The Indiana Pacers aren’t surprising anyone at this point. Here are some of the reasons why they’ve been better than expected.
During the first portion of the season, the Indiana Pacers have won with a toughness that seems to never fade. Despite being projected as one of the worst teams in the east, the new look Pacers continue to impress.
Currently sitting at fourth in the Eastern Conference, Indiana has shown improbable resiliency as well as the skill to back it up.
By now, teams have a good feel of what and who they are as a group. This squad has shown that they belong and these statistics from the main rotational players can back that up.
Darren Collison: 4.02 assist-to-turnover ratio
Collison’s assist-to-turnover ratio is the best of his career by a wide margin. He sits at just under 6 dimes per game which is also a career best and incredibly vital to team success.
Collison has been a floor general in every sense of the word thus far. He often knows exactly when to push the pace and when to pull back the reins a bit. Darren seeks out opportunity in the open floor and has a knack at setting up offense in important moments.
Not only does he run the show when he’s in the game, Collison is a dog on both ends of the court and provides the young Pacers with necessary on court leadership. Maybe he’s not the lead guard of the future but he’s an almost-perfect point in the meantime.
Victor Oladipo: 24.8 points per game
This is the Victor Oladipo Kevin Pritchard envisioned when he made the trade. An attacking two guard with relentless effort and passion. This is the player coach Nate McMillan hoped to develop.
Vic has the confidence you look for in a go-to guy. He believes every shot he takes is going to go in and wants the ball in big moments. But, perhaps the most surprising statistic of the young season is his percentage from deep. Oladipo has been red-hot from long range shooting at a 43% clip.
Although this is unlikely sustainable, if he can be around 35-40% he will continue to be a tough cover. Oladipo extremely athletic with a quick first step that can blow by flat-footed defenders with ease. And, if you’re quick enough to stay in front, Victor has continued to work on his handle which is now more than capable to create something out of nothing.
Vic has become a force on the offensive end and only expects to get better.
Bojan Bogdanovic: 14.1 points per game
As Bogey goes, the Pacers go. Indy is now 15-3 when Bojan scores 15 or more points. Bogdanovic has been one of the more inconsistent Pacers so far but that is what makes him so important. When he plays well, the Pacers are a hard team to beat.
He has an old-school low vertical/high IQ game and does a great job at playing at his own pace.
Bogey has shown different skills on the offensive end in the first 32 games. He has proved the label “scorer” fits slightly more than “shooter”. With a nice handle and huge hands, Bogey has proved he can score on all three levels. He can get around his defender and finish strong at the rim with either hand or pull up from mid-range and drop one softly off the glass. He has an old-school low vertical/high IQ game and does a great job at playing at his own pace.
But, where he has to shore up his consistency is his shot from long range. If Bogdanovic can work on making his 40% mark an every game occurrence, this Pacer squad can get even better.
Thaddeus Young: 3.7 deflections per game
Thad is the ultimate glue guy. Often underrated because we tend to overrate the non-glamorous, Thad has been a huge part of the early season success.
Young is second in the league in deflections and top 15 in loose balls recovered. These are winning plays that every winning team needs to compete at a high level. The most consistent Pacer because of his hustle, Thad shows up every night ready to compete. Although his hustle is his best trait, defense is a close second.
In a league that continues to go small, the power forward spot is a match-up nightmare. With players such as Anthony Davis and the “unicorn” Kristaps Porzingis, Young is challenged nightly. But, that doesn’t stop him from being one of the best defensive fours in the league. Thad is a gamer, a constant professional and one of the most under-appreciated players in the league.
Myles Turner: 2.3 blocks per game
Since Myles came into the league in 2015 he has sent back 316 shots and currently leads the lead in rejections per game. His timing on jumps is second to none and is a lethal weapon as the defensive anchor.
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Not only is Turner’s timing among the best, his lengths poses problems for almost everyone. The Texas product stands just shy of seven-foot but has a 7’4 wingspan. His long arms can get to shots that look improbable which allows Myles to steal blocks from unsuspecting offensive players.
Even when Myles goes without a block (which hardly ever happens) his presences bothers opposing offenses. This allows him to remain in the game for long stretches. Turner is 15th in the league in shots contested which is as important has his blocked shots total.
As his offensive game rounds into form and his strength continue to improve, his defensive prowess remains steady. Once Pritchard and Company can find some length on the wings, Turner’s defensive stock should continue to rise.