Dropping Dimes: Jeff Teague’s 17 Assists Show Why the Indiana Pacers Traded For Him

Jeff Teague’s shot wasn’t falling on Friday night, but he dished out a career high 17 assists in a Pacers win.

Jeff Teague became the first Indiana Pacers player since Jamaal Tinsley to record at least 17 assists in a game. It has been awhile since someone in the blue and gold did it —Tinsley did it back in 2002.

Teague’s shot may not have been falling, he shot 2 of 13, but he made up for it with his passing. He was dropping dimes all night and had 9 assists in the first half. In fact, Teague had more assists than the entire Chicago Bulls team had on Friday night.

A lot have people have questioned whether or not the Pacers won the trade that got them Teague and sent George Hill to the Utah Jazz. I believe it’s a win-win. The Jazz got their veteran point guard that they needed, and the Pacers got a more explosive scorer/playmaker in Teague.

George Hill might be averaging more points per game than Teague this season, but Teague has the higher career scoring average. Defensively, George Hill is a lot better than Teague. I also think Hill is the better fit when the Pacers start Monta Ellis, but Ellis could have a permanent bench role soon. When the Pacers don’t have an extremely undersized starting backcourt, Teague is the better fit with this new Pacers team.

Next: January Will Tell Us Everything We Need to Know About the Indiana Pacers — For Better or for Worse

Jeff Teague is having one of his better all-around seasons of his career. He’s averaging a career-high in assists and in rebounds. After a really tough start to the season, the Indiana Pacers have got to be thrilled with what they’re getting from the Indiana native.