It’s no secret that the Indiana Pacers have one of the better frontcourts in the Eastern Conference. Allowing only 90.7 points per game (second-fewest in the league) and having a defensive rating of 99.8 (best in the league) last season, Indiana used their physicality and defensive identity to thrive without offensive star Danny Granger. While we already know Roy Hibbert will continue to grow at the center position, just how well do the Pacers stand next to him in the paint? It’s time to take a look at the power forwards coach Frank Vogel will have in his rotation this upcoming season.
David West – Starter
The most underrated power forward will be much more comfortable this season knowing his team added depth. Photo: Mark Runyon, Basketball Schedule
This upcoming season, West is going to be focused more on the defensive end of the floor, as scary as that sounds for other teams in the East. Having more depth behind him, he will be able to rest a few extra minutes a game without the team truly missing a beat, rather than playing 33.4 minutes per night again. Having more responsibility last season, West proved that he still was one of the best power forwards in the league, averaging 17.1 points and 7.7 rebounds per game on 49.8 percent field-goal shooting. Obviously, he has successfully carried his talents from New Orleans (playing next to Chris Paul) to Indiana with a much younger team.
With Hibbert, Granger and Paul George having more offensive duties next season, West will get a lot of great looks due to some of the focus being taken away from his presence on the court. Look for him to continue being the leading voice on the court and for the starting lineup chemistry to grow even more. Re-signing the underrated West is what Indiana needed to do if they finally want to break through the barrier known as the Miami Heat.
Luis Scola – Backup
Coming to Indiana from the Phoenix Suns via trade, Luis Scola adds to the offensive attack in the paint. At 6’9″ and 245 pounds, Scola has arguably been one of the most talented power forwards in the league, primarily in his years with Houston from 2007-12. In the past three seasons, we have seen him battle in the post with the Rockets and Suns, averaging 15.5 points per game since the 2010-11 season. He can score the ball in various ways and has a great mixture of finesse play with an aggressive attitude. While he hasn’t appeared to be one of the better defenders or rebounders in the past two seasons (6.4 rebounds and 0.3 blocks per game), just adding another physical presence in the middle will make the Pacers’ defense potentially better than what we have recently seen.
The only question surrounding Scola will be his first true adjustment to being a bench asset. Since the 2008-09 season, Scola has started all but just 15 games, those coming from last season with the Suns in which different rotations were being tested out. Expect him to crack the rotation for 23 to 25 minutes per game, which will be a dip from his near 30-minute average for his career. If his attitude is right, Scola makes the Pacers the best they have been in the Frank Vogel era.
Solomon Hill – Rookie SF/PF
Drafting Solomon Hill with the 23rd pick in the draft may turn out to be a good decision by the Pacers. Yes, he is a 6’7″, 220-pound forward that needs to develop before he bangs against the bigger bodies in the league, but there may be some instances that Vogel uses him the power forward position.
According to the official depth chart preview for Indiana, Hill will be the team’s third option this season behind West and Scola. Finishing his senior year at Arizona, Hill had quality numbers while playing as a hybrid forward, executing offense from the paint and perimeter. Shooting 50.8 percent in 2-point attempts and 39 percent from 3-point range in his senior year is something that most college players don’t accomplish. Will we see Hill be a similar talent to David West with the opportunities he is given this season? It seems possible, but Vogel’s approach will probably be to have Hill play closer to the basket when he is in the game.
The Pacers did their part this offseason in adding perimeter shooting/scoring at the other positions. Now, especially with the center position not having the greatest depth, their primary focus needs to be ensuring their frontcourt backups can play at a higher level than last season.
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