Pacers Season Preview
I didn’t realize that the Pacers season was starting today until two days ago, and when I came to that realization, I let out the biggest “YEAHHHHHHHH BOIIIIIIIIII” this side of Flava Flav. The NBA is back, and with that comes the return of our beloved Pacers.
Last season, Victor Oladipo led Indiana to a 48-34 record, 5th place in the Eastern Conference and 2nd place in the Central Division. After losing to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in a close 7-game series, Pacers fans felt disappointed in the season ending but hopeful for what was to come from a promising young group.
Indiana replaced Lance Stephenson with Tyreke Evans, and as much as I love Dancin’ Lance, it’s obvious that this is an upgrade for the Pacers on the wings. Doug McDermott and Aaron Holiday will add depth to the Pacers bench, and with these key additions, this team might even be better than last year’s.
Can the Pacers win 50 games?
After winning 48 games last year, it doesn’t seem out of the question for the Pacers to make a small leap and win just 2 more games than last season. However, breaking the 50-win barrier hasn’t come so easy to the Pacers in the past, as they have only achieved the feat once since 2004.
Last year, the Pacers were underdogs and took the league by surprise. That won’t be the case this year, so we will have to see if Oladipo and Co. can improve on last season with a bigger target on their back. And that leads me to my next question…
Can Oladipo keep up his pace from last season, or was it just a flash in the pan?
There is no question that Oladipo was the engine that made this Pacers team go last season. He put up over 23 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists per game, and also led the league with 2.4 steals a night. He was named to the All-NBA Second Team, the All-Defensive First team, made his first All-Star Game appearance and also won the Most Improved Player award for last season.
All that goes to say that Oladipo has a lot of hype to live up to coming into his second season with the Pacers. And while the roster has improved in many ways, there is no doubt that Oladipo will need to play at or near the level he played at last season if the Pacers want to win 50 games and truly contend in a wide-open Eastern Conference. I think Oladipo can get the job done and produce at a similar level to last year, but he will need help to take this team to the next level, and that leads me to my next question…
Can Myles Turner live up to his new contract and become the Pacers second star?
After the 2016-17 season, people around the league expected Turner to take the next step in his career and become a star for the Pacers. And, well, it didn’t happen. Turner played played less, shot less, blocked fewer shots and just didn't shine like he was expected to.
Part of this can be attributed to the arrival and emergence of Domantas Sabonis, who played nearly 25 minutes a game off the bench last year. Sabonis also looked like a dominant force on the offensive end for a few games last postseason, while Turner seemed to struggle. That was especially the case on the glass, as Tristan Thompson bullied Turner in the post and exposed one of Turner’s greatest weaknesses.
The Pacers gave Turner a vote of confidence this past week, as they signed Turner to a 4-year, $72 million contract extension. That’s big money for a small market team like the Pacers. IF Turner can live up to his new deal and make the jump to secondary star, Indiana will be a real contender in the East. But if he can’t, the Pacers will need someone else to step up or they could end up falling behind.
The Pacers left fans feeling optimistic after a strong season last year, and with LeBron James releasing his stranglehold on the East in favor of Los Angeles, the conference is up for grabs. Can the Pacers win 50 games and become true contenders? Will Oladipo keep up his blistering pace from last season? Will Turner take the next step and live up to his new contract?
We will just have to wait and find out.