Indiana Pacers: 4 Things We Learned From 2-0 Start
By Shane Young
Paul George couldn’t have said it any better last week in practice: “It’s a good start for us,” when being asked if their first three games on the schedule favor the Indiana Pacers. On Tuesday, the team opened their season at Bankers Life Fieldhouse by downing the Orlando Magic 97-87, outscoring the Magic by 14 in the second half. On Wednesday, Indiana survived a late battle with the New Orleans Pelicans, coming away with a 95-90 road win to improve to 2-0 and first place in the Eastern Conference.
What are the four most significant points we learned from these performances?
1. Paul George has the potential to win Most Valuable Player sooner, rather than later
Paul George looks to be the face of this Pacers franchise for years to come and challenge the popular superstars for MVP. Photo Credit: Anthony Young, HoopsHabit.com
The NBA’s Most Improved Player from last season has appeared better than ever and we are just two games into the season many proclaim as Indiana’s best shot to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals. The biggest difference we are seeing compared to last season is that George now knows he is the g0-to-guy for this team, rather than being thrown into the role last season when they knew Danny Granger would miss majority of the year. His demeanor on the court, in the locker room and in the community are the most monumental differences since the offseason concluded. Against the Magic, George led the way with 24 points, six rebounds and five assists. He is looking to take an increased number of outside shots this season, considering he proved in the playoffs that he can shoot with confidence in big moments. He went 3-for-6 from beyond the arc and 8-for-16 total from the field.
On Wednesday against the Pelicans, George was once again the player of the game. Scoring 32 points, grabbing six rebounds and collecting five assists, he was the most dominant player on the court, knocking down four 3-pointers and getting to the free throw line 13 times. He looked aggressive in driving to the basket and getting center Jason Smith fouled out of the game and Anthony Davis, Al-Farouq Aminu and Greg Stiemsma in deep foul trouble. If George can continue to be on this tear once Granger is re-incorporated in the rotation, he will become the biggest threat to LeBron James in the MVP race. It all depends on if Indiana can finish atop the conference and nobody is going to rule that out right now.
2. Roy Hibbert has some serious defensive goals this season
You have to admire a guy that leaves it all out on the floor on defense, a part of the game that separates good teams from great teams. Hibbert’s opening performance vs. Orlando was easily the most impressive defensive standout thus far, gathering 16 rebounds and blocking seven shots. What makes this so impressive is that Hibbert knows this is the game he needs to play in order for the team to succeed. He wasn’t looking for his offense much in this game before suffering a minor knee injury, taking just six shots and scoring eight points. It was his defensive attitude that made Indiana fans hyper.
Roy Hibbert will become the best defensive big man in basketball soon enough. Photo: Mark Runyon, Basketball Schedule
Against the Pelicans, Hibbert showed signs of the same type of defensive play. Nobody really expected him to completely shut down the athletic upcoming power forward in Anthony Davis, but Hibbert held his own in the paint with five blocks in the game. His efforts on the glass weren’t as impressive in his 22 minutes played, however, as Hibbert only managed to muster four boards. In the first two games, Hibbert is averaging 10 rebounds and six blocks per game. With Paul George playing the type of offense he is at the moment, maybe Hibbert’s focus should primarily be on getting quality and frequent stops.
3. Frank Vogel is going to have a tough decision concerning Lance Stephenson and Danny Granger
If there is one thing that I think is overrated in the NBA, it’s the label of being a “starter” vs. being a quality piece off the bench. Nevertheless, coach Frank Vogel is going to have to deal with questions concerning just who will start for majority of the year at the shooting guard position/small forward position between Lance Stephenson and Danny Granger. Keep in mind, Granger is yet to play this season and still has another two weeks left to recover from his calf strain. The potential bad news for Granger’s hope of receiving his usual minutes? Stephenson has stepped up substantially in the first two games, averaging 17.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists in the two wins this week. Yes, Granger is still aggressive on the offensive end, I just don’t buy that he will be able to provide this type of performance when he returns.
Stephenson is playing more efficiently than people figured he would, shooting 62.5 percent from the field (15-for-24) in the two wins as well. While it isn’t going to matter who gets the starting spot next to George Hill and Paul George in two weeks, it will be interesting to see what choice is made.
4. This team is built to close out games
It became apparent late in the game in New Orleans that multiple pieces of this roster are capable of playing very productive basketball down the stretch of games. Having faced the toughest team in the league in the Eastern Conference Finals last season, what else did you expect from Indiana coming into this year? They now have the confidence, as George Hill proved in the final minute against the Pelicans. Hill, guarded by Jrue Holiday, had the guts and confidence to pull up a 3-pointer with his team up one point. Taking note that Holiday was playing off of him a bit, Hill took advantage and buried the triple, giving the Pacers a four-point lead with 31 seconds left in the game.
Afterwards, teammate David West said:
"“We believe whoever’s got the ball is going to make the right play. We came up with another tough win. We’re confident in games like this even when a team gets going on us early.”"
In the narrow victory at New Orleans, the Pacers also shot 83.3 percent from the free throw line, something this team worked collectively on as a group in training camp.
The Pacers will take on the Cleveland Cavaliers on Saturday, Nov. 2, in Indianapolis.
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