Guard Play

[Pacercoltboiler]

I have been really impressed with Myles Turner. He seems to be really growing into the forward role next to Dumas. I think the offense/defense tandem down low has been a successful experiment. That brings me to the guards. With Vic out, we have been getting a lot of points from the point with McConnell, Holiday, and Brogden. Now with Vic back, we have three players that like to go to the rim at 1-3. Vic and Warren are not natural floor spacers, so what do we do? Is Brogden going to stand around the arc now to give us spacing? Brogden and Holiday can both shoot, but what about McConnell with the second unit? He is at his best when he attacks. I love our bigs and Goga will grow into amazing depth, but it seems like all of our starting wings don't provide any floor spacing. If the Pacers are smart and hold onto the bigs, what do you think the future plan is at the guard and small forward positions?

[Wizop]

I think the plan is to move the ball. I don't see the problem.

[Tom White]

I think you are looking for a problem that doesn't exist.

[Scoot McGroot]

I have been really impressed with Myles Turner. He seems to be really growing into the forward role next to Dumas. I think the offense/defense tandem down low has been a successful experiment. That brings me to the guards. With Vic out, we have been getting a lot of points from the point with McConnell, Holiday, and Brogden. Now with Vic back, we have three players that like to go to the rim at 1-3. Vic and Warren are not natural floor spacers, so what do we do? Is Brogden going to stand around the arc now to give us spacing? Brogden and Holiday can both shoot, but what about McConnell with the second unit? He is at his best when he attacks. I love our bigs and Goga will grow into amazing depth, but it seems like all of our starting wings don't provide any floor spacing. If the Pacers are smart and hold onto the bigs, what do you think the future plan is at the guard and small forward positions?

Vic is historically a 35% shooter from 3 (around 36% in his Indy time) on solid volume. Lamb is a career 34% shooter from 3 on 3 attempts a night. Warren appears to be settling in as a 37%+ shooter from 3 after his development there, though he started his career terribly there. McDermott and both Holiday brothers are shooting well over 40% this year. The reliability is there, we just are predicated on an offensive system that doesn't revolve around a high volume of 3 point attempts. We've been more of a ball movement team, which is really aided by having drive and dishers. This is where Brogdon, Warren, Oladipo, Aaron and McConnell all come into play, and aid the offensive flow. We've also embraced the mid-range, which is the strength of a lot of our guys, and is also generally abandoned defensively by teams, so it seems to be available most nights.

Could we be better at shooting from range? Sure! I don't think it's a weakness, or holding us back, though. I think Oladipo's gradual recovery has held us back a bit, but it's a necessary challenge. We can only compete for the East when we have him back full strength, so the sooner we get over these growing pains, the better!

As for the team building, I think it's changed on the fly as we are presented with value opportunities. I think we would've bid higher on Bojan, and maybe given him an extra year he wanted if we hadn't basically been blindsided with the gift of TJ Warren from Phoenix. We added Justin Holiday when he was left at the end of free agency. We valued the mid-range shooting and driving of McConnell when he was available late and was willing to pay him more than other teams. We overpaid a tad but leapt at the shot to add McDermott. Other teams are able to add superstars and then have solid role players that fill their needs wait to join up. That's not us. We're more of a frankenstein type operation. We get value where we can, and then figure out how to cobble it together.

Fair question, but I think maybe a little over worried?

[Wizop]

I finding defending the 3 a much bigger issue than shooting them. Unless they're in the flow of the offense, missed 3s have hurt us more than made 3s have helped. But McDermott, JHolla, and Turner have all been effective. Warren is better driving but also is a threat outside.

Sent from my phone.

[Pacercoltboiler]

When Sabonis passes out of the post, who do you want to take the shot? Of the starters, Brogden is my obvious choice. Warren and Oladipo can do it, but I wouldn't be real confident about the shot, or call it a good look. Our offense is basically Sabonis and all of our guards going to the basket. The second unit is a bit more balanced with guys like McDermitt coming off of screens. Isn't spacing important? I'm not worrying as much as I am curious. It just seems Oladipo needs to be paired with a pure shooter for the offense to be effective. Right now, I look at shooting a three late in the clock to be the same as a turnover.

[Pacercoltboiler]

Can you build an offense around a post player and all mid range shooters? I know we excel at sharing the ball, but if everybody is good at the exact same thing, isn't that unbalanced? It seems having dangerous shooters would help Sabonis get more space, and help our point guards attack the basket. Can the X and Os guys help me see how everyone can be involved and share the ball?

[Scoot McGroot]

Why are we saying that Vic, Brogdon, Warren, and Myles are all mod range shooters? They’re simply not. Brogdons long range shooting is down this year with his back injuries, UT he shot over 40% from 3 last year as a spot up specialist. Warren now has multiple years over 37% from 3 at solid volume. Myles percentages are only around 34-35 this year, but he’s a threat that pulls his defender outside of the lane. Just because our guys CAN drive the lane doesn’t mean that’s all they do.

[Topofthekey]

I'll say that it's a little strange when I think about it though - although Pacers have improved offensively this season, the offense can still look uninspired at times

And the strange thing is, Pacers have players who are all capable of having 20 point games at 1 through 5 - you'd logically think that Pacers should have no problem with scoring, having potent scorers at every position

Yet the team still seem to collectively go cold at the same time, sometimes

I don't know if the problem is the with guards, or with spacing; it's probably just growing pains - but I find it strange nonetheless

[basketballwacko2]

The way Sabonis can pass lately he's looking like our best passer.