Mon, May 6th 2013, 06:25
The Indiana Pacers went into Game 1 of their series against the New York Knicks hoping to get some kind of production off the bench.
Backup point guard D.J. Augustin gladly stepped up for them Sunday.
Augustin made his first five shots and finished with 16 points in only 13 minutes off the bench in the Pacers’ 102-95 victory at Madison Square Garden.
“I just wanted to come in and play hard,” Augustin said. “That’s all we’re trying to do now, it’s the second round of the playoff. It could be our last if we don’t come out and play hard, so that’s what we’re locked in to do.”
Augustin scored 12 of his 16 points in the second and third quarters when the…
Mon, Nov 26th 2012, 17:46
That’s the way Indiana Pacers backup point guard D.J. Augustin describes what’s different about him these days.
Augustin had his best game as a Pacer with eight points, a season-high eight assists and only two turnovers in 15 minutes off the bench against the San Antonio Spurs on Friday.
“I just felt comfortable,” the soft-spoken Augustin said. “This is the most comfortable that I’ve felt the whole season.”
Augustin showed some flash, albeit very briefly, during the final two preseason games. However, he became tentative Augustin and indecisive and more worried about making others happy instead of playing his game when the regular season started.
That wasn’t cutting it.
Pacers coach Frank Vogel knew that, too.
That’s why Vogel benched Augustin the entire second half of…