This is probably the high water mark for the pacers...at least for this iteration of the team. They're mentally weak, with no real identity. They need an upgrade just about every where and genuinely dont seem like they enjoy playing with each other. What an odd team/season.
A guy like Anthony Morrow would do wonders for them, George and Stephenson need spacers. Too bad they had no confidence in Green or Plumlee, both couldve been big helps for them. Ha!
Yeah, they need to make changes, but they won't have it easy since they are said to be against paying the L-tax and have very little flexibility. Maybe the biggest move they could make is the coach. Vogel has taken them pretty far, but in the end they haven't met their own expectations.
Since many of their problems seem like mental or character issues, how about Larry Bird back to coaching? They'll have to respect him, focus and drop the imbecility, right?
I bought the Indy hype against my own better judgement. I knew they couldn't shoot the ball and George /Stephenson are streaky. I just wanted someone to beat the Heat. Never again Indy, never again.
Since many of their problems seem like mental or character issues, how about Larry Bird back to coaching? They'll have to respect him, focus and drop the imbecility, right?
I'm a fan of Vogel and think he's a good coach. But it's the chicken or the egg kind of argument. I think the players are mentally weak and they have a flawed roster. Others have said Vogel is responsible for this (the lack of focus, mentally weak) and should be replaced.
Would a different coach get more out of them? I don't know. But I don't think Vogel all of a sudden became a bad coach. It's almost always a case where, if the players start tuning out, the coach gets replaced. In some cases I think that's the right move but not in this one. Hibbert's mentally weak. George Hill isn't a starting PG. West is a nice player but not a starting PF on a title team. George and Lance can't be your 2 stars.
I don't know where they go from here. I don't think the guys like Lance and are tired of the nonsense. But I also think he's the one guy who actually shows fire and heart (even if he's doing it the wrong way sometimes). But it's also a fine line because you don't want to over-commit to him either with a big contract at the risk of some of the other guys or think that he can develop into a superstar. He's young, but I don't see him becoming a true offensive force that can carry a team. I think he's like Artest in his prime, and Indy made the mistake of relying too much on Artest and thinking he could be a #1 type. Lance is a super role player with his defense, athleticism and offense but won't be a go-to type.
From a personel standpoint, I think West is fine, but it is clear that George Hill is a weak link in their starting five, and their bench role players leave a lot to be desired too often. If there is a bad apple they need to get rid of it, that's for sure, but I don't know if Lance is exactly that.
Still, their biggest problem is probably cap related. In fact they are quite similar to the Nash Suns.
To me it's really simple. You aren't going to win an NBA title if you are not good at shooting, passing, and defense. These are simple basketball skills. The Pacers are a pretty good defensive team, but they don't shoot all that well, and they don't have a lot of high-assist passers on the team, either. That's all there is to it. I don't care about "mental toughness" or "grit" or "wanting it more" or any of that crap people talk about after a team loses. They just don't possess the right basketball skills.
I just look at the Pacers roster and see a bunch of guys who are athletic, which is nice, and generally guys who can defend their position, which is very important. 1 out of 3, check. But if you really look at them, where is their 3-point shooting? And who gets them easy baskets? They don't get easy baskets (baskets off of assists, or in transition, or inside moves by a big man) and they don't get high-reward baskets (3s). So they eventually lose.
The Heat and Pacers both have lethal 3-point shooters in the corners spreading the floor all the time. They both also have lead players/stars who are great at sharing the ball. Lebron has often been criticized for passing TOO much, including recently when he dished it to Bosh for a potential game-winning 3 rather than trying to be a hero. Would Paul George have done that? And who the heck would he have even passed it out to? The Spurs also have a big man who's one of the best at all time near the basket, though he's past his prime. The Heat and Pacers don't have that.
Look at the other teams that gave Indy such trouble in the playoffs. The lowly Hawks stretched them to 7 games! Why? Because they shoot 3s (too many, but still). The rising Wizards pushed them deep because they have a way better point guard / assist man in Wall, a dead-eye shooter in Beal, and better two-way bigs in Gortat and Nene. The Wizards have a way better immediate outlook than the Pacers simply because they have a more sensible collection of players.
I don't think the Pacers need to blow up their roster or fire their coach. But they need to stop signing redundant guys who fit their "style" and get a damn point guard and some shooters, or even get a big man who has an inside game of any sort. It's just such an unbelievably flawed roster, the fact that they even got this far speaks volumes to how weak the East is.
Having on the starting lineup both West and Hill, finally catch up with the Pacers. West is their leader and a true rock, but he is clearly past his prime. Hill is nowhere near a starting PG for a team with title aspirations. And for this series, add to the mix a highly inconsistent Hibbert, and this got ugly real fast.
Vogel got them to play as a clockwork on defense, but Paul George and Lance clearly lost that "unit" philosophy and started to think themselves bigger than the team. They would be better served arranging a sign and trade with Lance for an stablished PG, than can really distribute and shoot, and for a young PF that can share duties with West, kind of our Frye-Kieff combination.
