Reworking the Pacers Rotation

[eitanr]

While the East has some improved teams, Brooklyn, Atlanta, Washington, Chicago - the top could be wide open.

Toronto moved off from their bigs, Ibaka/Gasol. Boston lost Hayward. Miami had some key losses in Crowder and Hill. It could take BK a bit to gel. Meanwhile Indiana had some major injury issues last year and could benefit from continuity - given little has changed - vs other teams. A home court seed, and a surprising regular season can be achieved.

In order to do that, I do believe the Pacers need to change up their rotation.

1. Split up the bigs. Both are superior without the other. Yes I am speaking to Turner and Sabonis. Turner is a great small ball 5 who can pop and defend the rim and rim run. Sabonis meanwhile is best along with a plethora of shooters controlling the offense.

2. Put Oladipo in position to be successful. It’s possible that Vic may be traded at the deadline, but regardless if your moving or keeping him it’s best to put him in the best position to succeed. You do that by surrounding him with solid defense and spacing.

3. See more of what Warren and Brogdan can do. Warren had a nice bubble run when he was just counted on for O. Like Dipo, if he has some spacing and is next to a defensive center, he can become Indy’s no 2 scorer. Meanwhile Brogdan is really best used at the 1. He can increase his usage some and become a 2b type scoring threat.

New rotation:

Turner/Sabonis/Gogo
Warren/McDermott
Holiday/Lamb
Oladipo/Sumner
Brogdan/holiday/McConnell

This would likely truncate into a 9 man rotation (sorry sumner) and with Sabonis still playing starters’ minutes.

Still it ensures proper units at all times and placing all in position to succeed and fight for a top regular season record.


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[Scoot McGroot]

If you think that Turner and Sabonis should play less in order to get more playing time for McDermott, Lamb, and Sumner, you’re looking at basketball wrong. Otherwise, we stagger the two bigs all the time in the past. We essentially have kept one of the two on the court at all times. They each get plenty of playing time separate and together. Cutting each of their playing time for much lesser players just doesn’t really make sense. You’re not really breaking new ground by suggesting they should get time apart. Even Nate McMillan came up with that idea 2 years ago.

Maybe Turner and Sabonis are at their absolute best separate, but together and sacrificing a tad they’re still far better than benching one for McDermott or Lamb and limiting each to less than 24 minutes each (since you won’t play each together).


You’re also missing a major contributor in Justin holiday. And there’s no such thank as a Gogo. But if the main idea is just to o waste more talented payers in an attempt to just try and play like everyone else, but with lesser talents and worse fitting pieces than what they’re matching up against, then you’ve done that.

[eitanr]

If you think that Turner and Sabonis should play less in order to get more playing time for McDermott, Lamb, and Sumner, you’re looking at basketball wrong. Otherwise, we stagger the two bigs all the time in the past. We essentially have kept one of the two on the court at all times. They each get plenty of playing time separate and together. Cutting each of their playing time for much lesser players just doesn’t really make sense. You’re not really breaking new ground by suggesting they should get time apart. Even Nate McMillan came up with that idea 2 years ago.

Maybe Turner and Sabonis are at their absolute best separate, but together and sacrificing a tad they’re still far better than benching one for McDermott or Lamb and limiting each to less than 24 minutes each (since you won’t play each together).


You’re also missing a major contributor in Justin holiday. And there’s no such thank as a Gogo. But if the main idea is just to o waste more talented payers in an attempt to just try and play like everyone else, but with lesser talents and worse fitting pieces than what they’re matching up against, then you’ve done that.

Turner and Sabonis would both get starters’ minutes in above rotation. Also Justin Holiday starts at the wing.
Below is how the minutes would work:

Turner (32)/ Sabonis (16)
Warren (32)/ Sabonis (16)
J. Holiday (26) / McDermott (18) / Lamb (4)
Oladipo (33) / Lamb (15)
Brogdan (32) / A. Holiday (16)

I think by at least starting it this way it splits Sabonis and Turner more


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[Topofthekey]

Pacers just need a better coach

Turner averaged 16 ppg against the Heat despite being like the 5th option

I didn't keep track myself, but I saw someone mention this in another thread. The Heat switched a lot on defense, but Turner received a pass only 4 times when he was matched against a smaller Heat player (Pacers scored all 4 times)

As I said, I didn't keep track of it myself, but if true, that's just crazy. This level of incompetence in exploiting mismatches borders on negligence. I, for one, will definitely not miss McMillan

[Wizop]

While it is possible we'll wind up playing more like you suggest, the Brogdon, Oladipo, Warren, Turner, and Sabonis lineup that was rarely all healthy at the same time last year is going to be given a chance to succeed first. We can save the discussion of alternatives until later.

Besides, Bjorkgren has given every indication that he plans to use lots of different combinations depending upon game situations. I hope substituting by the clock is dead here. Coaches say players like knowing the pattern, but I've always felt the coach's best teaching tool is the bench.

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[Scoot McGroot]

If you think that Turner and Sabonis should play less in order to get more playing time for McDermott, Lamb, and Sumner, you’re looking at basketball wrong. Otherwise, we stagger the two bigs all the time in the past. We essentially have kept one of the two on the court at all times. They each get plenty of playing time separate and together. Cutting each of their playing time for much lesser players just doesn’t really make sense. You’re not really breaking new ground by suggesting they should get time apart. Even Nate McMillan came up with that idea 2 years ago.

Maybe Turner and Sabonis are at their absolute best separate, but together and sacrificing a tad they’re still far better than benching one for McDermott or Lamb and limiting each to less than 24 minutes each (since you won’t play each together).


You’re also missing a major contributor in Justin holiday. And there’s no such thank as a Gogo. But if the main idea is just to o waste more talented payers in an attempt to just try and play like everyone else, but with lesser talents and worse fitting pieces than what they’re matching up against, then you’ve done that.

Turner and Sabonis would both get starters’ minutes in above rotation. Also Justin Holiday starts at the wing.
Below is how the minutes would work:

Turner (32)/ Sabonis (16)
Warren (32)/ Sabonis (16)
J. Holiday (26) / McDermott (18) / Lamb (4)
Oladipo (33) / Lamb (15)
Brogdan (32) / A. Holiday (16)

I think by at least starting it this way it splits Sabonis and Turner more


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Unless Sabonis is simultaneously playing both PF and C in two separate bodies, this isn’t possible while keeping only one of Turner and Sabonis on the court at all times. Otherwise, it’s what we already do, except instead of playing them both together with the bench, they both start together and then we stagger their substitutions. As I said, we already made sure that one of Turner or Sabonis was on the court at all times, so they’re staggered as much as physically can be.

[Lazlo4D]

This thing where Turner and others have to 'sacrifice' for the team is the reason their 'perceived NBA value' is way lower than it should be. Enough of that.

I'd like to see a constant fast break offense and more pressure defense. They should be driving to the hoop every time with kick-out 3 options. They were last in the league in free throw attempts, last year and bottom 7 in the league the last 4 years. That kills you in the playoffs.

Pacers have the depth to come at teams in 6 minute fresh waves off the bench. Drive up number of shots, stats, and showcase more players. Definitely a more enjoyable to watch and probably a more enjoyable style to play.

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[owlwo]

I think that injuries are going to play a role this year due to the short off season
We will see more Goga because of it plus they are wanting to play the youngsters more early in the season