season draws nearer.

The Rockets began the third quarter with an 18-8 run, and never looked back. Roy Hibbert led the Pacers with 17 points. Danny Granger added 16.