What realistic goals should the Indiana Pacers have for next season?
With Nate Bjorkgren now out of the picture and the Indiana Pacers trying to get back to relevance in the Eastern Conference, they need to set some attainable goals for the upcoming season. There is still a strong roster in place that can compete on a nightly basis as long as things don’t fall apart like they did last season.
Setting goals is a tough task because so many outside factors can alter the direction of the season. The roster may not look the same now as it will in a few months. One factor in play was very prominent for this team just last season and could be again next season.
The Indiana Pacers need to stay healthy
Injuries cannot always be a scapegoat or excuse for a bad season but the consistency of major injuries the Pacers dealt with last season provides a different story. Their leading scorer heading into the season missed essentially the entire year with a foot injury. T.J. Warren was on his way to becoming the offensive leader for this team before shutting things down after just four appearances.
Myles Turner missed the final month of the season with a foot injury of his own and the defense took another step back after already struggling all season. Other key injuries came up throughout the season as seemingly everyone on the roster missed extended time.
Malcolm Brogdon, Caris LeVert, and Domantas Sabonis all missed either extended time or valuable games due to nagging injuries or unforeseen circumstances. These injuries opened the door for 15 different Pacers to start at least three games last season.
Building a roster composed of players with a history of injuries is certainly going to cause issues but they still had an extra bit of bad luck in 2020-21. Can they turn their fortune around next season?
The defense was a disaster for the Indiana Pacers
However you want to look at the defense from last season, the Pacers simply were not good on that end. Bjorkgren’s system left too many wings in a good position to score at will while Domantas Sabonis was forced to play to his weaknesses as a chaser.
Allowing 115.3 points per game, no matter how you do it, is never a positive sign for a team that used to pride itself on its defensive toughness. The loss of Dan Burke was a huge blow and Nate Bjorkgren clearly did not invest his time into the defense but his offense did provide a spark for Indiana. With Bjorkgren out of the door, the defense could see a rise back into the top of the league with the right hire.
Rebounding, which has been Myles Turner’s biggest concern since entering the league, was poor once again last season for the Pacers. Turner only averaged 6.5 rebounds per game and the Pacers ranked 26th in the league in rebounding percentage. On the defensive end, the Pacers were 21st in rebounds but aside from Sabonis, they lack guys who can clean the boards.
The only real positive for the Pacers on defense last season was their ability to defend the paint sometimes. Myles Turner is one of the best rim protectors in the league and made sure to limit attempts in the paint when he was out there. Goga Bitadze also flashed some moments of good rim protection but his impact was not nearly as noticeable as Turner.
T.J. McConnell and Edmond Sumner brought energy to the defensive end off the bench but their size was never going to shut down opponents. Indiana needed a wing defender that could slide into the frontcourt and help out inside but that help was late to arrive with Oshae Brissett..
The Pacers will have to address their defensive woes prior to next season and one real way to do that is to add experienced defenders on the perimeter however they can.
Can the Indiana Pacers return to the playoffs?
The only way to have a chance to compete is to make the playoffs. Indiana failed to do so last season but did play in the play-in tournament but suffered a season-ending loss to the Wizards. For a franchise that typically gets into the postseason, the Pacers disappointed last season after a promising start.
With Caris LeVert, T.J. Warren, and Domantas Sabonis set to return next season, the Pacers will have plenty of scoring ability. Malcolm Brogdon should also return, giving Indiana another capable three-point shooter in the backcourt.
The bench might look quite a bit different with Doug McDermott and T.J. McConnell hitting free agency but replacing them with cheaper options that fit the next head coach is better than overpaying to keep their guys.
If the Pacers do fix the defensive issues, the offense should do more than enough to get them back into the playoffs with a fighting chance. Grabbing a 5th or 6th seed may not be exhilarating but it would give the Pacers a better chance to get out of the first round than being the 8th seed.
Health will always be a concern. Warren, Turner, Brogdon, and Sabonis all have a worrisome history with Sabonis struggling to stay healthy at the end of the season. Hopefully, the next coaching staff will allow him to rest more throughout the season instead of playing 36 minutes per game.
Indiana should be better next season but can they prove themselves in the playoffs finally?