5 Reasons the Pacers Can Make Playoffs

4. New Attack

The Pacers have already looked like a completely different team with the way they’ve been pushing the ball up the floor and letting it fly without fear during the first couple games. The efficiency has been spotty, but it’s been fun and exciting to watch, especially in comparison to Indiana’s dinosaur defense teams from the last few seasons.

There have been some positive takeaways early, like the open shots George, George Hill, and CJ Miles have been getting on the perimeter, as well as the looks PG and Ellis have been getting in the pick-and-roll. Rodney Stuckey has been an animal pushing the ball upcourt, although the entire team seems to be enjoying that aspect of the new styles. In general, the ball and player movement has been good, and the team has been getting good looks.

Still, turbulence is inevitable with such a switch, and PG expressed a frustration with the spectrum of coach Frank Vogel’s lineups following the loss to the Grizzlies.

From Indy Star’s Candance Buckner:

"“That’s the biggest problem we’re having,” Paul George said, “just the inconsistency of who we’re playing with. Trying so many different groups, we got to establish an identity, and we have yet to do so.”"

As he did during the preseason against big teams like the Bulls, Vogel started Jordan Hill as a power forward in a larger lineup and left two bigs on the floor far more often than he did in game one against Toronto. That big lineup was actually extremely effective against Memphis, albeit the version with Lavoy Allen instead of Hill at the four, which probably is making lineup choices even more difficult, since this team is supposed to be fostering a small ball identity.

This switch was never going to be easy, though, and this is the time of year when Vogel can see exactly what he’s working with after so much summer turnover. There’s no reason to be too upset after just two games.

It’s interesting to hear that coming from Paul, who was so recently hesitant on the whole small-ball switch, and the quote doesn’t reveal that he necessarily prefers one style over the other. We know from this preseason that PG can be a bit impatient, and it’s understandable why he’s feeling frustrated after starting 0-2 and blowing a pair of late leads. Again, he needn’t worry too much, though, since this is a process, and this team should establish its identity soon, probably as the small-ball squad they’re built to be. Hopefully.

Next: 5. The Coach