Power Forward Thursdays: Maybe no power forward?

The Pacers have spent most of the season using a more conventional Power Forward. Is it time to explore changing that?

“Small-ball” is a trend that has taken over the NBA recently. It is a strategy team’s use in which they have no Center on the court, and instead a Power Forward filling in at the big man spot. The Indiana Pacers are hesitant to use this strategy; some of their best players play center and they have had success zigging while other teams zag. But maybe the Pacers can do their own unique style of “small-ball”.

Thaddeus Young has been excellent as well as remarkably consistent for the team this year. His style of play is very unique, but he does play in the post frequently, and he is one of the best big men on the team. However, he leads the team in total minutes played and that could cause him to become gassed down the stretch run of the season.

Because of this, and the teams recent run of losses, perhaps a jolt of creativity is needed. Even if it is just for three to four minutes per game, playing a cohesive lineup the opponent has never seen before could be a way for the Pacers to go on a run and get some easy points. So, perhaps the Pacers could implore their own version of small ball, but instead of no center, Indiana has no Power Forward and instead a wing player slides up to the position.

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The reason I suggest the Pacers run a small-ball lineup that involves no power forward is that their small-ball lineup with Thaddeus Young at center has not held up too well. In these molds, the offense has been decent, scoring 56 points in 27 minutes. The defense in these minutes, however, was embarrassing, giving up 71 points. The Pacers looked like matadors giving up layup after layup. Check out the comparison between the shot chart on offense and defense with Young at center, with the offense first:

And now defense:

So, yeah, these lineups don’t really work. That is why the Pacers creative solution to their small ball problems may be removing the Power Forward position for a short spurt.

This isn’t small-ball in the sense they are used to, but it would be small-ball for the Pacers. Imagine a lineup of guard-guard-wing-wing-Myles/Domas. You know what, don’t imagine it. I’ll tell you how it works.

The Pacers have used one particular lineup of this mold with a decent amount of success. The group is Cory Joseph, Victor Oladipo, Lance Stephenson, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Domantas Sabonis; the lineup coined by Caitlin Cooper of Indy Cornrows as the “peanut butter chili lineup” because it shouldn’t work together, but it does (seriously, if you’ve never tried these two foods in a tandem meal, stop reading this and go make it happen).

That previously mentioned lineup is +21 in just 39 minutes played this season. They have had great success for a variety of reasons. Collectively, this group has shot 58 percent from two-point range, which is incredibly efficient. That efficiency fails in comparison to their three-point percentage of 42.1. This group can score well, thanks to frenetic movement and precise passing.

In the Pacers game against the Heat on November 19th, they deployed this lineup and got some beautiful baskets in the process. This one was my personal favorite. Victor Oladipo runs a pick and roll with Domantas Sabonis, and Oladipo drops the pocket pass into Sabonis’ hands. Simultaneously, Cory Joseph sets a flare screen for Bogdanovic to get an open three on the perimeter. Sabonis, while crashing down the lane, finds Bogey in the corner for a three, simple exquisite ball movement:

This group and many other small-ball groups can move the ball more effectively than other groups the Pacers use. They also do it effectively; this particular group of five had only 13 turnovers in 75 possessions.

The screens Turner and Sabonis set are effective at getting guys open, and having four players around one of those two who can move the ball, dribble, and score has proven to be a percent compliment to those screens. Combining all lineups with no Power Forward (Thaddeus Young or TJ Leaf) on the court, the Pacers are a -15 in 351 minutes. Obviously the negative is bad, but there are promising signs, such as a 109.6 offensive rating and a 55 percent true shooting percentage. Those signs suggest that there is a chance these lineups could alter the game, especially in short spurts.

Next: 8p9s Roundtable: Victor Oladipo is clearly an All-Star for the Indiana Pacers

Who knows exactly how effective these lineups can be. But with Oladipo out, they may be worth exploring more often. Hopefully, some creativity at the Power Forward position could give the Pacers the boost they need to win.