8 points, 9 seconds
Fansided

Early season trends for the Pacers and the Eastern Conference

By Jonathan Matthes

PHILADELPHIA, PA - NOVEMBER 3: Victor Oladipo #4 of the Indiana Pacers looks on against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on November 3, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - NOVEMBER 3: Victor Oladipo #4 of the Indiana Pacers looks on against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Wells Fargo Center on November 3, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers
HOUSTON, TX – NOVEMBER 09: LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers dribbles the ball defended by Trevor Ariza #1 of the Houston Rockets in the second half at Toyota Center on November 09, 2017 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /

The downside of positionless basketball

Cleveland and Milwaukee are terrible defensively. If it wasn’t for that disaster in Dallas keeping it close, they would be the two worst defensive teams in the Association by a large margin. This at first seems odd.

They have two of the most dynamic talents in the game — LeBron James in Cleveland and Giannis “Spell check doesn’t always help” Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee — who are brilliant on both ends of the court, which should mean that their teams can dabble on the defensive end. Of course, while the Bucks statistically say otherwise, you have to play five. Which is the problem.

Neither of these teams have a strong interior presence

Remember the 2012-13 Pacers? They were brilliant defensively because, the perimeter defenders — Paul George, Lance Stephenson and George Hill — were able to be bolder with the assignments knowing that if they made a mistake Roy Hibbert was inside to mop up. That’s a luxury the Cavs and Bucks don’t have. If their perimeter guys mess up, it’s two points almost every time.

There’s no way to fix this problem interior-ly. You can’t just wave a magic wand over Jae Crowder and make him 7-3. If they want an interior defender they’ll have to trade for one. Otherwise those teams with attacking guards ( Kyrie Irving in Boston, John Wall in Washington, Oladipo in Indiana) are going to carve them up and there is little that they can do to stop them, save for just trying to out-score them.

Which is exactly what both will try. Cleveland is waiting for Isaiah Thomas to return from injury, and Milwaukee just traded their only real post player (Greg Monroe) to Phoenix for Eric Bledsoe.

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