NBA Playoffs 2012: Promising Signs from the Pacers' Game 1 Loss

Until the Los Angeles Clippers came back from 27 points down to upset the Memphis Grizzlies in Tennessee, the biggest upset thus far had been the Orlando Magic's 81-77 victory over the heavily-favored Indiana Pacers, in Indianapolis and without Dwight Howard.

The Pacers crumbled in the second and fourth quarters, being outscored by a total of 47-36. In the fourth quarter, however, the overall scoring deficit was not quite as disappointing as their collapse with under four minutes remaining.

Indiana led the game 77-70 with 3:42 remaining when Jameer Nelson took the Magic on a game-defining run. The Magic finished by scoring 11 unanswered points, eventually winning the game, 81-77, a game the Pacers had controlled for nearly the entire fourth quarter.

Nevertheless, there are quite a few positives to take from this defeat. They played well in important areas and struggled in ones that they are certain to turn around. All in all, their Game 1 defeat may offer more hope than discomfort.

Free-Throw Shooting

Strangely, the Pacers' most inefficient area of play in Game 1 is one of the most promising signs for the remainder of this series. Reason being that Indiana shot just 59.1 percent from the charity stripe while shooting 78.2 percent in the regular season, third-highest in the NBA.

In Game 2, it's hard to imagine Danny Granger, an 87 percent free-throw shooter, going 1-for-4 again. Or Leandro Barbosa, an 81 percent free-throw shooter, going 0-for.

Interior Defense

Prior to evaluating Glen Davis and the Orlando Magic's scoring input from inside, it's important to acknowledge efficiency. In that case, the Orlando Magic front court shot a combined 12-of-33 from the floor. A major reason for this was the Pacers' shot blocking, which saw Roy Hibbert record a franchise playoff record nine swats on his own.

The team finished with 11 total.

While Davis managed 16 points, as well as six offensive rebounds, the Pacers have set the tone for this series. While the Magic have no problem shooting from the perimeter, as they led the NBA by averaging 10.2 three-pointers per game, this makes them rather one-dimensional. Losing Dwight Howard for the series just throws salt on the wound.

Offensive Rebounding

In Game 1, the Indiana Pacers controlled the glass on both sides of the floor. The important factor in this performance were Indiana's 15 offensive rebounds compiled by seven different players.

While Orlando rebounded well on the defensive end, the Pacers' marginal size advantage was on full display, as they consistently crashed the boards. All-Star center led the Pacers with four, but it was the balance of having every player attack the offensive glass.

Evidence to back this statement is the fact that only two players on the Pacers finished without an offensive rebound: George Hill and Leandro Barbosa.

Responsible with the Ball

While there weren't a lot of points, there also weren't many turnovers. As a team, the Pacers turned it over just 10 times; five of which are credited to one player: their captain, Danny Granger.

Nevertheless, both Darren Collison and George Hill, the Pacers' point guards, managed to go the entirety of the game without turning the ball over. That trend is likely to continue, as the Orlando Magic ranked 25th in steals and 29th in opponent turnovers.

Taming the Tempo

While the scoreboard may not show it to be this way, the Indiana Pacers had a firm grip on the pace of this game. Unfortunately, they simply didn't know how to capitalize on their countless opportunities to put the game away.

With a trio of speedy guards, including Darren Collison, George Hill and Leandro Barbosa, it's not hard to see why the Pacers have been able to push the ball up-and-down the court throughout the season. With versatile big men such as David West and Roy Hibbert, it's also easy to see why they can slow things down and place the ball down low.

Towards the end of the game, however, inconsistency from wingmen Paul George and Danny Granger tanked the Pacers' hopes of a victory. They shot a combined 11-of-31, and Granger alone tallied five turnovers, something that is certainly correctable for two of the more efficient players in the league.

Game 2 rests on George and Granger's respective shoulders.