Indiana Pacers: Doug McDermott flourishing is a great sign

Doug McDermott is flourishing with the Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers are still moving in the right direction despite recent struggles. Their awareness on the floor is phenomenal and key players seem to find open guys without any problems. Power forward Doug McDermott seems to be fitting well in the new culture under head coach Nate Bjorken. Which, because of that, McDermott is averaging a career-high in points this season.

McDermott is averaging 12.7 points on 51 percent shooting from the floor. Despite his early struggles to begin the season, McDermott finally found a rhythm with the team and it is resulting in career numbers.

So far, McDermott has been one of the best floor spacers for Indiana and it proves with the way he gets open on the floor. Playing alongside players in Domantas Sabonis, Myles Turner, and others will make the game easier for him.

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Let’s look into how McDermott is getting quality looks. He shows so much versatility on the floor by playing either inside or out. McDermott has shown to be a tremendous cutter on the baseline. Being a 3-point threat, the defense has to stay tight on him to force him to give up the ball. As Sabonis and Malcolm Brogdon are tremendous passers, McDermott has made their job easier by getting into the paint and using his length for an easy basket.

How about 3-point shooting? Once McDermott catches the ball off of a pin-down, he is looking to release the ball from his hands in a matter of milliseconds. Most defenses can’t recover from being hit with a screen and it forces them to pay the price.

McDermott’s ability to move without the ball is perfect for Indiana. As the season progresses, his consistent scoring from three will be needed in order to go far in the playoffs. So far, McDermott has taken advantage of versatility on the floor. His outside shooting has provided a spark in a major way.

The pairing of Sabonis and McDermott seems to work perfectly on the block. They tend to read one another so well and it leads to easy opportunities. The majority of McDermott’s high percentage shots have come off of bounce passes in the lane from Sabonis. Having a power forward with a tremendous IQ establishes better quality looks for the team.

These two should continue to work with another as the season goes on. The two have a feel for where each other is at and more times than none, it is Sabonis finding McDermott on a baseline cut.

The challenge now is whether Doug McDermott can continue this high level of play. Teams around the NBA have already gotten a sense that the Pacers are a great team. As McDermott continues to emerge, his name is on some coach’s scouting reports.

It is the challenge of the Indiana Pacers is to continue to utilize McDermott to his max potential. As long as Sabonis, Turner, and Brogdon continue to grab the defender’s attention, that will leave McDermott ready to score as always. McDermott has always been known for his high versatility in his college days. It’s is wonderful to watch him flourishing with the Indiana Pacers this season.