Jermaine O'neal sounds tired of the Pacers

[GangstaBoogy]

 

He is tired of Pacers playing like 'a very average team,' ponders his future
Forward Jermaine O'Neal spent about 20 minutes inside an empty locker room at the American Airlines Center late Thursday night venting about their 17-16 record.

"We're a very average team right now," O'Neal said. "We're going to be average until we decide as players that we want to win and do the right things we're supposed to do to win. If we don't do it, we're going to mingle around .500, get in the playoffs and then be out."

O'Neal's frustrations boiled over after the Pacers squandered an opportunity to end the Dallas Mavericks' 11-game winning streak Thursday. The Pacers played solid for the first three-plus quarters only to "self destruct" in the final few minutes.

The constant inconsistency has O'Neal thinking about his future with the Pacers. O'Neal, who is averaging a team-high 19.3 points, 10.6 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game, reiterated his comments made to The Star last summer about playing with the team beyond this season.

"If I can't take this team to another level, I truthfully believe we should go our separate ways at the end of the season," said O'Neal, who added his first choice is to remain with the Pacers. "I'm saying in general, the bottom line is you play to win. If we don't have a system set to win a championship, if we don't have the crew to win a championship, then what are we doing?

"I'm getting to the point, I'm in my 11th year, I don't want to play 82 games and then exit to watch somebody else pop champagne. . . . I'm tired of that. I want to compete for a championship. If we can't do it, that's a whole (different) story."

When asked if he has taken his displeasure to CEO Donnie Walsh and team president Larry Bird, O'Neal said, "It's in the best interest of my team and the city not to comment about that. The bottom line is we win and lose as a team and everybody is responsible for it. The coaching staff all the way down to the players."

Walsh, making one of his few road appearances, said he understands O'Neal's frustration.
"I think he's played really well and if the time comes for (talking about O'Neal's future), then that will be the time. We'll see," Walsh said. "I don't like to respond to comments after a tough loss like that. We're going through a difficult part of the season. I'm frustrated, the coaches are frustrated on occasion and the team is frustrated."

The Pacers, who overhauled their roster last summer, have beaten Detroit and Orlando, two of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, twice each this season. It's losses to Boston, Toronto, Seattle and Charlotte that have stopped any talk of them being an elite team in the East.
Tonight, they are at Oklahoma City.

The Pacers' longest losing streak is only three games. They have failed seven times to win three straight games.

"We've proven we can go out and beat the best teams in the East. We've also gone out and proven we can lose to the worst teams in the East," O'Neal said. "What's the solution? I don't know what the solution is. It's frustrating."

The Pacers' rotation has been just as inconsistent as their play on the court. Players are uncertain of their roles on the team. Talk about players having their own personal agenda has started to circulate around the locker room.

"Before the season started, we met with each one of our players and told them what is to be expected of each one of them," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. "We coach them and try to do better. We don't always play great. The thing I'm encouraged about is our effort has been really good. We just have to cut down on mistakes."

[7even]

he's been subtly dissing the pacers for years now

[swangin and bangin]

he should be, he aint gettin anywhere wit em.

[Vegasmac25]

i say he should demand a trade just like Iverson.

[swangin and bangin]

i say he should demand a trade just like Iverson.

yea, but what if they trade his ass to like the raptors or some shitier team?

[WC Iz Active]

LOL at everyone dissin the Pacers and calling us a "shitty" team.  We will be fine we are 18-16 and we have played nowhere even close to as good as we should so it could be alot worse. I completely understand where Jermaine is coming from cause he is having another great season and will be a all star for the 6th straight year but that doesnt matter to him he just wants to win.  We are in the weak Eastern conference (Although the Central division is FAR from weak) and we are only 3 and a half games back of the 1 spot in the East, things will get better, again lol at people saying we are a shitty team.

["THE" MoSav]

^^^ SHITTY NO! Average, Yes, very average at that. Poor JO he is playing great this year, and his defense has been 
I wish he could get some more help...They gotta be better then 18-16 in the eastern confrence im sorry...You know this Spice..

[WC Iz Active]

^^^ SHITTY NO! Average, Yes, very average at that. Poor JO he is playing great this year, and his defense has been 
I wish he could get some more help...They gotta be better then 18-16 in the eastern confrence im sorry...You know this Spice..

I completely agree but I havnt given up on the season yet.  I believe in this team and I know we can play better than we have been and we will play better.  Its a long season but we are right in the hunt for the top spot in the East and Im sure we will improve.

["THE" MoSav]

^^^ SHITTY NO! Average, Yes, very average at that. Poor JO he is playing great this year, and his defense has been 
I wish he could get some more help...They gotta be better then 18-16 in the eastern confrence im sorry...You know this Spice..

I completely agree but I havnt given up on the season yet.  I believe in this team and I know we can play better than we have been and we will play better.  Its a long season but we are right in the hunt for the top spot in the East and Im sure we will improve.

Oh they should def get better. No reason to not like youre chances in the east..They just need others to step it up, JO cant do it all himself..And Tinsley is having a solid year stats wise, but he needs to BE A LEADER at PG, and he just isnt...

[GangstaBoogy]

Poor JO he is playing great this year, and his defense has been 
I wish he could get some more help...They gotta be better then 18-16 in the eastern confrence

Yeah and you can tell that J.O. wants a ring. He deserves one. He's one of the best big men in the leauge, it's bad enoug he doesn't get any credit, but it'd hurt for him to retire without being a champion. Indiana better make some upgrades or suffer that huge loss.

["THE" MoSav]

Poor JO he is playing great this year, and his defense has been 
I wish he could get some more help...They gotta be better then 18-16 in the eastern confrence

Yeah and you can tell that J.O. wants a ring. He deserves one. He's one of the best big men in the leauge, it's bad enoug he doesn't get any credit, but it'd hurt for him to retire without being a champion. Indiana better make some upgrades or suffer that huge loss.

If JO got traded to teh west he could put a team over the top, hes very unselfish...

[PLANT]

JO should stay in Indiana....They are one or two players away from being a contender....And JO staying healthy for a whole season is key also.  He was only in the lineup for half the season the past 2 years.  Hopefully they can make some moves either by trade or in the offseason to upgrade the roster. 

[7even]

How can you feel sorry for JO while KG is still alive?

[PLANT]

How can you feel sorry for JO while KG is still alive?

true

["THE" MoSav]

How can you feel sorry for JO while KG is still alive?

Cuz KG had his chance when he had Sprewell and Cassell and STILL didnt get it done