Ranking fourth in the league and scoring 108.2 points per 100 possessions, Indiana’s offense has been humming. When compared to last season, they’re taking and making more threes. They’re playing faster, both in terms of the number of possessions as well as the speed within those possessions, and they’re pounding the ball less in favor of sharing it more. It’s been a sight for sore eyes.
So much so, that one particular issue has been hiding in plain sight: Opponents are scoring 52.5 points in the paint per 100 possessions against the Pacers when Domantas Sabonis is on the floor, which is the second-worst mark of any starting center. Overall, prior to last night’s game against the Sixers, Indiana has allowed more points in the paint per 100 possessions than any team in the league.
Getting Myles Turner reacquainted with and reconditioned to playing 5-on-5 will help. Impressively, the 21-year-old was one of only four players last season to hold opponents to less than 50 percent shooting at the rim on at least eight field goal attempts defended from that range per contest.
C. Cooper
www.indycornrows.com/2017/11/4/16604676/nobody-is-allowing-more-points-in-the-paint-than-the-pacers