Indiana Pacers: 3 advantages the team has over potential play-in opponents

Having multiple offensive options is the Pacers’ underrated trait

The Indiana Pacers have three players (potentially four if Warren was healthy) who average more than 20 points per game in Domantas Sabonis, Caris LeVert and Malcolm Brogdon. However, this is not a top-heavy squad in scoring the rock, with the team boasting an abundant resource of reliable secondary scoring.

Beyond those three players, the Pacers have Myles Turner (if healthy), Doug McDermott, Justin Holiday and Jeremy Lamb who each average double digits in scoring per contest. They even have four other players who tally more than seven points per outing in Brissett, TJ McConnell, Sumner and Aaron Holiday.

Thus, it is clear that the Pacers will boast a varied attack that easily figures to be the most unpredictable among the four teams vying for the last two playoff seeds. Boston has marquee scorers in Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Kemba Walker, but Brown is already out for the season.

Their secondary scorers include the hit-and-miss Evan Fournier and the at-times erratic Marcus Smart, who is more valuable as a defender. In summation, the Celtics only have five players (four without Brown) who average double digits for the season. They also only have three other players who record more than seven points per outing, of which two are centers.

Washington is no different, either. While they have Bradley Beal and Russell Westbrook, two of the league’s most explosive scorers, their supporting cast leaves a lot to be desired. Outside of Rui Hachimura and Davis Bertans, the Wizards do not have a reliable secondary scorer, with virtually everyone on the roster averaging single digits in scoring, though deadline acquisition Daniel Gafford is making waves lately.

Charlotte has more scoring options that the other two. In fact, they have seven players average double-digits. But their main problem is the lack of a reliable go-to option on offense, with leading scorers Terry Rozier and Gordon Hayward being fire and ice in stretches within games. Devonte Graham and LaMelo Ball can also be quite streaky with their shooting. But compared to Boston and Washington, the Hornets have a lot more variance in their scoring attack, though they lack a post scorer. Thus, the Indiana Pacers still have more balance in that department.