First Pacers Practice Focuses On Defense
(INDIANAPOLIS, IN) - Indiana Pacers Coach Jim O’Brien is preaching defense as training camp got underway Tuesday at Conseco Fieldhouse.
Day one of practice consisted of plenty of focus on defense, including loose ball drills. Offensively, O'Brien is focus on passing more and dribbling less.
The coach was impressed with the passing ability of center Rasho Nesterovic. Nesterovic is entering his eleventh NBA season and came to the Pacers as part of the TJ Ford / Jermaine O'Neal deal. He is expected to compete with veteran Jeff Foster and rookie Roy Hibbert for the starting job at center.
The other key battle for the starting job is expected to come at point guard, where the Pacers traded for Ford and Jarrett Jack. Ford appears to be the better fit in O'Brien's up-tempo offensive system while Jack is bigger and a more physical presence on defense.
The Pacers open the preseason one week from tonight when they face the New Orleans Hornets at the Indiana State Fairgrounds' Pepsi Coliseum.
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