Pacers continue to thrive with team ball
By TYLER SMITH (@TylerSmith_ISL)
ISL Editor
INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Pacers are 24-12. They’re on pace for 55 wins. And the best part? They’re doing it more with defense and depth, instead of simply relying on one player to carry them.
In fact, you could argue the Pacers are a better team when Victor Oladipo takes less of the scoring load on his shoulders.
It’s a small sample size, but the numbers are interesting:
When Oladipo scores 20+ points, the Pacers are 9-7.
When Oladipo scores less than 20 points, the Pacers are 7-1.
In wins, Oladipo averages 13.9 shot attempts per game.
In losses, Oladipo averages 22.4 shot attempts per game.
Last season, the numbers told a similar story, though not as extreme. Oladipo averaged 17.0 shots per game in wins, compared to 19.5 shot attempts in losses.
I’m not implying Oladipo shoots or forces too much. He’s one of the best leaders and teammates you will ever see no matter how many shots he gets up in a game. He’s the same guy in the locker room every day, win or loss, scoring 35 or 12. I’m simply saying- these numbers are worth keeping an eye on.
“At the end of the day, I’m just going to do what is needed to help our team win,” Oladipo said after Friday’s win. “I’ve just got to find other ways to score and be effective, and make the right play. You saw tonight, they (Detroit) had four or five guys with eyes on me at all times. I’ve just got to continue to make the right play.”
The game changes in the playoffs. Teams typically need their All-Stars to carry them. That could be the case for Oladipo and the Pacers. But this team’s path to victory is more than Oladipo ISO ball. Ideally, Oladipo goes off when he’s hot. Other nights, he should pick his spots, let the game come to him, and then hit the game’s biggest shots as he’s done so many times before.
“We’re a deep team,” said Cory Joseph. “On any given night you see different guys do well.”
It pains me to say this, but the Pacers can look back at the 2004 Pistons team as a reference. That team won a championship with balance and defense. No super-stars, and their leading scorer averaged 17.6 points per game.
As time passes and Oladipo gets to 100% health-wise, maybe these numbers will change. Maybe this team’s real hope in the playoffs will still be 30+ point nights from their star.
Or maybe, just maybe, defense and balanced scoring will be this team’s best hope.
