INDIANAPOLIS -- Big Roy came up with a big answer for his critics and his teammates Wednesday night.
Martinas Rankin Super Bowl Jersey . He played like an All-Star when the Pacers really needed it. After 48 hours of questions and criticism, Roy Hibbert scored a season-high 28 points, grabbed nine rebounds, blocked two shots and altered a handful of others to help the Pacers get even in the Eastern Conference semifinals with an 86-82 victory over Washington. Hibbert sounded more relieved than redeemed. "David (West) always talks to me about being the person that rescues yourself when youre in the middle of the ocean," Hibbert said after Indiana tied the best-of-seven series at 1-1. "Theres nobody who can throw a lifesaver or a rope out to help you. So I had to do it myself." The next step is proving he can play this way again Friday when Washington hosts Game 3. Hibbert went into Wednesday with a combined total of 37 points and 24 rebounds in Indianas first eight playoff games. Twice in the previous four he failed to score a point or grab a rebound. Beleaguered Pacers fans wanted Hibbert benched. Frustrated teammates talked publicly and privately about needing more from their 7-foot-2 centre. Critics turned Hibbert into the butt of jokes and on the Internet, some even tried to explain Hibberts incredible disappearing act with unseemly speculation. After talking to his old college coach, John Thompson III, and Colts linebacker Robert Mathis, a close friend, Hibbert blocked out the inescapable firestorm, focused on basketball and fueled the decisive 6-0 run late in the fourth quarter. It was enough to put repeated smiles on Hibberts face, even if he considers it only a start. "I just want to string a few games together," he said. "Consistency hasnt been my biggest friend this year. Im going to try to continue to play aggressive and Im going to try to control the things I can control. I cant control play calls, but I can control how hard I play, how fast I run down the court and how well I play defence." George Hill finished with 14 points, Paul George had 11 points, six rebounds and four assists, and Lance Stephenson added 12 points, seven rebounds and five assists. And for the first time this post-season, the Pacers held an opponent to fewer than nine 3-pointers. Washington finished 5 of 21 from behind the arc, the lowest percentage (23.8) in the playoffs this year. Much of the credit went to Hibbert, who helped open up the offensive lanes for his teammates and protected the rim well enough that Indiana could spread out and defend the perimeter. "Hes got our attention now," Drew Gooden said. "Weve got to be focused on guarding the Roy Hibbert we know." It was a lost opportunity for the Wizards, who had won their first four playoff games on the road -- three at Chicago and Monday night at Indy -- and could have gone home with a commanding 2-0 lead. They had chances. Washington led by as much as six early in the third quarter and rallied in the fourth to take a 77-74 lead with 5:01 to go before Hibbert and George scored six straight to give the Pacers the lead for good. Marcin Gortat finished with 21 points and 11 rebounds. Bradley Beal had 17 points and Nene added 14. "He came out with a lot of intensity and established position," Beal said. "We didnt play our best game. We didnt shoot the ball and we didnt defend like we know were capable." But Hibbert changed this game almost by himself. He scored the first five points of the game, an indication that things were going to be different, and he came up big late, too. Hibberts nifty stop-and-go layup got the Pacers within 77-76. That basket ignited the decisive 6-0 spurt. Georges steal on the ensuing possession led to a layup from Hill that gave Indiana a 78-77 lead, and Hibberts presence in the middle allowed George to find a lane for a two-handed dunk that made it 80-77. All the Wizards could muster after that was an alley-oop layup from Gortat and a long 3-pointer from Beal that got the Wizards within 84-82 with 11 seconds to play. West made two free throws and Hibbert sealed it by grabbing the last rebound of the game. "He carried us tonight," West said. "I thought he was very relaxed before the game. He was relaxed this morning. He didnt say a whole lot, but as a professional, I think everything just came down on him and he responded the right way." Notes: Hibbert was 10 of 13 from the field and made all eight of his free throw attempts.... Nene went to the locker room in the first quarter after apparently hurting his left leg or ankle but returned early in the second quarter and finished the game.
Armani Watts Super Bowl Jersey . -- Howie Kendrick had a two-run single in his first game batting leadoff this season, Chris Iannetta hit a pair of RBI singles and the Los Angeles Angels beat Cleveland 6-4 Tuesday night, sending the Indians to their fifth straight defeat.
Patrick Mahomes Super Bowl Jersey . After making his All-Star debut in Fridays Rising Stars Challenge, the Raptors sophomore centre wont be sticking around for the duration of the weekends festivities, thinking about the big picture instead.Winning last Fridays showdown between the top two teams vaulted the San Jose Sharks past the St. Louis Blues and back into top spot of the TSN.ca NHL Power Rankings. The Sharks had been ranked No. 1 for the first three weeks. The Detroit Red Wings jumped, from 18 to 12, taking advantage of a soft spot in their schedule to win four straight, even with star centre Pavel Datsyuk injured. 6-3-1 in their last 10 games, the Winnipeg Jets climbed from 19 to 15 and the Tampa Bay Lightning are up, from 20 to 16, after recording back-to-back wins last week. Heading the other way, the Dallas Stars have one win in their last five games and lost centre Tyler Seguin and defenceman Stephane Robidas to injury, so they dropped from 14 to 19. The Toronto Maple Leafs have hit a rough patch, recording fouur wins in 13 November games -- a month that was supposed to be relatively easy for them -- and dropped from 12 to a season-low 20th in the rankings.
Bashaud Breeland Super Bowl Jersey. Among other Canadian clubs, the Montreal Canadiens have moved into the Top 10, on the heels of a 7-1-2 record in their last 10 games, up from 11 to nine. The Vancouver Canucks hold steady at 13 and Ottawa Senators drop three spots from 21 to 24. The Battle of Alberta is being waged in close quarters in the lower tier of the rankings, with the Edmonton Oilers dropping one spot, from 25 to 26, yet staying one ahead of the Calgary Flames, who fell from 26 to 27. Scott Cullen can be reached at
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