Indiana Pacers: Can They Reach The East Playoffs?
By Shane Young
Roy Hibbert Finally Polished?
It’s just a broken record at this point.
Every single month this season, fans and critics find themselves watching Roy Hibbert’s offensive game and coming away with a positive idea: He’s finally figured it out. He’s finally turned into a promising threat in the paint.
Then, out of nowhere, it always strikes down. It’s always the biggest accident waiting to happen in the Eastern Conference. It transpired in the East playoffs just one year ago. It happened in the regular season, around this time as well. He always falls flat on his face, hoping someone can pick him up and show him how to be a 7’2″ force.
This time, Hibbert is doing the exact opposite. He’s finding a groove during late January and early February, and doesn’t seem to be looking back at the inconsistent center he used to be.
Last February, Hibbert managed to have five games in double figure scoring for the whole months. It left eight games where he was stuck in single digits, shooting 22-of-53 in those eight.
One year later, he’s starting off the month right where he needs to. Dating back to Jan. 25, Hibbert has recorded six straight games in double figures. He’s averaging 12.8 points and 9.8 rebounds over those last six games, and shooting 35-of-65 from the field (53.8 percent).
We know, we know … every starting center is actually expected to be at those levels on a nightly basis. Any other time, this would be no headline, and no reason to jump out of your chair.
But, it’s a big deal for this big guy. He’s been ridiculed more than any other center for the last two years, and it’s all been due to his lack of scoring prowess or efficiency.
The best number in Hibbert’s recent surge that you need to look at is the minutes. All through January, Hibbert only exceeded 29 minutes on two occasions. To end January, he was only playing 22.1 minutes per game in the final seven games of the month.
In his first two matchups in February, Hibbert has played 36 and 40 minutes, respectively. He appears to have more endurance, a healthier body, and his ankles aren’t giving him any problems that could limit him. In those two games with high minutes, Indiana has scored over 100 points, and won by close margins.
Hibbert’s biggest strength during this stretch has been his positioning. How close he catches the ball toward the restricted area is always the key for him to be successful.
Against Mozgov, who is typically known for his defensive power, Hibbert found his killer weapon. Catching the ball, making no dribbles toward the basket, and squaring up with his right hook:
Any time Hibbert uses a series of dribbles to get to his spot, bad things tend to follow. Unless, of course, you match him against an incredibly smaller defender (Kevin Love), where he can utilize his height regardless of how long it takes him to create and gather. Against other 7-footers, it’s imperative that he already gains the position he wants, so he can have a quick reaction time once catching the ball.
Through the rest of February, this success has to be sustainable for Indiana’s biggest brute.
Next: Schedule Matters