Edgy film session follows Pacers' loss at Atlanta

MIAMI – As hard as it is to imagine how a group of professionals can fail mightily in performing the basketball basics, it is the reality of the Indiana Pacers.

While mired in a six-game losing streak, the Pacers can pinpoint their problems to several simple things: taking care of the basketball, remembering particulars from the game plan and then actually executing them.

None of the above happened in the Pacers' most recent game dominated by the Atlanta Hawks. Indiana sloppily surrendered 18 turnovers for transition scores and in spite of the Hawks' reputation on shooting 3s, still gave shooters good enough looks to knock down 13 from beyond the arc, tying the most made by an opponent this season. While the Hawks breezed to the 110-91 win, it was the second straight game in which the Pacers had fallen into a deficit greater than 25 points.

"We've just got to play better. We've got to do better," power forward David West said. "We are who we are and we've got to make the best of who we are and we're not doing that right now."

So on Thursday, the Pacers, now a torn and tattered 15-29 on the season, returned to the workshop for more tinkering – and a lot more instruction.

"We did have a good practice today," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said inside the Miami Heat's facility. "Everybody's a little frustrated with some of the fundamentals of offensive basketball that we're not executing. (We had) a forceful film session and a very forceful practice. Hopefully it pays some dividends."

In some Pacers' video sessions, coaches will instruct and talk through the play. Other times, they deliver more colorful and angrier messages –Thursday's session leaned on this edgier side. Also, Kevin Pritchard, the Pacers' general manager who joined the trip after scouting on the West Coast, addressed the team before the morning video session. According to several players, Pritchard expressed his thoughts about the performance and effort in the Atlanta loss.

"Me personally, I appreciate that because it's good sometimes to hear points of view from the upstairs office (personnel)," center Ian Mahinmi said. "He spoke his mind in a respectful way. It was nothing crazy. He said what was on his mind and addressed what was the right way and I think it was good.

"If we take care of the details in the game," Mahinmi continued, "the rest will come. Today was a lot about that."

The Pacers' slippage in performance has mirrored their fall from the playoff race and they enter Friday night's matchup against the Heat a full four games out of the eighth seed. However, at this point, the Pacers have more pressing concerns than trying to make the postseason.

"We've just got to play better," West said, "That's the bottom line."

Call Star reporter Candace Buckner at (317) 444-6121. Follow her on Twitter: @CandaceDBuckner.

INDIANA AT MIAMI

Tipoff: 7:30 p.m. Friday, AmericanAirlines Arena.

TV: Fox Sports Indiana.

Radio: WFNI-1070 AM, 107.5 FM.

PACERS (15-29)

Pos. Player PPG Key stat PG C.J. Watson 10.5 3.6 apg SG Rodney Stuckey 11.3 3.8 rpg SF Solomon Hill 10.0 4.4 rpg PF David West 12.6 7.0 rpg C Roy Hibbert 11.3 1.9 bpg 6th C.J. Miles 12.5 3.0 rpg

HEAT (18-24)

Pos. Player PPG Key stat PG Mario Chalmers 10.6 4.2 apg SG Dwayne Wade 21.8 5.5 apg SF Luol Deng 14.1 4.9 rpg PF Chris Bosh 21.3 7.7 rpg C Hassan Whiteside 7.4 5.8 rpg 6th Shabazz Napier 5.4 4.0 apg

STORYLINES

George Hill upgraded to questionable: Hill has missed the 11 games with a left groin strain, however the team has elevated his status from "out" to "questionable" against the Heat. He has participated in full practices during this road trip and did so again on Thursday.

Hustling Hassan: Center Hassan Whiteside might have been just a reserve big man the last time the Pacers faced the Heat, but recently he has moved into Miami's starting lineup and made an impact. Whiteside has three double-doubles over the past seven games and he also leads the team in field-goal percentage (.684) and blocks (34). However, Whiteside missed the Heat's last game with a right ankle sprain and is listed as questionable against the Pacers.

Prediction: Of the Pacers' 15 wins this season, two have come against the Miami Heat. However, the Heat still have one up on the Pacers, actually make that three up in the win column as they hold the seventh seed in the East. Pacers win 95-88.

— Candace Buckner