One of the most common occurrences we see in professional sports today is overzealous members of the media and season ticket holders disguised as eternal optimists declaring that their team is greatly improved. It’s somewhat of a rite of passage each season, as those who follow the team closely look for a ray of hope as the new season begins. There’s nothing wrong in doing that if the situation warrants such, but more often than not, the newfound joy is temporary and even undetectable to the untrained eye. Such a matter is in full play with the Indiana Pacers as they attempt to move forward after a lethargic season a year ago that went woefully awry, and put the whole Paul George fiasco in the rearview mirror for good this time.
Forced to revamp in the offseason and salvage what they could in return for a brooding all-star (that’s right, not a superstar) Kevin Pritchard, the newly appointed sheriff in town, set out to reconstruct the roster (with Larry Bird looking over his shoulder) and brought in a number of new players to training camp to join those who carried over from last year’s lifeless team.
Free agents Darren Collison, Cory Joseph and Bojan Bogdanovic were acquired and joined Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis, who were jettisoned to Indiana in exchange for the aforementioned George, to form a “different” team that some say represents a new dawning of Pacers basketball. After declaring the training camp and preseason a success, despite reserve forward Glenn Robinson III sustaining a serious ankle injury, the Blue and Gold opened up the regular season by needing 140 points to knock off last year’s worst team in the NBA, the New Jersey Nets. Since then, they’ve shown a lot of energy, and through some ups (road wins against Minnesota and Cleveland) and downs (road losses to the 76ers and Knicks), they’ve landed at .500 after 10 games, which is good for eighth in the Eastern Conference and would allow them to slip through the back door if the NBA playoffs started today.
Not exactly a juggernaut, but it’s enough to say this team has played hard and, at times, been fun to watch. They still have a ton of their bad character traits, such as allowing too many points in the paint, a lack of consistent perimeter defense and, yes, they are still allergic to stopping the fundamental pick and roll, all of which were painfully obvious in their five losses. They have generally showed great energy, and there is indeed a newfound enthusiasm within the nine-player rotation that coach Nate McMillan has utilized to date.
Those accolades aside, it is beyond premature to declare this group a legit playoff contender, despite what you may have heard to the contrary via many of those who cover the team. Are they better than last year’s group? Maybe. But is that the true standard of measurement? I would simply say no and remind folks that the brief flashes of hope you’ve experienced have come against some of the lesser teams in the league, against whom the Pacers should be more than competitive, and certainly teams they should be expected to defeat on their home floor. Let’s face it: Chances are this cast of new faces will take some sizable lumps on the road this year, but that’s to be to expected to a large degree by anyone looking at things realistically. What’s important is to keep the expectations reasonable and balance the ups and downs accordingly. Don’t get too low when they go into a funk and sustain a prolonged losing streak, and don’t be too ecstatic when they win a game in which they had no business doing such.
And above all, don’t pay attention to those who don’t know the difference between a 3-point shot and a shot of that Kool-Aid they’d like you to drink after only 10 games. Go out and see the team in person, follow them on television, but draw your own conclusions about where they truly are as opposed to where you want them to be. Have fun, cheer them on and wear your Pacers gear as you do it; just keep in mind what’s really going on and be patient with your “new” team.
One thing is for certain: You won’t have trouble getting a ticket for awhile, and parking is cheaper than it used to be, too. I know, that’s sarcastic from someone who doesn’t pay for either, but win or lose, hold this team accountable. When they don’t hustle and apply themselves on the defense end of the floor, let them hear your voice. You can always holler when they impress you; just let them know what you expect for your hard-earned money.
As I said, it’s still too early to judge, but that day is probably closer than you think. So far, you haven’t had any reason to hold your nose, and that’s a good thing. There aren’t too many championship-caliber teams in the league, so why can’t your Pacers be as good as the rest? Just give them time to make that decision easy for you. Something tells me they’ll do just that and then some.
Danny Bridges, who after 10 games still thinks Nate McMillan should be named NBA Coach of the Year if this team wins 30 games, can be reached at 317-370-8447 or at Bridgeshd@aol.com.
