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Taking stock of the Pacers and the summer

By Jonathan Matthes

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 9: Head Coach Nate McMillan of the Indiana Pacers during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2018 Las Vegas Summer League on July 9, 2018 at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 9: Head Coach Nate McMillan of the Indiana Pacers during the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2018 Las Vegas Summer League on July 9, 2018 at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada. 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. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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BOSTON – FEBRUARY 9: Boston Celtics guard Terry Rozier (12) attempts a reverse layup but was denied by Indiana Pacers center Domantas Sabonis (11)  (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
BOSTON – FEBRUARY 9: Boston Celtics guard Terry Rozier (12) attempts a reverse layup but was denied by Indiana Pacers center Domantas Sabonis (11)  (Photo by Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) /

The East’s first tier

And then there were four. Thanks, LeBron.

It won’t be a cakewalk for this quartet. Boston, Indiana, Philadelphia and Toronto should each be very competitive and would project as playoff teams regardless of conference affiliation. We already talked about the Pacers, let’s look at the other three.

While not unassailable, Boston should probably still be viewed as the front-runner. The Celtics have yet to make many changes, but they didn’t have to. Returning Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward from injuries adds two all-stars to a team that finished as the East’s runner-up. Boston’s not likely to be very deep, although baring injury, who cares?

Their top nine (Irving, Hayward, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, Jaylen Brown, Terry Rozier, Marcus Smart, Marcus Morris and Aron Baynes) fit extremely well together and can adjust to match most opponents. Though that one on the Bay might be out of reach for everyone.

The Celtics will have some kinks to work out, and by kinks I mean roles.

The Celtics will have some kinks to work out, and by kinks I mean roles.

The Celtics were led in playoff scoring by Tatum (18.5), Brown (18) and Rozier (16.5) which was impressive, but consider: Rozier’s going to the bench, and Tatum and Brown won’t be the leading scorers.

The Celtics know what they have in Horford, for nine years he’s averaged between 12-18 points and 7-10 rebounds. He’ll be steady. But how does Brad Stevens balance Irving, Hayward, Tatum, and Brown? Tatum will have to surrender the lead scoring role for Irving. And likely the second one to Hayward. That moves Brown down even further.

The Celtics aren’t paying Horford $29M to be the fifth option. It’s not exactly ideal to take blossoming 20 and 21 year-olds and make them take lesser roles.

If anyone can figure out how to fit these impressive pieces together, it’s Stevens. If he finds the right balance, the Celtics will be vicious offensively, and very shifty defensively, but they are not going to be the best rebounding team ever. Well, they could start either Morris or Baynes, both would help.

But, they’d have to move Brown or Tatum to the bench. You know what, this is nitpicking, as long as they are healthy Boston will be excellent.

TORONTO, ON – APRIL 6: Cory Joseph #6 of the Indiana Pacers dribbles the ball as Pascal Siakam #43. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – APRIL 6: Cory Joseph #6 of the Indiana Pacers dribbles the ball as Pascal Siakam #43. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /

This might be easy to forget, but the Toronto Raptors won 59 games last year, a franchise best. This is also a franchise whose basketball reference page shows that Jose Calderon has the fifth highest win shares ever for the Raptors. Toronto doesn’t exactly have the most impressive history. Nor do they have the most impressive postseason record, including the spanking Cleveland issued them in the Semis.

But, set aside that they crapped away at least two of those games, and didn’t show up for the other pair.

Then set aside that they were outscored by 56 points. And set aside that their performance cost the Coach of the Year, Dwayne Casey, his job. Look at what remains, a very good basketball team who averaged 109 ppg in the first-round triumph over Washington. A very good team that just traded for Kawhi Leonard.

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    • Toronto could’ve played it safe, but they didn’t. Trading for Leonard is a play for the level of success that has previously alluded them, post-season glory. If the trade works, the Raptors could win the East.

    They aren’t adding Leonard in a vacuum. Kyle Lowry, Jonas Valanciunas, and Serge Ibaka are still in their primes. They didn’t have to part with most of their young core (O.G. Anunoby, Fred VanVleet, Pascal Siakam and Delon Wright, all still present). Swapping out DeMar DeRozan for Leonard is a gigantic improvement on paper because that’s the difference between an All-Star and a super-star.

    There is, however, significant risk. It’s been over a year since anyone has seen the elite version of Leonard, and there’s an unlikely chance that player is gone forever. Unlikely, but a chance nevertheless. A second question is how will Leonard handle his uncertain future? Will he bring his maximum effort if he sees his time in Toronto as a one-year layover? The Raptors are assuming he will. For them it’s worth the risk. Glory awaits if Leonard takes them there.

    PHILADELPHIA, PA – MARCH 13: Philadelphia 76ers Guard Ben Simmons (25) guards Indiana Pacers Forward Bojan Bogdanovic (44) (Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
    PHILADELPHIA, PA – MARCH 13: Philadelphia 76ers Guard Ben Simmons (25) guards Indiana Pacers Forward Bojan Bogdanovic (44) (Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

    Philadelphia is the trendy team. There is one way (the most popular way) to look at the 76ers that goes something like this: Philly has two of the best young players in basketball (Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid) who will only get better. Robert Covington is one of the best 3 & D players in the league, J.J. Redick is one of the best shooters, Dario Saric is an ideal power forward to fit in. Markelle Fultz can only get better. Brett Brown is a great coach.

    The spirit of Sam Hinkie still guides this team like Palpatine guided the Empire. They just scratched the surface last year.

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    But there’s another viewpoint (the less popular one), where it’s not a long-term recipe for success when their best playmaker CAN’T SHOOT. Where it took four years before their best player played at least half of the games in a season (63 last year). Where their coach looked completely flummoxed in a five game semi-final loss to Boston. When they were a sixth-place team (with a month to play) before reeling off 16 consecutive wins, with all but four against losing teams in desperate tank mode, to leapfrog to third place.

    And they only really caught fire last year after adding two shooters (Ersan Ilyasova and Marco Belinelli) who are both gone and replaced by Wilson Chandler and Nemanja Bjelica (psyche).

    With Bjelica’s renege, Philadelphia is dangerously short on reliable bench shooting. Chandler provides much more versatility than Ilyasova and Belinelli did combine, but he’s never been a knock-down shooter. Fultz’s next made three will be his first. It seems unrealistic to expect rookies Zhaire Smith and Landry Shamet to shoulder a sizeable role. If Simmons’ reluctance to shoot continues, Philly will have to surround him, capable marksmen. And currently, they don’t have enough.

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