Indiana Pacers: A 4-step plan to unlock Myles Turner’s offensive potential

Indiana Pacers: Myles Turner must develop his interior passing game

Very few teams in the NBA mobilize a two-big lineup consistently. The Indiana Pacers are one of the edgy few with their starting frontcourt of Turner and Sabonis. While this pairing may seem antiquated on paper, especially with how today’s game is played, the unique one-two punch also opens up a lot of possibilities on the floor.

One advantage of playing big is the abundance of mismatches that can be exploited on the floor. This is a common motif in the Pacers’ offense that isn’t maximized much. When Sabonis goes into pick and roll actions with the guards, Sabonis is usually left with a smaller man tethered to him until the double comes.

The ball handler can’t always zip an easy dime because defenders are always fronting the post, but if Turner can develop a feel for the high low pass and serve as a passing outlet, especially with his size and an already-present knack for entry passes, then he can provide a different dynamic to the offense while lessening the frequency of post isos. Pau Gasol and LaMarcus Aldridge notably relied on these actions a lot with the San Antonio Spurs in the not-so-distant past.