Indiana Pacers: 3 players that need to step up against Miami Heat

Doug McDermott

Another member of the Indiana Pacers’ struggling bench, Doug McDermott, has been nearly unplayable in the team’s first two games against the Miami Heat. Typically a prominent scorer, particularly from 3-point territory, McDermott has gone cold offensively.

In Game 1, McDermott scored just three points, shooting 1-for-4 from the field in 17 minutes of game action. He followed up that lackluster performance with an encore, scoring only two points on 1-for-4 shooting in 13 minutes. Shooting 48.8 percent from the field and 43.5 percent from behind the arc on the season and averaging 10.3 points per game, McDermott has not lived up to his typical quota in the playoffs by any means.

Indiana relied heavily on his offensive spark off the bench this season, and with he and Holiday both struggling, their bench has suffered. McDermott’s 3-point shooting is a crucial element in the team’s success, and if he continues to shoot the ball like this, it will continue to plague them.

Just last week, McDermott totaled 23 points in their final seeding game against the Miami Heat, shooting 5-for-11 from deep and 8-for-16 overall. The 28-year-old is undoubtedly a streaky scorer, but hopefully, for Indiana, he can regain his offensive touch sooner rather than later to create some momentum.