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Indiana Pacers: Doug McDermott will be a key to an explosive offense

By Michael RENE KANOY

CHICAGO, IL - MARCH 02: Doug McDermott #20 of the Dallas Mavericks moves between Denzel Valentine #45 (rear) and Cameron Payne #22 of the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on March 2, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. The Bulls defeated the Mavericks 108-100. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - MARCH 02: Doug McDermott #20 of the Dallas Mavericks moves between Denzel Valentine #45 (rear) and Cameron Payne #22 of the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on March 2, 2018 in Chicago, Illinois. The Bulls defeated the Mavericks 108-100. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /
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Doug McDermott could be a key cog for the Indiana Pacers’ offense in 2018-19

The Indiana Pacers‘ starting five in 2018-19 should be Myles Turner, Domantas Sabonis, Doug McDermott, Aaron Holiday and Victor Oladipo.

It makes no sense any other way because this lineup loads everything on the team’s best big shooters. Since Oladipo plays best when he can setup shooters and be setup himself, it would be much easier for him to keep the offense pumping with a player like McDermott on the floor.

Doug McDermott as lead gunner is a no-brainer, and maybe Kevin Pritchard, the team’s GM, knows this better than anyone, having played with mobile big shooters like Danny Manning in Kansas, and he’s probably seen the analog between Dougie being compared to Larry Bird in college as one of the best shooters ever.

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A two-man game between Doug and Aaron, with the scoring point guard driving to the rim at will and giving pocket passes to either Sabonis or Turner, or even Doug, and the requisite Creighton-slash-Chicago Bulls’ walk-up 3 offense of Doug McDermott should pile up the points quite quickly.  The Pacers played well enough last year sharing the ball and no one, except maybe Oladipo, is the type of player who needs on-ball moments to create shots in the half-couirt.

The new NBA may be all about guard offense but one thing you can’t take away from McDermott is that he can score on consecutive possessions, on the catch, in uncer 2.8 seconds or so anywhere in the court. Before their opponents know it, the Indiana Pacers will be ahead by a margin that can be well managed by the production of the veteran players and the new stud recruits from the NBA draft.

The key to all of this working is Aaron Holiday stepping up into a defensive guard and playmaker in the same way the player he resembles the way he attacks the rim and takes dagger 3’s: Nate Robinson. If Holiday can share the ball and find McDermott when he can knock down a shot in under three seconds -f rom elevator plays to pick-and-pop jumpers  to walk-up 3’s, the offense will become  a well oiled Pacers machine reminiscent of Reggie Miller’s gunning prowess.

Doug McDermott has shown glimpses of how good he actually is with the Chicago Bulls, and even the Dallas Mavericks. When plays are set for him to gun, the team gets easy points from long range, midrange or even from rim runners. If the team loads up on Oladipo, Holiday or even T.J. Leaf and the bigs Turner and Sabonis, the explosiveness of the Pacer offense wanes a bit.

They may still breach a 50-win season but at less than spectacular fashion than using McDermott exclusively for his explosive scoring ability anywhere on the court.

The rationale of making teams pay for not having a sticky defender on McDermott is always a gold one. It is the modern NBA and defenses can be overwhelmed by lights out shooting, now more than ever.

My greatest fear is the team relegating McDermott to the bench and having less than stellar minutes put in by the like of Kyle O’Quinn or distributing the long range offense to Darren Collison, Tyreke Evans or Cory Joseph instead of making defenses panic with a taller shooter like McDermott. The Pacers can make up for McDermott’s defensive lapses and inability to guard wings by pairing him with draft steal Alize Johnson who is a wing forward who can bring up the ball and set plays himself.

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The taller the team playing on the floor that can shoot with both Holiday and Oladipo, the sweeter.

Instead of any kind of three guard offense, get Doug primed, break in Aaron Holiday as the lead playmaker instead of anyone else and watch the team fly into the top 4 of the Eastern Conference.

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