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Indiana Pacers: 5 goals for Domantas Sabonis is 2017-18

By Tony East

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - OCTOBER 10: Domantas Sabonis #11 of the Indiana Pacers fights for a rebound against Netanel Artzi #10 of Maccabi Haifa during a preseason game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on October 10, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using the photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - OCTOBER 10: Domantas Sabonis #11 of the Indiana Pacers fights for a rebound against Netanel Artzi #10 of Maccabi Haifa during a preseason game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on October 10, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using the photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images
Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images /

Domantas Sabonis comes to Indiana with a lot of pressure after being a part of the Paul George trade. What can he do to live up to expectations?

Poor Domantas Sabonis. Only 20 years old, he already has an immense amount of urgency to succeed. A part of the Paul George trade, the newest young forward for the Indiana Pacers is expected to be a contributor early on in his career. Given that he is in a developmental stage of his vocation, that may be challenging for him in 2017-18.

Sabonis, a second-year big man out of Gonzaga, played his rookie season with the Oklahoma City Thunder. That season is hard to evaluate. For anyone on the Thunder not named Russell Westbrook, statistics don’t tell the story of their season very well. Sabonis is a good example of that. For example, he started in 66 games, but he played fewer minutes per game than both Taj Gibson and Enes Kanter.

Now, without a triple-double averaging point guard, Sabonis enters a more normal basketball situation in Indiana. That, combined with normal youth development, should allow Sabonis to be much better this year than last. Let’s look at five things Domantas Sabonis can do to make his first season with the Indiana Pacers a success.

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