Indiana Pacers find addition by subtraction

Despite numerous injuries, the Indiana Pacers have accomplished a solid season through their depth. Another example of this was Domantas Sabonis, the Pacers leading Sixth-man, stepping up to keep the team afloat in the East during the absence of Myles Turner. 

Throughout the first half of the regular season, the Indiana Pacers have been without a few of their biggest contributors on several occasions. This remained true as Myles Turner missed four of the six games played so far in January due to injury.

On December 31st, against the Atlanta Hawks, Turner suffered a broken nose. It was expected that Turner would miss time due to the injury requiring surgery. However, the center would miss no games and return on January 4th in a win against the Chicago Bulls.

Unfortunately, Turner’s luck would run out once again as he would aggravate a right shoulder injury during this return to the floor against the Bulls.

In Turner’s absence, the Pacers posted a 2-2 record. Despite the two wins, the Pacers witnessed a decline in defensive prowess without their star center in the lineup. So far this season, Myles Turner leads the NBA in total blocks (105) and blocks per game (2.8).

That dominance was missed during the four-game stretch. On January 6th the Toronto Raptors defeated the Pacers 121-105. The Raptors took advantage of Turner’s absence by posting a 51.8 FG% and by sinking seventeen three-pointers at a 51.5% rate. Turner allows the Pacers to thoroughly defend inside-out. That was evident in the Raptors loss.

In the second loss with no Turner, the Pacers fell to the Boston Celtics 135-108. The loss would be the most points the Pacers have surrendered to an opponent so far this season. In this game, the Celtics out-rebounded the Pacers 48 to 39. The Celtics would finish with seven blocks while shooting 56.8% from the field; the Pacers would record zero blocks during this contest.

Without Myles Turner in the lineup, the Pacers did not display the same stout defense that has led to their early success. But still, the Pacers deployed the “next man up” mentality. Domantas Sabonis would be the beneficiary.

With no Turner, potential Sixth Man of the Year Sabonis has shined offensively. Since being traded from Oklahoma City, Domantas Sabonis has been a large contributor for the Indiana Pacers. The hybrid power forward/center has been consistent on defense from day one but has recently displayed the ability to score at a high rate and to create shots for himself plus others.

Prior to Myles Turner’s injury, Sabonis averaged slightly over 15 points per game in about 25 minutes. In the four games without Turner, Sabonis has averaged over 18 points per game in about 30 minutes – an obvious uptick in production that has kept the Pacers afloat in the absence of one of their stars.

Domantas Sabonis has accomplished this improvement in a number of ways, but most notably by being aggressive. It has seemed that this season Sabonis has come into his own.

In his young career, Sabonis has found stability with the Pacers. This comfort level has seemed to attribute to his offensive success on the floor as he has carved out a significant role on one of the NBA’s deepest rosters.

Sabonis has allowed the game to come to him. This is evident as he finished with two double-doubles in the four games that Turner missed. Sabonis has shown an ability to pass as well as he has averaged 4.5 assists per game during this four-game stretch. Before Turner’s absence, Sabonis only averaged 2.9 APG. Some of this can be attributed to an uptick in minutes, but Sabonis clearly took advantage of the bigger opportunity.

This season the Indiana Pacers have proved that they can win without every piece to their puzzle. This bodes well in a long and arduous NBA season.

Despite the absence of the Turner, Sabonis and the Pacers have responded to the adversity and have placed themselves in contention for a top seed in the Eastern Conference. As the season progresses, Domantas Sabonis will continue to make a case for Sixth Man of the Year and his teammates will allow him to shine, even as Turner returns to the lineup.