I really like our Indiana Pacers. They generally play hard and unselfishly, which are two traits a champion has.
The players on this team have been solid citizens off the floor and their collective presence in our community has been felt, especially when it comes to reaching out to those less fortunate.
In a nutshell, they have been fun to watch and at times have played some splendid basketball, which has buoyed them to a record that is way north of .500 and has them trailing only the defending NBA champion Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference.
That being said, why is it that I still have concerns about their ability to improve upon last year’s playoff run?
It all starts in the middle for the Pacers and while it is hard not to like Roy Hibbert personally, he simply has not been able to play consistently on either end of the floor all year. Be it the pressure of a huge new guaranteed contract, or physical problems such as his right wrist, employee No. 55 has struggled mightily at times.
While he has picked it up offensively the last half dozen games, three of those came against the likes of pretenders, not contenders. Without the solid year that David West has had to date, the front line for the Pacers would be more than vulnerable and that simply will not cut it come playoff time.
Can Hibbert continue to show incremental improvement? If so, a lot of the pressure that falls squarely on the surgically repaired knee of West will lighten and opponents will have more to worry about.
Lost in all of this has been the return of Danny Granger, who missed the first 55 games this season with knee troubles of his own. The offensive pop a healthy Granger could provide, would be a major enhancement for a lineup that struggles in their half-court sets, but the likelihood of that is at best unclear, as Granger has begun to experience soreness in that knee just a few games into his comeback attempt.
However, there are some things about this team that have been rock solid and that usually revolves around the dramatic improvement of Paul George, who earned a spot on the All Star team last month.
Despite a slow start to the season, George took over on both ends of the floor for Indiana and made the Pacers a tough opponent at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. He has had excellent support for the most part from George Hill who battled through injuries during training camp and at times during the regular season.
The bench, however, has been a major flaw for the Blue and Gold all season and lacks both firepower and consistency. Despite the off season overhaul, the reserves have not been a factor for Indiana, forcing coach Frank Vogel to extend the minutes of his starters, which of course bodes poorly again come playoff time.
The remaining home schedule is indeed favorable, with only a tilt against Oklahoma City on April 5 representing any team that can win an NBA title. The road games that remain later this month are a bit more challenging, with four stops in six days against Western Conference opponents before returning home for the aforementioned date with the Thunder.
The real problem the schedule presents, in my opinion, is the games here and there against clearly inferior opponents. It is always a given you should win those games, but the Pacers have struggled at times this year in those scenarios.
While I will stop short of asking “will the real Pacers stand up,” I do think it lends to reason that the number of question marks here are valid, and while they have enjoyed great success at home, life on the road for this team has been rough this season and will be difficult come playoff time.
Indiana no doubt looks back to the playoff series against Miami last year and feels they had an opportunity to turn back the Heat. Miami however is playing at a level currently that is unobtainable by any other team in the NBA and as we go to print has won 15 in a row. Yes your beloved Pacers have beaten them this year, but they meet again March 10 in Miami. Perhaps it will provide a litmus test, but the rubber will not meet the road until the Pacers face the Heat in May. The question is, can Indiana get there?
Danny Bridges, who really likes the bright yellow shoes some Pacers wear, can be reached at (317) 578-1780 or at Bridgeshd@aol.com.
