Indiana Pacers: Most impactful players of the season thus far

65 games into the season, the Indiana Pacers have fought their way to fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings. The Pacers have had to get there by committee effort, but who’s had the most impact overall?

We’re taking a look at seven Pacers and ranking their efforts, taking into consideration their roles beyond just the numbers.

These Indiana Pacers deserve some honorable mention for their efforts

Malcolm Brogdon

Injuries have plagued Malcolm Brogdon’s first season as a Pacer. Still, he has managed to lead the team in total assists and is third in points scored on the season.

Brogdon’s steady and stoic demeanor has led him to success as the Pacer’s floor general when he’s healthy. Had he played in more than just 48 games this year, he would’ve certainly been higher on the list, but his impact so far is still noteworthy.

Aaron Holiday

Aaron Holiday’s minutes have nearly doubled since last season, and his stats have improved across the board.

Aaron hasn’t had to take on lead playmaking duties for the bench unit as that’s mainly been McConnell’s job. Rather, Aaron has been the bench unit’s sole true shot creator.

His improving 39.4 3-point percentage is starting to reveal his true shooting capabilities, and his 3.3 assists per game hint his true point guard potential.

He’s been called on 26 times to start this season, amidst the injuries between Brogdon, Lamb, and Oladipo, and he’s proved capable during that time.

Aaron is acclimating to the NBA point guard life better and better, and his talent has been important to the Pacers all season.

Myles Turner

While there’s plenty of negatives to point out from Myles’ season so far, it’s important to take into consideration the things he does right that might not show up on paper.

His shot-blocking ability on defense means perimeter defenders can be a bit riskier on defense knowing Myles is lurking in the paint, which helps the Pacers rank sixth in league defensive rating.

Turner also doesn’t have to have the ball in his hands on the offensive end to be effective, which is huge for helping the other starters play to their strengths.

He’s hitting a career-best 1.4 threes a game. The impact a center can have on offense simply by getting out of the way and dragging his defender out of the paint cannot be understated, especially when you have another big alongside him who lives off points in the paint.

Turner may not be thriving his role this season, but don’t count him out as not being a solid contributor to the Pacer’s success.