Pacers start training camp trying to build the next version of a playoff contender
The Pacers new season without many new players presents both a great opportunity and challenge to develop a stronger team ready to compete as a tight unit in the challenging Eastern Conference.
Last week, Pacers GM, Chad Buchanan mentioned he was hopeful the good chemistry of the team last season can carry over to this season, but he’s also aware that is a challenge despite all of the familiar faces.
“You can’t just assume things will pick up where you left off,” Buchanan said. “It’s a totally new dynamic. It’s the same group but its a new season and there are more expectations on the guys than there were last season.”
With so few changes, many around the league are overlooking the Pacers, as if they weren’t dealing with their own injuries (Tyrese Haliburton, Bennedict Mathurin) during the playoff run, nor have young talent continuing to grow and improve.
But there will be challenges with so much familiarity. Some of those young players will be ready to emerge in bigger roles. Although there may not always be a role available. As we learned last season, the regular season has a way of providing most of the bench an extended opportunity at some point. Developing a new chemistry to handle the different challenges this season will be critical to the team’s growth.
“Just because you are on the right track it doesn’t mean you are going somewhere. You’re going to get runover if you don’t keep moving,” Buchanan said
The Pacers have always put an emphasis on monitoring their bench and seeing how the team reacts to success on the court. There have been times when they put up pictures of great teammate reactions from the bench. Those reactions should be plentiful again this season, regardless of which player on the floor is bringing their teammates to their feet on the bench.
However, the environment this season will naturally bring out frustrations from certain players who will need to manage the slights in playing time like pros. Already in camp, the second unit lineup has included TJ McConnell, Bennedict Mathurin, Jarace Walker, Obi Toppin and Isaiah Jackson. Ten guys is plenty to play in an NBA game, so that temporarily leaves out Ben Sheppard, a player who emerged late last season to make an impact in the playoffs.
This was a snap shot of day one of camp, but to play out the scenario, were Shep to be stuck in a spot minute role as the 11th or 12th man he would certainly be frustrated. Assuming his level of play and effort matches the high level Tyrese Haliburton raved about after the first practice, that frustration would be justified.
Shep is being used as an example, but it could happen to a handful of players, as it did last year (see Stix). Managing those frustrations will be both an individual and team effort throughout the season.
I often remarked how last year’s team was collectively immature, strictly from a basketball team standpoint. Exceeding expectations, as they ultimately did in the playoffs, should give the team a boost in maturity considering how they worked through so many challenging situations.
The playoff revealed both that immaturity and the team’s ability to learn and grow. The Pacers had to fight and claw to advance in the playoffs and each round ramped up the challenge, requiring a new level of intensity and toughness.
The Pacers lost Game 1 in each round, with veteran playoff performer, Pascal Siakam showing up big. You could almost see, touch and feel the challenge changing round-to-round when watching Tyrese Haliburton and Ben Sheppard. The Game 1s were rough. They were overwhelmed at times, appearing not quite ready for prime time. But both adjusted and found their respective comfort levels as the series advanced.
By the end of the playoffs, this team as a unit was much more tough, connected and confident than appeared possible, even a month earlier. The Celtics gave them a master class in how to close out playoff games and dial up winning plays at both ends of the floor at a championship level.
No doubt the Pacers to a man, are dying to be in that position, again to apply those lessons learned. However, that goal is far off in the distance at the start of the 82-game regular season. While that ultimate goal remains a carrot, it takes reaching several short-term goals along the way to get in position for another playoff run.
With so much continuity on the roster, their ability to continue learning and maturing as a group, knocking down adversity as it inevitably rises, will keep this current Pacers train moving in the right direction.