48.3 F
Indianapolis
Friday, March 29, 2024

Improvement for Pacers won’t be easy

More by this author

“There are no traffic jams along the extra mile.”

Roger Staubach

Success in professional sports is generally found when hard work and talent come together. Scaling the mountain to an altitude beyond respectability is challenging, and the initial trek to the top is without question, reserved for those who are willing to work hard year round, and not just during the regular season. That’s where champions are made.

Last season the Indiana Pacers opened up a few eyes around the National Basketball AssociationĀ en route to a surprising 48-34 record which secured a low playoff seed in the Eastern Conference and a date with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. Indiana would not go out quietly, and they took The King and his Court to a seventh game in a series that some pundits (not this one) felt they should of won.Ā 

That set the stage for sky high expectations in the 2018-2019 campaign, and with a few roster tweaks via free agency and the draft, the Blue and Gold in the opinion of many, are poised to do even better this year.

That expected growth sounds good, and in some ways even possible, but letā€™s break down this version of the Pacers from a realistic perspective and not that of the many faithful who plunk down their hard-earned money for tickets every home game. Clearly it starts and stops with Victor Oladipo who enjoyed a superb breakout season last year and in the process, set the bar extremely high for an encore of equal billing.

The Pacers rode him hard down the stretch and you have to wonder how his body can hold up to the pounding he’s bound to receive this season.

Granted, his physical shape is second to none, but there has to be a way to reduce his minutes ever so slightly, and lessen the rigors of the physicality that is the NBA. Then there is Oladipo’s ability to handle the expectations that come with success. Can he withstand the distractionsĀ that come with being selected as an All Star, and focus on being both the leader and the best player on the roster?Ā That’s a ton of pressure for any player and there’s only a handful in the league that can do it, and perform at a high level to boot.Ā 

While many point to his off season training regiment as being the foundation for continued success, one could certainly scratch their head as they look at some of his comments from media day when he spoke about the importance of his new musical CD, and how he nervously and somewhat smugly answered questions proposed to him about what phase of his game he had improved over the summer. For the record, he is a very intelligent young man, and a phenomenal player in the making, but can he deliver the goods that are expected from him each night?Ā 

No player can do it all by themselves, and to that point, Oladipo has a rather interesting supporting cast. The keys here are the continued development of DomantasĀ Sabonis and Myles Turner, and both of them have had a rather interesting summer. Sabonis has dropped some weight and added lean muscle, and it’s obvious in terms of his quickness and improved footwork. Turner, too, has obviously hit the weight room and committed himself to an improved dietary regiment. The difference in his physiqueĀ is more than just noticeable, and it gives him the opportunity to force his will upon the opposition in the pivot and on the boards. Both Sabonis and Turner have to rebound the ball better if the Pacers expect to have a chance at making any real noise in the Eastern Conference.Ā 

Lost in Oladipo’s shadow last year was a stellar season from Darren Collison at the point guard position. His overall play as a floor general was a pleasant surprise, and it may be hard to duplicate such a performance. Can Thaddeus Young have a similar type year after exercising his player option to return? When healthy, he can make a difference in terms of rebounding and brings a veteran presence.Ā 

All those questions aside, can this roster compete with Boston, Toronto and Philadelphia, night in and night out? Probably not, but the Pacers do have the ability to prove me wrong if they can shore up their road record. They were basically a .500 team on the road last year and while that was a dramatic improvement over their historic performance, that number too must rise if they are to compete with the elite teams. While all of the aforementioned is important, but its the old adage of going the extra mile that really applies here. To continue their rise, every loose ball must be theirs, and they cannot afford defensive lapses that allow opponents to waltz down the lane for lay ups without putting a body on them. The three-point shot is a double edged sword for this group, and while they need to play up tempo, shot selection is of paramount importance for a team that hoisted way too many last year early in the shot clock.Ā 

Translation: This should be an interesting group to watch, and barring injury, they just might be better than last yearā€™s version. Prediction: 46 wins and the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. Again, can this team go the extra mile on the defensive end, every night, and on the road?

If they do, it will be fun to witness, but if they don’t, it could be a long year, and a fall from what looked so darn promising last year.

Overtime: The Pacers dipped their toe into the free agency market in the off-season, signing Tyreke Evans, Doug McDermott, and Kyle O’Quinn.

When healthy, Evans can be a productive offensive player and could possibly be a candidate for the Sixth Man of the Year award. McDermott, while a gifted outside shooter, is clearly a defensive liability. O’Quinn just might be the best board crasher on the Pacer roster, but will have trouble getting significant minutes in the rotation.Ā  The Pacers drafted point guard Aaron Holiday from UCLA with their first round pick, and while he certainly has promise, itā€™s highly unlikely he’ll be a factor this year.Ā 

Danny Bridges, who gets hate email from Pacer fans on a regular basis, can be reached at 317-370-8447 or at Bridgeshd@aol.com

- Advertisement -
ads:

Upcoming Online Townhalls

- Advertisement -

Subscribe to our newsletter

To be updated with all the latest local news.

Stay connected

1FansLike
1FollowersFollow
1FollowersFollow
1SubscribersSubscribe

Related articles

Popular articles

EspaƱol + Translate Ā»
Skip to content