Indiana Pacers: Will They Be Better With or Without Danny Granger?

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Underestimated and widely counted out, the Indiana Pacers were able to claim the third seed in the Eastern Conference this past season and nearly propelled their way to the NBA Finals for the first time in 13 years.  It became too difficult a challenge, however, as the star-studded Miami Heat eliminated them in Game 7.  Hiding behind the hype and intensity of this series was the fact that Indiana’s leading scorer in 2011-12, Danny Granger, was not present through their terrific efforts.  Granger only played five games this season before undergoing surgery on April 4 to repair his injured left knee.  Considering the threat this team posed to the reigning NBA champions, it becomes scary to know that one of their deadliest scorers viewed the playoffs from the bench.

Danny Granger Photo Credit: Who’s the Bet, Flickr.com

Losing your leading scorer (18.7 points per game in 2011-12) is something that cannot be disregarded.  Averaging 91.4 points as a team in the Eastern Conference Finals wasn’t enough to keep up with one of the most prolific offenses in the league led by LeBron James.  What was the most important consequence that losing Granger resulted in?

Too much responsibility on bench scoring, especially Lance Stephenson, stood out as the obvious burden Indiana faced without their starting shooting guard.  First, it should be acknowledged that Stephenson played some exceptional basketball during their lengthy playoff run.  Nobody is going to discredit him for the passion that he brings with his opportunities.  With that being said, experiencing a huge increase in minutes compared to previous playoff ventures definitely added to the 22-year-old’s pressure.  Jumping from 3.0 minutes per game in the 2012 playoffs to 35.4 minutes this postseason speaks for itself.  Asking a relatively inexperienced player to step in and fill the void of Granger’s talents on the offensive end is not something ideal for a top franchise in the conference.  Stephenson’s 9.4 points and 7.6 rebounds per game definitely proved to be crucial for the Pacers against the Hawks, Knicks, and Heat, but having to replace Granger’s versatility on offense truly hurt Indiana’s attack on Miami’s defense.

Lance Stevenson executing in the paint against Atlanta. Photo: Mark Runyon, Basketball Schedule

Other role players off the bench also realized that their contributions were in desperate need when Danny Granger ended his season with surgery.  Tyler Hansbrough, D.J. Augustin, Ian Mahinmi and Sam Young quickly understood that if the starters were struggling to score, they would have more opportunities to provide for the team.  The problem that rests with this situation:  These four did not pose any legitimate threats to the Heat like Granger would have.  Anyone that recalls how physical Granger played against Miami in the 2012 East semifinals would begin to see Indiana’s greater chance of knocking off the Heat if he was healthy in this most recent series.  Having one of the weaker benches in the league, this season was clearly the one in which Indiana needed excellent production from the starting lineup on a consistent basis.  And with arguably your second best player missing every playoff game, it was certainly not easy for that to happen.

Pacers’ fans must now focus on the future steps of their journey.  FOX Sports’ Sam Amico reported on Monday, June 10, that the Cleveland Cavaliers were interested in a trade that would include sending younger talent (no names included) to Indiana in exchange for the eight-year veteran Granger.  Whether or not general manager Chris Grant and the Cavaliers will heavily engage in talks with the Pacers is unknown, but it wouldn’t make too much sense to move Granger so quickly.

The team has already announced that they expect the 30-year-old small forward to make a full recovery from the injury after the successful surgery.  This leads me to believe that anyone in favor of shipping away Granger this offseason would be making a mistake.

Even with the doubts of him retaining the same explosiveness that he has possessed his entire career, the Pacers have already begun to hand over the face of their franchise to Paul George.  With current Most Improved Player of the Year George getting better by the year and Roy Hibbert continuing to develop more post moves into his offensive arsenal, Granger’s main focus would switch to becoming a role player around these two.

If no major adjustments are made to the core pieces of the Heat, Knicks or Bulls, the chemistry of this returning Pacers’ roster with Granger back in the starting lineup would raise their chances at representing the Eastern Conference in next year’s NBA Finals.  Without a doubt, Kevin Pritchard and the Pacers’ management will set their sights on re-signing unrestricted free agent David West to keep these guys together.

Paul George attempting free throw. Photo: Mark Runyon, Basketball Schedule

Defense was the sole factor that allowed Frank Vogel’s group to shut down the Knicks in the East semifinals and kept their hopes alive against Miami.  However, Granger playing alongside the sensational improvements that Hibbert and George have made to their game will give the Pacers just as good of an offensive attack.  Will one player’s presence cause the Pacers to be the most dangerous team in the Eastern Conference?  They would have a better chance at dethroning the stars from South Beach, that’s for certain.