After years of struggling to get over the hump, the Indiana Pacers are set to do just that behind starting center Domantas Sabonis. Sabonis has put the Pacers on the map over the past two seasons, earning back-to-back All-Star nods and showing out on All-Star Weekend in 2021.
Now, the big man will be in charge of leading them back to the playoffs following a disappointing end to the 2020-21 season. Sabonis, 25, is the most promising star on the roster with T.J. Warren shelved for the foreseeable future. Can he lead the team on offense and prove that he belongs among the NBA’s best?
The Indiana Pacers need to rely on Domantas Sabonis
Regardless of how talented the roster is, there are clear reasons to doubt the Pacers this season. They lack a true superstar – and Sabonis is not quite at that level right now. Still, they can make things work with a plethora of quality scorers and a dominant interior defender in Myles Turner. The rest falls on Sabonis and how he plays this season.
If fans have any gripe about Sabonis lately, it is his injuries late in the season. He has struggled to stay healthy as the season winds down and has missed a lot of games late in the year and into the playoffs. For the Pacers to have any chance to win in the playoffs, they need Sabonis on the floor at full strength.
Whether you are of the belief that the Pacers should trade Sabonis or not, you cannot argue that he does not help the team. He is one of the better passing bigs in the NBA and does an excellent job at facilitating from the elbow. Sabonis is also one of the league’s top rebounders, averaging at least 12 per game in each of the past two seasons.
His ability to dish and board has helped him become a constant triple-double threat for Indiana and has even given him the franchise record in that category. A center averaging 20.3 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 6.7 assists is hard to find so the Pacers need to hold on to what they have.
The ceiling of T.J. Warren, Caris LeVert, Malcolm Brogdon, and Sabonis on offense has to be exciting for the Pacers. This offense can explode for 130 points on any given night provided they stay relatively healthy for 82 games.
Sabonis is regarded by many as the team’s best player and he can prove that once again this season. A strong start to his season to help push the Pacers to the top of the Eastern Conference could earn him a third-consecutive All-Star appearance.
Indiana needs a leader and a go-to guy each and every night. It is time for Domantas Sabonis to be that guy and I am confident that he is capable of doing so. Will the Pacers find success behind their big man this season?