Kevin Seraphin: The Final Piece of the Indiana Pacers Playoff Rotation
Kevin Seraphin of the Indiana Pacers has been firing on all cylinders as of late, and it couldn’t come at a better time.
The Indiana Pacers and Nate McMillan have been searching for answers to the question of who will be the dependable backup to relieve Myles Turner and Thaddeus Young. With the season on the line, and the playoffs looming, Kevin Seraphin has made a strong case to be that guy.
Seraphin has averaged 11.8 points and 4.8 rebounds across 18.8 minutes per game in Indiana’s last four contests. These statistics are well above his season averages of 4.7 points, 2.9 rebounds and 11.4 minutes. Not to mention, all of these game have resulted in wins, and important wins at that, as they were must-wins to make the playoffs. Something else to keep in mind, is the fact that Seraphin has not seen this many minutes all year. Looking at his performance from that perspective, sheds light on how critical and impressive his emergence is.
Recent play aside, Seraphin’s season has not been anything to write home about. All of his averages are below his career numbers, but that can be attributed to his shortage of minutes. Nonetheless, he did not separate himself from the pack during the season-long competition for the backup big man job. McMillan has deployed Lavoy Allen, Al Jefferson, Rakeem Christmas and Seraphin, but none were able to distinguish themselves as the clear-cut option to back up the starters.
However, it looks as if that decision has been made. McMillan is going with Kevin Seraphin, and with that I say, better late than never.
The Lance Effect on Seraphin
In order to avoid sensationalizing the emergence of Kevin Seraphin, let’s put things into perspective with the Lance Effect. WIthout Lance Stephenson, Kevin Seraphin is likely still on the bench fighting for minutes. The second unit that Seraphin runs with has been revitalized by Lance’s passion and playmaking.
One can argue that nobody has benefited more from Stephenson’s arrival than Seraphin (except for Nate McMillan), and the spike in his numbers is connected to Lance’s installation. He is a guy who draws defenders and gets guys like Kevin Seraphin easy looks at the rim, which is a tremendous confidence booster. Indiana fans are all aware of how much Stephenson has transformed this roster, and we, along with Kevin Seraphin deeply thank him for that.
But, this article is about Kevin Seraphin, and the role he has played in helping the Indiana Pacers secure the 7-seed and a chance to knock of King James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Why Seraphin and Why Now?
Seraphin’s value lies within his size and efficiency. Indiana’s frontline is thin, but Kevin Seraphin is not. The 6’9′ monster of a man weighs a whopping 285 pounds. Yes, you read that correctly. Seraphin is “Shaq” like. He is the third heaviest player in the league behind Boban Marjanovic and Indiana’s own, Al Jefferson.
This strength and girth is a necessity for a team that relies on a 243 pound Myles Turner and a 220 pound Thaddeus Young to hold down the paint. Also, Al Jefferson’s health is still in question. The Pacers desperately need his body to protect the rim and pull down rebounds in the playoffs, especially because Indiana is 28th in the league in rebounding.
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The efficiency of Seraphin is another key aspect of his game. He has some post moves to go to, shoots it with ease from mid-range, and can catch and finish at the rim. The best part about his offensive capability, is that he is efficient. His 55.1% field goal percentage is indicative of his shooting proficiency and unselfish play that Indiana desires.
The Frenchman has been a serviceable big throughout his 7-year NBA career. He was particularly successful in Washington over a 5-year span where he averaged career highs of 9.1 points, 4.9 rebounds and 21.8 minutes of action. So, there is evidence that he can get it done, and the Pacers hope that holds true.
The Pacers coaching staff confirmed that they were rolling with Seraphin in last night’s win against Atlanta, as Allen, Jefferson and Christmas all received DNP’s. It was simply time to make a decision so roles and playing time could be established. Once Indiana realized that the players, nor Larry Bird wished to tank, a rotation had to be set in stone. Ideally, the rotation would have been determined in the early part of the season, but no sense in worrying about what’s already happened.
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In the last stretch of games, Kevin Seraphin has emerged, and is the final piece in nailing down a stable rotation. Although it was extremely risky to tinker with lineups in games with playoff implications, it worked. Indiana is in the Playoffs, and Kevin Seraphin is the backup big. Time for him to show us what he’s been hiding all year. Or, what Nate McMillan has been hiding.