The Indiana Pacers saw Aaron Holiday as a perfect fit even before Thursday night’s NBA Draft.

They liked his scoring potential and his commitment to defense. They were impressed by his basketball wits and his family’s athletic successes. And Derrick Nnadi Color Rush Jersey , they figured, he could make a smooth transition from college to the pros by blending into the Pacers’ locker room culture.

So when they finally got a chance to make an offseason move, the decision-makers didn’t hesitate to take a potential point guard of the future.

”He’s a tough guy, he prides himself on playing on the defensive end of the floor and he comes from a successful basketball family,” coach Nate McMillan said after adding Holiday with the No. 23 overall pick. ”He was the guy we had at the top of our board.”

The only problem was McMillan and president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard never got to see the 6-foot-1, 185-pound UCLA star up close in Indy.

McMillan said he was didn’t know why Holiday didn’t make it to Indianapolis for a pre-draft workout, and neither Holiday nor Pritchard provided an explanation either.

But Pacers scouts met with Holiday at the draft combine and did enough homework to know passing on Holiday so late in the draft probably would have been a mistake for a team needing more scoring help now and a potential void if Indiana’s top two point guards become free agents next summer.

The 21-year-old Holiday brings a solid resume to a team he’s already has some familiarity with.

Indiana’s two draft picks last year, T.J. Leaf and Ike Anigbogu, also played at UCLA. So did starting point guard Darren Collison, a college teammate of Jrue Holiday, one of Aaron Holiday’s two older brothers who currently play in the NBA. Collison http://www.cowboysauthorizedshops.com/authentic-jihad-ward-jersey , who turns 32 in August, can become a free agent next summer.

”We look at Darren (Collison) and Holiday and see a lot of similarities,” Pritchard said. ”We see speed. We see elite shooting and we were shocked he (Holiday) was there.”

Holiday averaged 20.3 points, 5.8 assists and 1.3 steals while shooting 42.2 percent on 3-pointers last season, becoming the first Bruins player to lead the Pac-12 in scoring since former Pacers star Reggie Miller in 1985-86. Holiday was named first-team all-conference and was chosen to the Pac-12’s all-defensive team.

What really sold the Pacers on him, though, was how they believed he would mesh in a locker room brimming with confidence and hope after last year’s surprise season.

Most analysts thought the Pacers would be a lottery team after trading All-Star Paul George to Oklahoma City for shooting guard Victor Oladipo and backup forward Domantas Sabonis in July.

Instead, Oladipo made his first All-Star appearance, led Indiana to 48 wins and was named one of three finalists for the NBA’s Most Improved Player award. The Pacers even pushed eventual Eastern Conference champion Cleveland to a seventh game in the playoffs.

Sabonis also emerged as a valuable piece off the bench in his second NBA season, and they expect 22-year-old center Myles Turner to improve heading into next season.

”Somebody who’s going to come in and play hard, a playmaker who shoots the ball and a hard worker Frank Ragnow Color Rush Jersey ,” Holiday said, describing what the Pacers are getting.

Indiana also took 6-9, 212-pound forward Alize Johnson, who averaged a double-double in both seasons he played at Missouri State, at No. 50 overall. The 22-year-old Johnson averaged 15.0 points last season and finished fifth nationally in rebounds (11.6) and eighth nationally in double-doubles (20) after starting his prep career as a 5-9 point guard.

Holiday could be another critical piece for a team facing a potentially intriguing offseason.

Pritchard confirmed backup point guard Cory Joseph already has decided to return to Indy next season. The Pacers also could exercise team options on guards Lance Stephenson and Joe Young. Starting forward Thaddeus Young, meanwhile, continues to wrestle with a decision to stay with the Pacers for $13.7 million or test free agency. Pritchard wants him back.

Indiana also could have as much as $30 million to play with in free agency and enough flexibility to invest in the trade market. Pritchard said they considered offers during the draft and acknowledged the team was ”hunting” one unidentified player before deciding the cost would be too prohibitive.

Besides, Pritchard considers doesn’t want to do anything to break up the team chemistry and he believes Holiday’s presence will work just fine in that role.

”I think he’s confident but my gut feeling is that he knows he doesn’t know everything yet,” Pritchard said when asked why he’d fit in. ”We love when a guy says, `I want to be great and I’ll do whatever it takes to be great.”’

—

As Boston Red Sox players donned red, white and blue outfits to celebrate a 3-0 victory on the 4th of July that completed a sweep http://www.jetsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-thomas-rawls-jersey , the Washington Nationals held a players-only meeting to discuss a fifth consecutive loss and the precarious spot they’re now in beyond the halfway point of the season.

Done in again by small mistakes that get magnified in a stretch such as this, the preseason NL East favorites lost for the 17th time in 22 games Wednesday to fall below .500 for the first time this late in the year since being 60-61 on Aug. 21, 2015.

This time, it was a throwing error by Adam Eaton on a sacrifice fly in foul territory and a wild pitch by Ryan Madson (2-4) in a disastrous seventh inning that dropped the Nationals to 42-43 and kept them from making up ground on the division-leading Atlanta Braves.

”We’re a good team and we’re going to go out there and compete with anybody,” said Bryce Harper, who went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts.

”We just have to keep grinding and keep doing our thing and good things will happen. We’ve never been in this position before, and I think it’s an exciting time for us. In years past, we’ve won the division by a lot of games. We’re able to be behind right now and I’m excited to get there and test it.”

Powered by struggling outfielder Jackie Bradley Jr.’s two RBIs on the sac fly and a ninth-inning double and a strong start by Eduardo Rodriguez (10-3), the Red Sox moved 30 games over .500 under rookie manager Alex Cora.

”We know where we’re at, but we still have a long ways to go,” Cora said. ”(The Nationals) have a good team. They’ll figure it out. I’ve seen that before from them. They struggle a little bit and they’ll pick it up. They’ll be in the hunt.”

Bradley Mike Marjama Seattle Mariners Jersey , who came into the game hitting .201, worked full counts on each of his at-bats that produced a run. He was hoping the ball Eaton caught deep in foul territory down the third-base line would go out of play so he could see another pitch but will gladly take the RBIs – the second time this season he has had two in a game without a home run.

”Just had to continue to battle and finally get a pitch I could handle,” Bradley said. ”Any time you can help the team win, it’s a positive. It’s good, any way you can do it.”

Rodriguez struck out six in six scoreless innings, mixing his change-up and slider in more often to keep Nationals hitters off-balance.


The Red Sox now have the first pair of 10-game winners in the majors with Rodriguez and Rick Porcello, whose double off Max Scherzer helped win them the first game of this series.

The Nationals have lost four series in a row. This freefall led to the postgame meeting Wednesday afternoon.

”It’s `Let’s get this thing going,”’ Nationals infielder Trea Turner said. ”We all know we’re capable of playing better baseball. It’s time we do it. It’s do or die now.”

FEDDE HURT

Nationals starter Erick Fedde left the game one batter into the second inning with right shoulder stiffness and gave way to left-hander Matt Grace, who allowed just one hit and struck out four in four innings of relief. Manager Davey Martinez said Fedde was scheduled to have an MRI.

”We watched him throw and his (velocity) was down,” Martinez said. ”He was out there and wanted to keep pitching. I went out there and they told me he was stiff and I said `No, we’re not going to do that to you.”’

TRAINER’S ROOM

Red Sox: Manager Alex Cora said LHP Drew Pomeranz (biceps tendinitis) would most likely make a second rehab start early next week. … RHP Tyler Thornburg was activated from the disabled list after rehabbing from shoulder surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome last June.

Nationals: 1B Matt Adams was activated after missing 16 games with a broken left index finger. To clear room Rafael Devers Boston Red Sox Jersey , LHP Tim Collins was designated for assignment. … C Matt Wieters (left hamstring strain) is doing some catching, but still hasn’t done enough running to be ready to return.

UP NEXT

Red Sox: After a day off, LHP Chris Sale (8-4, 2.41 ERA) brings a 15-inning scoreless streak into his Friday start at Kansas City, which is expected to start Jason Hammel (2-10, 5.56).

Nationals: RHP Jeremy Hellickson (2-1, 2.63) will look to last at least six innings to spare a heavily used bullpen when Washington faces RHP Pablo Lopez (1-0, 3.00) to open a four-game series against the Miami Marlins.

—

.