Indiana Pacers: 3 most dramatic changes from last season

2. The Indiana Pacers have solved a seemingly eternal problem on the boards

2020-21: 47.6 Rebound Percentage (29th)

2021-22: 51.2 Rebound Percentage (8th)

In recent years, the Indiana Pacers have been among the cellar dwellers in the league in nearly every rebounding statistic. The team’s lack of acuity with the boards has doomed them on numerus occasions, particularly in close games. This season, however, despite their many struggles, rebounding has not been a cause for concern.

From being the second-worst rebounding team last season, the Pacers are now the eight-best. Domantas Sabonis continues to be a menace on the board, leading the team in the category with 11.1 boards per game, ninth-best in the league. Still, perhaps the biggest catalyst for their hump in rebounding is the improvement of Myles Turner corralling boards, averaging a career-best 7.4 rebounds per contest.

As long as the Pacers sustain this rebounding rate, they should have a better shot at playing better on both ends of the court with more consistency and win games even in off nights, a luxury they haven’t had in the past few years prior to this season.