It is easy to talk it up in preseason. Every team is still undefeated and full of hope. You head to training camp and you find out who is in shape and try to blend in any new talent you have acquired since the final buzzer sounded last season. Enter your 2011-2012 Indiana Pacers, fresh off the settled lockout and by all appearances, ready to go.
“I think the level of enthusiasm with this group is indeed justified,” said first year head coach Frank Vogel when asked about the attitude of his troops.
“Our guys know they have to come out strong, and I believe they will.”
At first glance there is indeed reason for optimism, as the Pacers return a solid core group of young players in addition to newly acquired free agent David West, who inked a two year, $20 million-deal with the Pacers despite processing a surgically repaired knee. The opening of this abbreviated training camp and preseason also allows the Pacer brass to get their first look at former IUPUI great George Hill as he begins his first season as a Pacer as a result of a draft night trade that brings much needed perimeter shooting to a back court that struggled from behind the arc last season. “I could not be happier to be here,” offered the energetic Hill. “The first game cannot come quick enough to suit me.”
While the maturation process of Darren Collison and Paul George should pay dividends, the Pacers still will be thin in the middle and will rely heavily on center Roy Hibbert, who has added some bulk to his frame in the off season through weight lifting and workouts at his alma mater Georgetown University. “We accomplished part of our goals by making the playoffs last season, but we have to take that momentum and turn it up several notches,” added the third year pro. “Simply making the playoffs is not enough.”
While there indeed is a lot to look forward to with this edition of the Pacers, there remains several key question marks as well. While the team re-signed veteran Jeff Foster to a one-year deal, can they really expect him to be a backup to Hibbert with Foster’s history of chronic back problems?
While David West was indeed a superb player prior to his injury, will his surgically repaired knee allow him to be a starter and the force Larry Bird and company envision at the power forward position? Time will tell, but perhaps the most compelling question is whether or not a young and inexperienced head coach can command the respect of his troops and put his stamp on this team that for good reason or not, tuned out former coach Jim O’Brien and seemed energized by Vogel as they made their run to the playoffs last year only to be eliminated by Chicago in a spirited series.
If healthy, this club should be fun to watch as they embark on a condensed season that will allow for only 66 games. Question marks aside, I have a good feeling this group will be more of a factor in the Eastern Conference that most are predicting. Pacers fans are expecting that, and rightfully so.
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Notes: In addition to signing West, the Pacers are reported to again be pursuing O.J. Mayo of Memphis. They thought they had Mayo last year before the trade deadline but could not get the deal accomplished in time. Brandon Rush appears to be the odd man out if that occurs. Former Purdue standout Carl Landry is also reported to be on the Pacers free agent radar.
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The Pacers begin their preseason with a contest against the Chicago Bulls at Conseco Fieldhouse Dec. 16. All tickets are only $10.The annual Fan Jam will be Dec. 18. Admission is free and the event includes a scrimmage and an autograph session. Parking in the adjacent Virginia Avenue garage is also free.
Danny Bridges can be reached at (317) 578-1780 or at Bridgeshd@aol.com.
