Inside the Rotation: Who Gets the Playoff Minutes for the Indiana Pacers?
By Luke Parrish
The Indiana Pacers are set to play LeBron and the Cavs in the first round of the NBA Playoffs. What might the rotation look like?
The Indiana Pacers got into the post season at the very last minute as the 7th seed, and they’ll face the reigning NBA champions, the Cleveland Cavaliers.
We know matchups are everything, so what should the Indiana Pacers rotation look like?
A few things we know are obvious.
Paul George should see an increase in minutes come the postseason. PG13 is a whole new beast in the playoffs and we saw a glimpse of that down the stretch, averaging 33 points a game in April after an outstanding March. The starting unit should carry the bulk of the playing time, especially with a weak bench.
With PG, Myles Turner, Jeff Teague, and Thaddeus Young as clear starters, who will join them?
C.J. Miles vs Monta Ellis vs Glenn Robinson III
Fans would love to see Lance in the starting lineup, but why mess with a good thing? Assuming he provides the spark off the bench, then who gets the start at the 2?
C.J. Miles is an interesting option because he can catch fire from deep and rack up points in a hurry. However, he has been very inconsistent for the most part of the season, and Cleveland could take advantage of his defensive play.
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Monta is a wildcard. If we see good Monta, he deserves to start. But if it’s bad Monta, he doesn’t deserve any minutes whatsoever. Hopefully the playoffs bring out the best in him.
Glenn Robinson III has been sidelined with a calf injury for the last few weeks, so he won’t get pushed into the starting unit right away. His defensive ability and improved jump shot makes him an intriguing piece off the bench. He is ruled out for Game 1.
Monta has been the starter of late and the Pacers have been winning, so I’d expect him to stay in the lineup. Plus, if Lance comes off the bench for Monta, there is only one ball-handler on the court. I like the dynamic of a Lance-led second unit.
Rotation Guys for the Indiana Pacers
Lance, Glenn (when healthy), and Aaron Brooks will likely carry the second unit. And with the chemistry growing between Stephenson and Kevin Seraphin, Seraphin should get the minutes as the backup center. Big Al is coming off the ankle injury, and Kevin has taken advantage of his opportunity.
C.J. Miles, however, might be the guy to come in and get buckets for the second unit. Perhaps he can play the 4 at times to space the floor. For what it’s worth, the Pacers only played 9 guys in the season finale. Is that a sign of things to come?
Realistically, we can expect to see 3J and Glenn to split minutes based on matchups. Of course, that’s only if Dunk Dawg is recovered from his injury. For now, expect more Aaron Brooks.
Extra Minutes
Lavoy Allen and Big Al could still see some minutes to provide more size. I’d expect Lavoy to get an opportunity to help crash the boards if things get out of hand. The backcourt is set, but minutes could be split far and wide in the frontcourt.
Next: How Well Do Pacers Matchup With the Cavaliers?
We’ll find out come Saturday at 3 p.m. as the Pacers’ postseason tips off.