Roy Hibbert can't win, even when he wins.
Paul George questions Roy Hibbert's heart after Pacers' Game 1 loss to the Wizards
Criticized mercilessly since the beginning of April for his lackluster play that came to a head with his zero-point, zero-rebound performance in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Washington Wizards, Hibbert had a breakout effort Wednesday night in Game 2.
The 7-2 center out of Georgetown had 28 points, nine rebounds and two blocked shots during the Pacers' 86-82 victory over the Wizards to even their series at a game apiece.
Then came this assessment from CBSSports.com that basically said the Pacers got away with letting Hibbert have a big night - this time:
The key to a deep Pacers run in the playoffs: reduced minutes for Roy Hibbert?
"The Pacers' pound-the-post strategy was smart in that they need an engaged Hibbert if they are ever going to find the form that made them an elite team to start the season," CBSSports.com reported. "It was questionable in that you can't build a sound offense around Hibbert post-ups. Indiana isn't used to playing this way, and Hibbert's teammates shot a collective 37.2 percent from the field. No Pacer aside from the big man had a particularly efficient night, with (Paul) George and Lance Stephenson combining to go 6-for-26 from the field. It was enough to win, though, and Washington couldn't stop the center this time."
Convention basketball wisdom used to be that an effective big man in the paint opened up the floor not only for shooters on the perimeter but also for slashers in the paint because defensive help would be reluctant to leave the hot-shooting big man to score easy baskets.
Hibbert went 10-of-13 from the floor, and while he tied for the team lead in shots taken, four Pacers shot the ball at least 12 times. Hibbert also was 8 of 8 from the free-throw line. According to CBSSports.com, he had scored 37 points in the Pacers' previous eight playoff games combined.
So if Hibbert's offensive outburst was a problem for his teammates, then it was either poor adjustments by his teammates or poor game-planning by the coaching staff to go into the contest intending to make Hibbert a focal point without talking about how to make the rest of the team play off the post game.
The one point that gives CBSSports.com's assessment any credibility is the fact that the Wizards did have a 77-74 lead with five minutes left in the game, and the Pacers had to work to the end of the game to secure the victory.
But any player that gets 28 points on just 13 shots should be a great asset to an offense - any offense - rather than a deterrent.
Do you think the Pacers offense struggling because of its emphasis on the post is a valid argument and concern for the Pacers moving forward? Comment below or tell us @SportsWN.
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