Why the Indiana Pacers Won Seven Straight, And Why They Can Win Tonight

Feb 1, 2017; Orlando, FL, USA; Indiana Pacers forward C.J. Miles (0) celebrates with center Myles Turner (33) after scoring against the Orlando Magic during the second half at Amway Center. The Pacers won 98-88. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 1, 2017; Orlando, FL, USA; Indiana Pacers forward C.J. Miles (0) celebrates with center Myles Turner (33) after scoring against the Orlando Magic during the second half at Amway Center. The Pacers won 98-88. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jeff Teague of the Indiana Pacers
Jan 5, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indiana Pacers guard Jeff Teague (44) shoots the ball while Brooklyn Nets guard Isaiah Whitehead (15) defends in the first quarter of the game at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /

More Aggressive, More Points

A complaint we often hear about Paul George is how he doesn’t get to the foul line often enough. During this win streak, however, that’s been less of an issue for him and the entire team.

Indiana’s averaging two more free throws a game, and when you are one the NBA’s best free-throw shooting teams, that’s basically two more points a game.

During this time, Paul George and Jeff Teague are getting to the line more often. Teague went from 5.5 to 6.6 attempts a game while Paul George jumped from 4.9 to 5.7. Those jumps may be modest, but they are part of the bigger trend of not settling for mid-range shots.

They Pacers are being more aggressive, drawing more fouls, and getting points from the line more often. It is a small part of the bigger picture, but it is none the less a reason for the team’s success.