In Indianapolis, Anthony Schoettle noted the Pacers "will have sold out 28 games as of their last regular-season game April 13." That is the most since the 41 of the '99-'00 season, when the Pacers moved into Bankers Life Fieldhouse and went to the NBA finals. That also is "18 more sellouts than last season and more than the last three seasons combined." Average attendance of 17,501 is "third-highest since the Pacers made their home at the fieldhouse" and up 15% over last season's average. The Pacers are "set to finish 15th of 30 NBA teams in attendance and 12th in percentage of seats sold" at home, which is a "major jump from just three years ago" (IBJ.com, 4/9).
GOING ALL IN: Warriors co-Owner Joe Lacob yesterday said of his goal to win an NBA Championship, "I’m 58 years old now, and I’ve been successful. I’ve made a lot of money. I’ve done a lot of things I’ve wanted to do in life, but now we have this new venture, which is the Warriors. A second career, if you will, and all I can think about it is, we have to win a championship. I will be a failure. We will be a failure if we do not win the championship. So that’s what drives me" (MERCURYNEWS.com, 4/9).
WORK HARD, PLAY HARD: In Portland, Jason Quick writes the Trail Blazers "should start bubble wrapping the Executive of the Year trophy" for GM Neil Olshey. Nobody in the NBA "did more with less last summer than Olshey." Quick: "When you are batting as high of an average as he is with his moves ... you can do what you want, act how you want" (Portland OREGONIAN, 4/7).
