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With King James no longer in the Eastern Conference for the first time in many years, the East is wide open and up for grabs. Who will be the new beasts of the East? A popular opinion seems to be a three horse race between the Celtics, Sixers and the Kawhi-boosted Raptors. But, one team that has slowly yet steadily improved in the shadow are the Pacers.
The rise of Victor Oladipo as an All-Star last season led many critics of the Dipo-PG13 trade to retract their initial judgment of the deal as lopsided. The budding R&B talent led the Pacers to 5th place in the Eastern Conference last season. In the playoffs, the Pacers came close to dethroning the Cavs in the first round but fell short in game 7. Victor ended picking up the Most Improved Player award along with All NBA third team and All-Defensive first team honors.
With the NBA regular season just days away, this is the perfect time to preview the sort of season one of the potential dark horses in the east - the Indiana Pacers might have.
Offseason Activity
The Pacers were one of the more intriguing teams heading into the offseason blessed with both adequate cap space and untapped potential. They had a very solid draft, picking Aaron Holiday, who many people expected to go much earlier. Being the third Holiday brother to play in the Association, the former UCLA Bruin has the ability to become a capable rotation guard or even more, given the right opportunities. The Pacers then went on and signed sharp shooting Doug McDermott to supplement Bojan Bogdanovic.
Veteran center Kyle O'Quinn soon followed him but arguably one of the steals of the entire offseason was the coup of Tyreke Evans. The once Rookie of the year had a stellar season with the Grizzlies, shooting threes at a high volume combined with excellent playmaking. He should be a potent backup for Oladipo, maybe even partner him in the backcourt when Darren Collison needs some rest.
Another move that went under the radar was the extension of Thaddeus Young, one of the most underrated players in the league. The moves made by Pritchard and the Pacers not only equipped them well with a deep roster but also saved up a lot of cap space to shell out in the next offseason, with more stars entering free agency.
Strengths:
If it ain't broken, don't fix it. Keeping the core of the Pacers intact for another season was an excellent move. The backcourt, albeit crowded, has the right mixture of veterans and youth with Darren Collison about to receive stiff competition from Tyreke, Cory Joseph and Holiday. The contrasting styles here, a pitbull defender, an effective but rare three ball shooter and a couple of old school playmakers, must be noted.
If the mid-career resurgence of Oladipo is to continue, and it most likely will, the Pacers are a sure-shot to improve on their 12th highest offense and defense rating last season. The cohesiveness of the unit will no doubt vitalize the Pacers to a stronger position this time around.
With a more than capable front-court and a very sturdy back-court, the depth they have added in the off-season will prove to be vital, come to the receiving end of the season and deep into the playoffs.
Opportunities and Threats:
The potential of big man Myles Turner is sky high. He regressed last season, owing to untimely injuries but he hasn't let it hold him back. He has hit the gym and looks fitter compared to last season. He has also taken up Yoga to improve his flexibility and state of mind. The 11th overall pick in the 2015 draft still has a lot left in his tank to become an elite two-way force in the league. Blessed with lockdown defense and a sweet midrange jumper, it's up to him now to make the big jump and emulate Oladipo to become the next star big man.
Another interesting proposition is the development and evolution of Domantas Sabonis. He had all the tools to become a solid Power forward in the long run when he was in OKC. All he needed was some play time and he got exactly this in Indiana. The Lithuanian had the best season of his career, becoming a pick and roll expert and a very clever playmaker and scorer. There are still concerns over his defense but these can be ironed out with proper training.
But both big men seem to strive in the Center position. Coach Nate McMillan has his task cut out to efficiently manage the minutes and keep both happy given the uncertainty of their contract situations. Turner's contract is up this summer while Domantas' expires in the next year. Managing to provide adequate minutes to the already crowded back-court and trying to sort out the Turner-Sabonis conundrum will prove to be head scratching for McMillan.
Weaknesses:
Rebounding has always been a major problem in Indiana ever since the tenacious David West and vertical blocker Roy Hibbert left Naptown. The Pacers were among the worst rebounding teams in the league ranking 22nd in average rebounds per game. The players should crash the board more often on both the offensive and defensive glass if they are to improve on last year.
Their perimeter defense is another area of concern, ranking a horrible 27th in the league in opponent mid range and 2 point percentage. Bojan and Sabonis are not renowned for their defense and opponents look to exploit this in almost every game. Oladipo led the league in steals last season and this must translate into the other players too if they are to become a lethal force in the East.
Verdict:
The Pacers were one of the biggest surprises of last season, exceeding expectations and bravely taking on the King before succumbing in game 7. My prediction for them would be 1st place in the Central division over rivals Bulls and Bucks. Expect them to hit the ground up and running before tiring off mid-season and slowing down, which has happened over the past few years.
It's hard not to see them improving on their 5th seed in the Eastern Conference last season. They have the depth and the willpower
to win 50 games and potentially even take home a top 3 seed in the East. I predict them to breeze through the first round of the playoffs. Nate McMillan would probably want to take the Pacers back to the Eastern Conference Finals but this would be easier said than done.
