Indiana Pacers: 3 things we learned from the preseason

What do we know about the Indiana Pacers after three preseason games?

The Indiana Pacers have wrapped up their three preseason games and have their sights set on the regular-season opener on Dec. 23. After a few exhibitions, what do we know about the Pacers with Nate Bjorkgren as the head coach?

The Pacers will shoot the deep ball

If there is one thing to take away from the scrimmages, it is that the Pacers are ready to join the modern NBA. They finally appear to be living beyond the three-point line and getting into a quicker offense, which has held them back for the past few years. In the preseason games, we saw the Pacers take advantage of the three-point line early and often, which was much different than last year’s squad.

Malcolm Brogdon was deadly from three in the preseason and if he continues to seek out shots, the Pacers will be a high-scoring offense in 2020-21. Everyone seems comfortable in taking shots, which is great news for the Pacers moving forward. The starting rotation showed that they can take over games, which they did in the first quarter of the second game in Cleveland.

With T.J. Warren missing the preseason due to injury, there is even more room for growth on the offensive end. Warren, Indiana’s best pure scorer, should be a lethal weapon in this offensive system.

Things will not click immediately

As we saw in the preseason, early mistakes are bound to happen with a new system. The players are in a new role and the pace is much different than last season, so things are not going to be perfect in the first few weeks of the season, or maybe even longer.

Turnovers were a huge concern in the first preseason game but the sloppiness is not all too worrisome right now. Myles Turner is still adapting to his new role, which puts the ball in his hands quite a bit more on the perimeter, and turnovers or missed shots will be evident early in the season. However, do not overreact to his struggles but instead, embrace the fact that he is involved.

The same goes for Aaron Holiday, who struggled in the preseason with turnovers and decision-making at times. Despite playing alongside Victor Oladipo and Brogdon, Holiday was used as a primary ball-handler on several possessions and did a good job of creating for everyone on the floor. However, he was not perfect and tried to force things a bit, which resulted in turnovers.

Luckily for Indiana, they open the season with the Knicks and Bulls, two teams that might make things a bit less stressful. They can afford to try some things and make a few mistakes without completely falling out of the game.

The Pacers are going to be a blast

Even if they struggle early and cannot find a rhythm, the Pacers are going to be a very fun team to watch for the first time in a long time. They play with an intense pace and hoist shots at a much faster rate than we’ve ever seen while employing active hands on the defensive end.

The players seemed to be having fun on the bench and through training camp as well, which is not something I am used to seeing from the Pacers. From what we have seen from Nate Bjorkgren so far, he is a perfect coach for this team and has injected life into the blue and gold.

The Pacers obviously have a playoff roster and should return to the postseason once again this season but fans should be most excited about the direction of the team, regardless of the end result. Indiana is bringing a fun brand of hoops that fans will enjoy.

Now, the Pacers will still very much compete in the Eastern Conference and can make a deep run in the playoffs. With a deep roster and one of the best starting lineups in the league, the Pacers will make some noise throughout the season. The fun is just a little cherry on top for a fan base that deserves some positivity after a long stretch of mediocrity.