Indiana Pacers: Can the Pacers be a top 3 team in the Eastern Conference?
Taking a closer look at how and why the Indiana Pacers can be a top 3 team in the Eastern Conference heading into 2019-20
On January 23, the Indiana Pacers had defeated the Toronto Raptors 110-106 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. With that victory, the Pacers improved to a 32-15 mark at that point of the 2018-19 season and held the third spot in the Eastern Conference – one game ahead of Philadelphia and 2.5 games in front of Boston.
During that game, Victor Oladipo suffered from a ruptured quad tendon in his right knee, which ruled him out for the rest of the season. He underwent successful surgery five days later but is not expected to return until after the start of the 2018-19 campaign. Despite the injury, Oladipo was selected as an Eastern Conference all-star reserve but it was clear the Pacers were struggling to find their identity without their star.
The Pacers stumbled their way to a 16-19 record for the rest of the campaign, finishing fifth in the conference before enduring a four-game sweep to the hands of the Boston Celtics.
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Taking a quick glance at all the player movement that has taken place in the NBA, it would be a fair and accurate assessment to conclude that the top two teams in the Eastern Conference heading into 2019-20 are the Milwaukee Bucks and the Philadelphia 76ers.
After that, it isn’t so cut and dry. Teams like the Celtics (with the Kemba Walker signing), the Brooklyn Nets (signing Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant), and the Miami Heat (signing Jimmy Butler) made major headline splashing moves during the offseason.
However, the Pacers have reloaded and retooled their roster and could very well find themselves in the mix at the top of the East and have a good shot of grabbing the No. 3 seed and homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
Significant departures include Bojan Bogdanovic, Cory Joseph, and Thaddeus Young, as well as the retirement of Darren Collison and the suspension of Tyreke Evans.
But the Pacers added rotational pieces like T.J. McConnell, Jeremy Lamb, Justin Holiday and JaKarr Sampson among others to help fortify their second unit. But there are other reasons to consider the Pacers to be a top 3 Eastern Conference team next season, too.
In June, the Phoenix Suns traded T.J. Warren and the No. 32 pick in the 2019 NBA draft to the Pacers. Warren is a talented scorer who averaged 18 points per game last season and shot career highs in free throw (.815) and 3-point shooting (.428) percentages. Warren will take the place of the departed Bogdanovic, who signed a four-year deal with the Utah Jazz.
Warren is coming off an injury-riddled season and throughout his career has not been known as a great defender. Heading into this season, Warren is healthy and should return to form where he can suit up for a full season. As well, he will be playing for Nate McMillan. The Pacers coach has the reputation of being a tough-minded defensive wizard. Whereas defense didn’t matter much in Phoenix, McMillan will hold him much more accountable in Indiana.
Another key acquisition for the Pacers was Malcolm Brogdon. He signed with the Pacers via a sign-and-trade with the Bucks in exchange for future picks in July. With the Oladipo injury, Brogdon will be counted on to do some of the heavy lifting on offense until Oladipo returns sometime around the New Year.
From Basketball Insiders:
"“On paper, the Brogdon fit seems perfect. In the initial stages of the season, he will need to be the motor for the offense. He is terrific with the ball going downhill and getting into the teeth of the defense — a feat that results in a high number of kick-outs and free throw attempts. Standing at 6-foot-5 with a 6-foot-10 wingspan, Brogdon will be a sizeable upgrade over Darren Collison. His size, length, and defensive prowess will be a welcomed addition to the backcourt.”"
The third-year guard averaged a career-high 15.6 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. He shot just under 51 percent from the field and 42 percent from beyond the arc and led the league with a .928 free throw shooting percentage. If he can hold the fort until Oladipo gets back, the Pacers will be in very good shape for a strong second-half run.
Finally, the Pacers will look to the continued improvement and emergence of Myles Turner. The Pacers starting center will assume the same starting position for Team USA at the FIBA World Cup.
In Turner, Indiana has a budding all-star in the making. He averaged 13 points and seven rebounds last season as well as 2.7 blocks per game, which led the NBA. While the 6-foot-11, 250-pound big man has an athletic paint presence and provides stellar rim protection, alongside teammate Domantas Sabonis, he also has the ability to provide some offense outside of the key as indicated by his 39 percent shooting performance from downtown last season.
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The Indiana Pacers will benefit from feasting on division rivals Chicago, Cleveland, and Detroit, plus other weak teams in the conference like Charlotte, New York, and Washington. Look for Indiana to hover in the 50-52 win neighborhood and give the Sixers and the Bucks strong and stiff competition in the Eastern Conference.