There is a Sense of Familiarity in the Indiana Pacers’ Frontcourt

The Indiana Pacers’ young frontcourt duo is finally meshing the way fans had hoped it would. Their new look has the vibes of a duo from the past.

There is a feeling of familiarity with the Indiana Pacers’ current big man pairing. Domantas Sabonis, the bruising offensive force that sets the physical tone for the team on a nightly basis. Myles Turner, the game changing rim protector with the ability to change the way opponents are able to attack. Together, they foster a top-tier defense that pulls along an average offense.

They feel like the makings of a modernized David West–Roy Hibbert frontcourt.

The West-Hibbert duo spent four seasons together from 2011 to 2015 and won an average of over 46 games per year during the stretch. They were burdened with defending the paint in the playoffs against LeBron James at the peak of his powers.

Their Blue Collar, Gold Swagger era was overshadowed by the Heatles, a team that knocked them out of the playoffs each of their first three seasons together. They were stuck in the great, but not great enough category and became one of the biggest superteam victims of the early 2010s.

To say the Pacers’ current rendition is equal to that of the past, would be to undersell what West and Hibbert were able to do. West was tasked with being James’ primary defender in crucial situations in the playoffs, something Sabonis could only dream of doing, while Hibbert claimed the “verticality rule” as his own.

They had a cohesion few frontcourts in the league had. The key to their success was their ability to fill in the holes of the other’s game. An attribute the Sabonis and Turner duo also share.

In both situations the centers were known for elite defense around the rim, but still plagued with the notion being soft. The bullish play of their frontcourt partner was often used as a counterbalance so they could survive as a collective.

To this point, Hibbert and Turner also share a similar fate on the offensive end. Hibbert never developed into more than an average player at that end of the court, but his willingness to stay out of the way allowed his partner to flourish. The 7-2 center’s usage percentage during the four years is just slightly higher than Turner’s in the three seasons since Sabonis arrived.

Turner’s ability to be a stretch-five creates even more room for his partner to work than his predecessor ever could. Where 72.6 percent of Hibbert’s shots came within 10 feet of the rim, 42.7 percent of Turner’s looks come from 3-point range this season. The additional space gives Sabonis the opportunity to play at an All-Star level. The similarities don’t stop there:

HIbbert (2011-2015)- 11.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.1 blocks

Turner (this season)- 10.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.4 blocks

Neither happen to be elite rebounders, but in both situations they didn’t have to be. Sabonis is a top-5 rebounder while West and Paul George as good rebounders for their positions.

The parallels between final results are still up in the air. Where West and Hibbert had George as the two-way star to lead the way, Sabonis and Turner are still waiting for Victor Oladipo to return from injury. The current Pacers will also have to deal with their own two-way, world destroying MVP in Giannis Antetokounmpo.

In a potential playoff match-up, the Greek Freak would likely face a few possessions with Sabonis as the primary defender and push Turner’s rim protection to its limits with his drives. Giannis looks poised to become the East’s new gatekeeper. He celebrated his 25th birthday last week by thoroughly dismantling the Los Angeles Clippers, another championship favorite.

Indiana sits firmly in the playoff picture without their star, and will likely make a leap upon his return. For Turner and Sabonis to do what their predecessors couldn’t, they will need to bring back some more of the grittiness of that team.

Maybe they picked up a thing or two from a player that bridged those generations.