To get an idea of the drama level of Chase Budinger's performance on Monday, consider that he entered the game against Orlando having hit just 4-of-14 3-pointers, and by the end of it was being harassed for passing up a 3-point shot.
Normally, an NBA veteran scoring six points in nearly 17 minutes of play wouldn't seem a big deal, but for Budinger it was practically a breakthrough. He was in danger of losing his place in the rotation to an oncoming second-year player, Glenn Robinson III, but was tossed yet another floating device by coach Frank Vogel. And he finally justified the coach's confidence.
"Glenn Robinson shows me he needs to be on the floor every time he's on the floor," Vogel said following the Pacers' 97-84 victory. "(But) I've watched Chase for several years, and I know what he's capable of. I really believe he's a solid basketball player."
Budinger solidified the Pacers' fourth-quarter surge, in which they closed the game with a 19-3 run. He hit a 3-pointer with 9:27 left on a kick-out pass from Robinson to give the Pacers a five-point lead, and another with 5:22 left for another five-point lead.
A minute later, he had a lonely look at a 3-pointer from the right wing, nobody within earshot of him, but with the crowd buzzing in anticipation of a third 3-pointer from the formerly struggling shooter, he passed it up to feed Ian Mahinmi in the lane. Mahinmi, caught off guard, had nowhere to go and passed off to Paul George, who shot, rebounded his own miss, drew a foul and hit two free throws to open a nine-point lead – and complete his 27-point effort, 19 of which came in the first quarter.
Budinger heard the groans, from fans and teammates alike.
"I got a lot of grief because of that play," he said. "I thought I saw Ian come open down the middle for a dunk, so I tried to pass it to him. I should have shot it for sure."
That play, at least, was typical of Budinger's purist approach, which is one of the reasons Vogel had stuck with him through his shooting drought.
"He's just a really good basketball player," Vogel said. "He understands the pass and cut game. In today's NBA, where everybody else wants to pound the basketball, he understands how to pass and move into open space."
Budinger also understands about going back to find his place on the bench. He was replaced by Monta Ellis, who hit just 1-of-9 shots, with 4:20 left in the game, to the disappointment of a lot of fans.
Was he disappointed?
"Not really," Budinger said. "We try to have a consistent rotation. That's coach's decision, I have no control over it."
Vogel admitted it was a tough call.
"It happens all the time," he said. "You've got a guy at the scorer's table, and the guy he's going in for makes a couple of threes. Sometimes you pull him back. Sometimes you want to close the game with your starting group, and that's what I did tonight."
Budinger was a career 36 percent 3-point shooter in six seasons with Houston and Minnesota before joining the Pacers. He also stood out in the team's scrimmages in September. Paul George eagerly praised him before training camp began, and George Hill reiterated the opinion on Monday.
"Oh, definitely," Hill said. "He was one of the bright spots in training camp, by far. He did a great job of solidifying who he was."
That's what made Budinger's slow start – and near disappearance from the playing rotation – so mystifying. Vogel, though, has made a habit of sticking with struggling players, and more often than not has been rewarded.
"Just finding my role on this team," Budinger said. "I've had other years when I had slow starts, but the numbers always come around. It will happen this year, too, so I'm not really worried about it."
Hill, meanwhile, knows his role on the team: taking care of the ball. He completed his third consecutive game without a turnover against the Magic, a feat encompassing more than 115 minutes of play. And he knows the motivation behind it.
Seven, five and two.
He opened the season with two turnovers in the opener at Toronto, five in the next game against Memphis and seven in the next game with Utah – all losses. He's only had three turnovers – all against Boston – in the five games since then, covering 185 minutes,
"I thrive on taking care of the ball," said Hill, who also finished season highs in points (23) and rebounds (seven). "I may not get 15, 16 assists, but I normally take care of the ball. Having seven, five and (two) wasn't me. I felt like I was trying to do too much, forcing things outside of who I am."
Have a question for Mark? Want it to be on Pacers.com? Email him at askmontieth@gmail.com and you could be featured in his next mailbag.
Note: The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Indiana Pacers. All opinions expressed by Mark Montieth are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Indiana Pacers, their partners, or sponsors.