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[J@3]

Are you going to do the other one too?

[Lamrock]

This is definitely going to be dynasty of the year. It has "gonna finish the entire season" written alllllll over it.

[dare]

OMG another one

[Lamrock]

Are you going to do the other one too?

I think we both know the answer to that. When is he going to realize he's just wasting his time, and that its unnecessary to have so many reserved posts for a dynasty that'll last 2-3 weeks?

[Mark.]

Good luck with this, it still bamboozles me why you cant just focus on the Nets though :S I hope your not going to put too much effort into the presentation etc, I think its more important to make it easy so you can recap quickly so you dont get sick of it.

[hova-]

I won't follow. Well, there are only some dynasties I am following right now anyway and I don't see any reason right now to follow this one.

[J@3]

It's a bit too formulaic for me I have to admit. You sort of follow an almost identical style to every story, which normally wouldn't be a bad thing but you start new ones so often that it gets kinda repetitive. Maybe you'll have something to surprise us all, I guess we'll see.

[kibaxx7]

Only two members of the team, T.J. Ford and Brandon Rush, have been to China, none to Taiwan, so the trip the Pacers will embark upon Monday morning offers quite a bit of mystery. “But there's going to be a gym,” Ford said. “Wherever we go, there's going to be a gym.” And that, really, is the point of the thing. The Pacers will travel more than 16,000 miles to two Asian destinations, a seven-day journey sandwiched by 17-hour flights going and coming, to play the first NBA game ever in Taiwan and the fourth in China, both against the Denver Nuggets. “Personally, I'm very excited," said Rush. “It's a great chance for us to spend a lot of time together in a very unique environment. It's a trip of a lifetime. We will remember this trip for the rest of their lives. This is going to be a lot of fun. I'm very, very excited about the opportunity.”

The Pacers face the Nuggets Thursday (at 7:30 a.m. Indianapolis time) in Taipei, then re-board their jet and head for Beijing, where they'll play the Nuggets on Sunday (in Indianapolis, that'll be Saturday at midnight). “I've come to the realization that basketball over there is going to be limited with the amount of practice we have,” said Pacers coach Jim O'Brien. “The chance to play games will be very, very important. But I'm more focused on the event of traveling over to these two countries. I think that's the key thing. At some point in time, you have to just go with the flow and this trip, I asked for like four hours of practice one day and they said, 'You can have two hours and then you have to do a media thing.'” For O'Brien, going with the flow meant cancelling the 6 a.m. practice he had scheduled for Monday morning. Hey, it was his only open time slot for a couple of days.

“I'm looking forward to this trip,” said Pacers center Roy Hibbert. “It's going to be really cool. I've never been anywhere near there. I never thought in my life I'd be able to go over there and play in an NBA game. It's really an honor and I'm excited to be a part of it.” The Pacers have practices on Wednesday and Saturday and morning shootarounds on game days. Other than that, their schedule will be packed with a variety of events including tours of the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial, National Palace Museum & Chin-Shan Garden, Swallow Lake, Wulai Waterfall and, of course, Richshaw Rides in Taipei; a trip to the Great Wall and tours of the Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City and the Pearl and Silk Markets in Beijing, and they'll also participate in NBA Cares event in Taipei benefiting typhoon relief.

“We've got pretty much a packed schedule,” said Danny Granger. “I've not been to the Great Wall so I won't be able to give some of those guys the experience, but I saw a lot of posters on the street. I have a big following over there. Their culture is great, I love their culture, they love basketball and they're definitely going to make everyone feel like a superstar.” Pacers new signing Dahntay Jones has traveled extensively but this will mark his first trips to Taiwan and China. It's a circuitous route for something of a reunion with friends from his Denver days. “I definitely can't wait to see some of my old teammates. Those guys are great. We get a chance to compete and enjoy Taiwan and China, so you can't lose on this trip.”

Pacers forward Danny Granger continues to show he was worthy of being an All-Star last February. Granger scored a game-high 26 points to go with seven rebounds, as the Indiana Pacers posted a 105-83 win over the Denver Nuggets in the first NBA game ever played in Taiwan, with globetrotting Commissioner David Stern in attendance. Indiana controlled things from beginning to end and never trailed in the triumph. After scoring 12 points in the first three quarters, Granger added 14 in the fourth including consecutive 3-pointers to give the Pacers an 91-71 lead. Troy Murphy was a strong presence for the Pacers, scoring 18 points and 12 boards. He made an alley-oop dunk to cap a 13-2 run in the third period that put Indiana on top, 72-53. “This is just basketball now, us against them,” said Murphy. “I thought we did some really positive things defensively, we were pressuring the basketball well.” Murphy cited the 39% field goal by Denver and the Pacers' 52-38 rebound advantage.

There were developments at each of the two most contested positions for the Pacers: shooting guard and center. Though it appears more likely Brandon Rush will hold onto the starting spot, that may be in large part to the presence of Dahntay Jones and also Mike Dunleavy on the bench. Drifting in and out of the first half -- 2 points, 1-of-6 -- , O'Brien turned to the bench, sending a clear message to Rush, but in the second half, Rush locked in and scored 8 of his 10 points, and finished with seven rebounds, one assist and only one turnover. Dunleavy had 13 points and seven rebounds but three turnovers. At center, Solomon Jones started and provided defense -- not scoring, he had only 2 points -- but Roy Hibbert stole the show off the bench, with 16 points in 16 minutes. His presence on the boards and protecting the rim were really encouraging for coach Jim O'Brien.

Brazilian center Nene scored 18 points and eight rebounds, while Chauncey Billups and Carmelo Anthony had 15 apiece for the Nuggets, who trailed by six points at half, but had a 11-point deficit entering the last period. Anthony was held to 5-of-14 from the field, while J.R. Smith finished with 10 points, shooting 3-of-12; both weren't happy with the outcome. “Danny (Granger) was a very big key with his leadership for them,” said Anthony. “Dahntay is a very important additions to them; he is a known defensive guy, they really need that.” The teams will meet again Sunday at noon (which translates to Saturday at midnight in Indianapolis), with the game broadcast live on Fox Sports Indiana.

First time out, Solomon Jones looked like the real deal with rebounding, shot-blocking and energy around the rim, not focused on offense, while Roy Hibbert was the spark off the bench that helped Indiana on the run against Denver. Tomorrow, it will be Jeff Foster who's gonna start against a new Nuggets lineup. What to expect Sunday at noon, when the teams meet again in Wukesong Arena in Beijing? The unexpected. Odds say, at least one of the Pacers' centers will contribute in a big way. “Jeff, Solomon and myself are kind of specialty guys in a way in all different areas,” said Hibbert. “Solomon brings athletic shot-blocking and can finish at the hoop pretty well. Jeff brings low-post scoring, and I try to bring defense and some hustle. Unfortunately we're not one player all combined (laughs), but at some point all three of us are going to have to get heavy minutes and have to contribute for us to be a good team on the future.”

Until his big game in Taipei, Hibbert had struggled through the early phase of training camp; it wasn't for a lack of preparation, because he worked out relentlessly over the summer. “His progress is evident, but we must be patient. I must admit, he represents the future of the center position. He's going to have an up-and-down year, most sophomores do,” Pacers coach Jim O'Brien said. “It's more magnified for him because he's a big guy and people, the team, the franchise, the city, everybody wants him to be the pillar in the middle for years to come, but it's going to take time and we have to give him that leeway. He's going to continue to progress and be a fixture for us for a long time.”

Solomon languished on the bench in Atlanta's frontcourt, but has made a very positive first impression with Indiana. His quick-jumping ability and shot-blocking stand out, and he is still raw but developing and the Pacers are intrigued by his potential; he could turn out to be a much bigger factor in the present. He's a very instinctive athlete, defensively. He not only is a good shot-blocker but he has good hands to deflect passes and to pressure the ball. He has good speed and athleticism to be able to impact on the pick-and-roll. He came to Indianapolis seeking opportunity; he doesn't have Hibbert's size, but can compensate with activity. Though a veteran of three NBA seasons, he has started just eight games to Hibbert's 42.

Now, Danny Granger is the face of the franchise, but Foster is the heart and soul. One of just five players to spend at least 10 seasons with the Pacers, and the lone bridge from the Pacers team that reachrd the 2000 NBA Finals, he is the oldest player on the team. He is a great model for the young big men -- add Josh McRoberts to the mix. Certainly, the squad need leadership from all of the veterans, and Jeff being the elder statesman needs to really step up in that particular area. He wants to win, trusts the decision-making process, and he's a very good communicator, so if anything ever bothers him, he speaks, but his presence is much more than symbolic. He started 26 games last season and remains one of the game's most productive rebounders and aggressive low-post defenders.

Coach Jim O'Brien was digusted with the effort of his squad; at least, he expected the Pacers to play hard. “We were flat from the beginning to the end, and I can't accept that,” he said. “We didn't compete. The first time I've seen that in this team. We just didn't compete -- at all.” Carmelo Anthony scored 31 points and J.R. Smith had 25 in the Denver Nuggets' 126-102 victory over the Indiana Pacers, in the second and last contest of the 2009 NBA Games on Taipei. The absence of point guard T.J. Ford, who missed the game with a right knee tendinitis, didn't help as Indiana couldn't repeat the win against Denver like a couple of days ago. O'Brien doesn't know how long Ford will be out, but coach didn't rule out a chance before the game that his point guard might return as soon as he thought. Ford missed the game, but to remember, he had seven turnovers in the first game, and that will be a point of emphasis for the coaching staff hereafter. Sometimes it's high-risk passes, it's just a case of being early in the preseason and timing and spacing between new teammates not yet established.

“Only time will tell. T.J.'s a big part of what we do and we missed him tonight, obviously. We need him to be more careful with the ball and we will talk about that. I don't know if he would have made that big of a difference tonight, because the Nuggets shot the lights out.” Denver was 60% from the field -- 42/70 -- and 50% from beyond the arc -- 6/12. Denver also outrebounded the Pacers, 47-27 for a complete rout. It was a fast start for both teams -- 41-33 after the first quarter only -- but Mike Dunleavy and Brandon Rush's shooting problems doomed Indiana, which went almost 4 minutes without a field goal in the second quarter. Dunleavy and Rush shot a combined 6-of-26 (23 percent). The Beijing crowd has a little more experience with major international events, but this was just the third or fourth NBA game in the country. It's sellout crowd and the pregame vibe has a definite buzz. This is only the third event they've had this arena since the Olympics, so any time they open the doors to Wukesong Arena, it's a big deal in these parts.

The Pacers never got any closer than ten points after Earl Watson's 3-pointer, midway through the third period. Watson and Luther Head, starting in place of Ford and Rush, each scored 16 points and combined for 11-of-13 (7-of-8 from 3-point land). “Tonight we got some good minutes from our guys. Earl was able to contribute and give us some good minutes tonight. We were moving the ball at the fourth quarter, getting clean looks and good shots, but the outcome was already decided,” O'Brien added. “Luther was terrific as well. He was really agressive, and that’s the way we would like him to be always. They really looked confident, and both are doing a much better job keeping their base, maintaining balance and shooting in rhythm.”

Equal parts exhilarated and exhausted, the Pacers and Nuggets will return home late Sunday night from their trip to the Far East. The box scores showed a win and a loss apiece, but the bottom line reflected something altogether more meaningful: a growing experience. Both teams walked The Great Wall together, went down the slide together, had dinner together. “I don't think I've ever been on a team where we spent so much time together and we genuinely liked being around one another,” Pacers guard Earl Watson said. “I think that will help us down the line this season.” Indiana routed the Nuggets 105-83 Thursday in the first NBA game ever in Taipei behind Danny Granger's 26 points, but Denver got payback Sunday, riding Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith combined 56 points to a 126-102 victory over the Pacers.

“It was good getting a couple of games like this,” Granger said. “It was more like a diagnosis. It helped us understand what we have to work on offensively and defensively. It was a good cultural experience for the team too.” Roy Hibbert, Luther Head and Watson's performances were the biggest individual bright spots for the Pacers. Hibbert racked up 16 points on 16 minutes on the first game, while Head and Watson combined for 32 points on the second contest. “I'm working on trying to stay in the game for a long period of time,” Head said. “I'm happy to say I stayed in the game long enough to get some film, thanks to the coach.”

Hibbert added: “We won one, lost one, showed what we needed to do to win and then Denver responded and gave it back to us in the second night. We need to develop a sense of consistency on the defensive end. In the first game we had a great defensive effort and kind of relaxed in the second. It was a good trip, it was good how the team got to be around each other a lot in kind of a different environment, so it built some camaraderie between us.” The Pacers will return to practice Monday afternoon in Conseco Fieldhouse, preparing for their season opener against Atlanta.

[kibaxx7]

Are you going to do the other one too?

I think we both know the answer to that. When is he going to realize he's just wasting his time, and that its unnecessary to have so many reserved posts for a dynasty that'll last 2-3 weeks?

Wow, calm down guys Nets ain't dead. It's more like Lamrock did, simming Warriors and playing with the Clippers. That's what I'm gonna do. Also hope everyone liked the header at the first post. My first try at photoshop (must admit I downloaded some PSDs to get an idea).

This is definitely going to be dynasty of the year. It has "gonna finish the entire season" written alllllll over it.

OMG another one

I knew I could count with you, Lamrock Hoping to get past my Blazers' 8 pages.

Good luck with this, it still bamboozles me why you cant just focus on the Nets though :S I hope your not going to put too much effort into the presentation etc, I think its more important to make it easy so you can recap quickly so you dont get sick of it.

I won't follow. Well, there are only some dynasties I am following right now anyway and I don't see any reason right now to follow this one.

There's the huge Taipei recap... I played both games. I'm putting a good effort on this one because the Pacers are one of my fav teams, from the Jermaine+Reggie Miller days. Won't get sick of this because I'm gonna get all my favourite players as well. Going monthly this season (simming it completely) and then take from the Wall, Favors draft. Hope I can count with you hova when I get to that point.

It's a bit too formulaic for me I have to admit. You sort of follow an almost identical style to every story, which normally wouldn't be a bad thing but you start new ones so often that it gets kinda repetitive. Maybe you'll have something to surprise us all, I guess we'll see.

Yeah, I'm starting a story almost each two weeks. Can't settle with a team, I hope it's this Pacers. As I said to Mark, it's one of my fav teams so I hope this one can go for a couple of years with all my photoshop/photoimpact skills here. Thanks Jae

[Azzdogs]

Looking forward to this but out of all your dynasties that ive seen I liked your Celtics the best.

[Lamrock]

I simmed one week with my Warriors in the month or so I ran my Clippers. Its not so easy. Its obvious that this is going nowhere. I understand why you keep switching. Once I finish my Warriors playoffs, I'm very tempted to start a Blazers dynasty, but I want to utilize the NLSC rookies, and setting them up would be a hassle. (Plus with Oden they are just too good)

[Mark.]

Cool recap dude, dont know about the videos though IMO when I read a dynasty I only wanna see 2k10 images/videos, not some weird dude with glasses talking to me

Looking forward to seeing what you do with this one.

[The X]

Sorry, just can't see this one lasting. Pacers just don't have any hook to keep them interesting. Looking forward to your other one continuing, just can't remember what team is was though

[|)e8*]

The only thing that will keep you interested is Dahntay Jones. Still will follow

[Dee.]

You need to stop doing associations,seriously.

[kibaxx7]

Looking forward to this but out of all your dynasties that ive seen I liked your Celtics the best.

Celtics went to hell with the prediction game

I simmed one week with my Warriors in the month or so I ran my Clippers. Its not so easy. Its obvious that this is going nowhere. I understand why you keep switching. Once I finish my Warriors playoffs, I'm very tempted to start a Blazers dynasty, but I want to utilize the NLSC rookies, and setting them up would be a hassle. (Plus with Oden they are just too good)

Sorry, just can't see this one lasting. Pacers just don't have any hook to keep them interesting. Looking forward to your other one continuing, just can't remember what team is was though

You need to stop doing associations,seriously.

I knew you wouldn't like this guys. Lamrock specially I know Pacers don't really have a hook, but as I said a couple of posts up, they are one of my fav teams, so I'm simming this season completely and then just go for all my fav players at the offseason, also Martti told me about the real draft class, so it's gonna be even better. I know you won't follow this part, so I hope you can follow when I get to that point.

Cool recap dude, dont know about the videos though IMO when I read a dynasty I only wanna see 2k10 images/videos, not some weird dude with glasses talking to me

Looking forward to seeing what you do with this one.

Yep... I saw the Taipei vids surfing the NBA website and found I way to post them here, it's a nice touch, but considering I'm gonna sim all the year, I only have one more of the season preview and no more.

The only thing that will keep you interested is Dahntay Jones. Still will follow

Dahntay's getting traded in any moment now, he's on the trading block. The hook right now is keeping Granger and Hibbert scoring 20 each night