What should Indiana Pacers center Domantas Sabonis expect in the upcoming NBA season?
After racking up back-to-back All-Star appearances with the Indiana Pacers, Domantas Sabonis has a chance to really cement his name amongst the best in the NBA. His hot start last season had many Pacers fans confused with his original absence from the All-Star team but he eventually got his credit as an injury replacement.
As he heads into a full season with his sights set on the playoffs, Sabonis can be the leader for a team that desperately needs one. The ongoing speculation of a trade in the frontcourt cannot be easy for Domas but up to now, there have been no issues from his perspective.
The Pacers will ride their starting lineup just as they have in the past, letting all five starters have their moments when they are hot. The combination of Brogdon, LeVert, Warren, Sabonis, and Turner gives Indiana five very good starters who can contribute in a number of ways.
Sabonis may be the most important player of those listed. His injury in 2019-20 left him out of the Bubble and another ailment nearly forced him to miss the Play-in Tournament. If he can stay healthy, he may be the final piece to getting the Pacers over the hump in the postseason.
What should his goals be for the 2021-22 season?
A third-straight All-Star appearance for Domantas Sabonis
After sneaking into the All-Star Game a season ago and even taking home the trophy in the Skills Challenge, Sabonis has started to emerge as a reliable option. Indiana has had its All-Star leaders in the past who have given fans hope, from Paul George to Reggie Miller, and Sabonis is aiming to be the next.
It is difficult for bigs to get that sort of recognition since they are not typically the highlight reel kind of players. Even Nikola Jokic, who won MVP last season, has dealt with constant criticism from the media since winning the award.
Sabonis is not the flashiest player in the world, nor is he an uber-athletic seven-footer who can provide absurd slams in transition. I think that had a big role in his original absence from the All-Star team last season but he made his case that weekend.
The Pacers are not going to win many games by relying on just Sabonis so that once again hurts his case. They tend to play as a unit and play off of each other, which is totally fine, but it does not do the individual players any favors when the accolades come into play.
Getting Sabonis back to the All-Star Game would be a huge step in proving his value to the team and his reputation in the NBA.
Can Domantas Sabonis become the league’s best rebounder?
Rebounding is not one of Indiana’s strong suits but Sabonis is one of the league’s best. Last season, Domas recorded 12.0 boards per game which placed him fourth in the league and 2.3 rebounds behind Clint Capela.
Sabonis is the only real rebounder that Indiana has to offer but Isaiah Jackson could be a helpful young big off the bench. With Myles Turner protecting the rim and forcing bad shots, Sabonis should be focused on cleaning up the glass and leading the transition.
His motor and effort on the boards have been promising despite his lack of help in the process. This season should be much of the same for Domas which means he will be responsible for all of Indiana’s tough rebounding. If he can keep it up and the defense prevents easy looks, there should be plenty of missed shots heading his way.
While the raw numbers do not tell the whole story, it would be nice to see Sabonis get his recognition as one of the game’s best rebounders next season. Can he actually improve his numbers enough to become the best?
Will Domantas Sabonis be an All-NBA player?
Domantas Sabonis is one of the most impactful players in the league and the fact that he does it as a center makes it even more impressive. Having a triple-double threat every night who can put up 20 points, 12 rebounds, and 6.5 assists but not get All-NBA nods is wild.
In fact, Sabonis only got a handful of total votes (one 2nd team and three 3rd team votes). If Sabonis were not as good as he was a year ago, the Pacers probably don’t even sniff the Play-in Tournament. A new bill of health for Sabonis and several other Pacers will hopefully get them back into the playoffs which bodes well for Sabonis.
Sabonis is set to be the best player on a playoff team while also being a top-five rebounder in the entire league. If that is not enough to get him onto the All-NBA teams, I have no idea what he would need to do. This season could be a massive one for his legacy as an Indiana Pacer.
I doubt he is too worried about the accolades but Sabonis should be fired up about the disrespect he has faced over the last two seasons. He deserves to be among the best names in the league when the season wraps up.