7. Jeremy Lamb, guard
The seventh-best player for the Indiana Pacers in 2019-20 was Jeremy Lamb.
Lamb was another guy that the Pacers acquired in free agency back in July, and was a player the coaches and fans alike were excited about. Jeremy Lamb appeared in 46 games for the Pacers in 2019-2020, starting in 42 of them. In those 46 games, he played 28.1 minutes per game. He averaged 12.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game, with 45-34-84 shooting splits and a PER of 14.1.
Lamb played a very important role with the Pacers this year. Coming into the season, he knew he was going to have some big shoes to fill with Victor Oladipo being out for an undermined amount of time. But Lamb felt up to the challenge and was placed in the starting lineup for opening night.
Jeremy Lamb is a guy who can create his own shot and is a very capable defender as well. He started in Charlotte last season, so the Pacers felt confident he would be able to play starter minutes in the starting lineup until Vic was able to return. And until he got injured, he was able to do just that.
Through his first five games with the Pacers, Lamb was averaging 17.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.2 assists posting a positive net rating of +2.6.
Then he suffered a groin injury that sidelined him for seven games. Injuries were an unfortunate theme with the Pacers this season. But when Lamb came back he picked up where he left off.
From his return from injury on November 23rd through the first game of the year 2020, Lamb averaged 14 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists a game on 45-34-86 shooting splits and posted a positive net rating of +2.3 while he was on the court. This run was capped off by a 30-point performance against Denver on a night where he shot 9-13 from the floor and a perfect 5-5 from downtown and 7-7 from the line.
From that point through the end of his season, however, Lamb went through a bit of a slump. From January 4th on, Lamb’s numbers dipped to 10.6 points, 4 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game on 44-33-80 shooting splits and posting a negative net rating of -2.5 while he was on the floor.
This was capped off with a truly awful injury that he sustained against the Raptors. Lamb took an awkward fall and sustained a torn ACL, meniscus, and lateral bone fracture in his left knee. But Jeremy Lamb is a warrior. He proceeded to sink both free throws and walk off under his own power.
Lamb underwent successful surgery a few weeks later and is now working to get back to form. Anyone who follows his Instagram knows that his spirits are high, and he is just as excited to get back out on the court as the fans are to see him back out there.