Indiana Pacers: 5 Lessons from loss to Detroit Pistons

Goga Bitadze may still not be ready.

After his lone preseason appearance that went well, many expected Goga Bitadze to shine in the season’s opener but the coaching staff had other plans for the 20-year-old.

Even though Coach McMillan deployed an abundance of different situational lineups throughout the game, Bitadze was not included in the game plan.

Big men Bitadze and Jakarr Sampson were the only Pacers in uniform to not log any minutes.

However, fans should not be alarmed. The coaching staff seems to still be thoughtful regarding Bitadze’s healing ankle and seem to not want to throw him into the fire just yet.

I expect Bitadze to be a part of the team’s rotation in the coming weeks, but respect Coach McMillan and the staff for not forcing the issue.