Who are the Indiana Pacers through one week of ball?

The Indiana Pacers open up their 2019-20 campaign with an 1-3 start. What kind of team are the Pacers through the first week of ball?

After the Indiana Pacers opened up their first week of the NBA win-less, it was made obvious that the team is still trying to build some chemistry with each other. Once that happens, the scenario of the Eastern Conference becomes a whole different story.

First things first, the Pacers immensely miss Victor Oladipo and everything he brings to the team. I believe the moves made during free agency were based off of visions the organization had to build with Oladipo.

Oladipo is still progressing from his January torn quad-tendon injury. Although there is no timetable for his return, he plans on returning better than ever and even saying that he’s “truly unbreakable”.

https://twitter.com/pacers_brasil/status/1105512056311164931

More from Hoops Habit

• 7 Players the Miami Heat might replace Herro with by the trade deadline
• Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
• Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
• Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout
• NBA Trades: The Lakers bolster their frontcourt in this deal with the Pacers

The Pacers have been running with a starting unit of Malcolm Brogdon, T.J. Warren, Jeremy Lamb (or Edmond Sumner), Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner. It’s noted that the core-four group of Pacers, Brogdon, Turner, Sabonis and Warren, are all averaging 30 minutes per game.

What’s promising about this group is that everyone is producing and able to score the ball. 30 minutes per night does seem like a lot and will eventually start to wear you down.

Malcolm Brogdon is second on the team with 22 points per game through the team’s first four games. Brogdon’s league-leading 11.3 assists per game shows that he is also moving the ball around the court and distributing passes well.

His calm and cool approach is what has made him very successful in the NBA. I think the Pacers have found their missing piece to the puzzle in Malcolm Brogdon.

Domantas Sabonis is also contributing 22.8 points and 10 rebounds per game through the first week of ball. He has so many moves in his arsenal for himself that he uses to get open and score the ball.

I noticed that when Sabonis goes to the right, he usually is unbeaten every time (check out the clip). Sabonis is really proving his worth to everyone after his four-year $74.9 million contract extension.

https://twitter.com/Pacers/status/1188974847591882763

Myles Turner is still blocking shots to start the season. So far this season, Turner is averaging 1.3 blocks and 14.8 points per game. The NBA’s reigning blocks leader from a season ago fearlessly looks ready to protect the paint against anyone in the league. It is noted that Turner suffered an apparent ankle injury against the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday.

The Pacers have announced Turner’s timetable is a week-to-week basis.

After spending his first five seasons with the Phoenix Suns, T.J. Warren has made the transition into Indiana and his new team very nicely. Warren has put up 15.3 points per game to start his chapter in his career. Warren is also averaging the second-most shot attempts through the team’s first three games with 16.3 attempts. It appears that Warren may have the green light for now.

Edmond Sumner has started two games to start off this season. In 22 minutes of starting time, Sumner has contributed to seven points per game. Sumner has shown some great defensive awareness abilities, as he is second on the team in steals per game (1.7).

It appears that Sumner has a non-dislocated fracture in his hand and will be reevaluated in three weeks, per Fox Sports AP. Sumner was in line to have a great season this year, especially while the Pacers await Victor Oladipo.

Jeremy Lamb has played in two game so far, in which he started. Over that time, Lamb is averaging 17.5 and 5.5 rebounds per game. Lamb can do many things for this team, especially since all of his confidence is in his shooting abilities; so let him shoot. Lamb is a great addition for this Pacers team.

Under Nate McMillan, the Pacers have never had a 50-win season. After finishing fifth in the Eastern Conference last season, the Pacers were a playoff team and lost in seven games to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the playoffs. This team is poised for greatness.

I do think if the Pacers had more production from their bench, then maybe they could finish through a game. Once some team chemistry is made, the Pacers could become one of the toughest teams to beat in the East. The Pacers will have a nice matchup on Friday night when they play the Cleveland Cavaliers.