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2017-18 Pacers Player Reviews: Alex Poythress

By Tony East

MILWAUKEE, WI - JANUARY 03: Alex Poythress #0 of the Indiana Pacers walks across the court in the fourth quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at the Bradley Center on January 3, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI - JANUARY 03: Alex Poythress #0 of the Indiana Pacers walks across the court in the fourth quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at the Bradley Center on January 3, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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 Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /
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Alex Poythress Indiana Pacers
MILWAUKEE, WI – JANUARY 03: Alex Poythress #0 of the Indiana Pacers walks across the court in the fourth quarter against the Milwaukee Bucks at the Bradley Center on January 3, 2018, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

Alex Poythress was a feel-good story for the Pacers, getting his two-way contract converted to a full NBA deal halfway through the year. His season deserves a second look.

Back on December 28th, Alex Poythress did something that had never been done in Indiana Pacers history. He had his two-way contract converted to a full-NBA contract, meaning that instead of splitting his time between the Fort Wayne Mad Ants and the Pacers, he would exclusively be a member of the Pacers from that point on.

Not many two-way players around the league earned that luxury, only 10 to be exact. Poythress was the first Pacer to ever do it, paving the way for future two-way players in Indiana to know that they have a shot at becoming a full-time pro.

His promotion came on the heels of his best game of the season. On December 26th, the Pacers got smashed by the Detroit Pistons, losing the game by 24 points. Poythress was a +15 in his 22 minutes in that game. The Pacers lost by a whopping 39 points when he wasn’t on the court. His final stat line was just four points, two rebounds, one assist and one steal. But he was very impactful with his defense and zero turnovers. The Pacers offered him his contract the next day.

But Poythress played in 24 other games, too. And he got some burn with Fort Wayne early in the year. Let’s gloss over Alex Poythress’ first season in Indiana and see what comes next for him.

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