2024 Off-Season

[Pacers Forever]

Any one else starting to feel like this year, we might be the in that awkward-middle position,... where we need to win now to support Pascal & Myles,... but with injuries, non-stepping-up/lack of development of younger players, maturity of the talent / talent level,... we may be forced into a development year?..... (Trying to look at things realistically, not optimistic, nor pessimistic. Struggling a bit to find that place? Seem to be a wide range of options and possibilities - It's early,. yes, that's how it always is at this point - yes. ) But it almost feels like we are stuck between directions,... way to early to feel like that.

Yes it is very early and I don’t think we’d be so concerned if Tyrese was playing like he did last season. From his struggles it has created some other struggles by starters when the offense isn’t clicking.
However it’s not all his fault. I think the coaches are also to blame for the slow start.

The defense has been lacking to start the season. The offense has struggled especially late in the game when they should be closing teams out. The youth has struggled to show enough strides in ability to cover for struggling players consistently.

Siakam has been great holding the team together from total collapse. We’ve seen glimpses of very good play from I Jax, Mathurin, and Sheppard.

Conversely Nesmith, Nembhard, Toppin, McConnell, and Turner have all been inconsistent. Walker has tried and flashed a bit but not as much as we hoped for. You can see talent but it feels like he’s not put all of it together to be assertive and aggressive.

I think Mathurin and Sheppard have started to show confidence in their ability and talent and by season’s end will be more reliable and ready to step up making a positive impact.

Injuries happen to all teams. Hopefully the coaches can get Tyrese back to being able to crack opponents defenses against him so that the offense can be effective and efficient leading them to wins. I’ll not hold my breath on defensive improvement.

Yes I agree I feel like the season could turn into a year long development process. Being so early it could also turn into a slow upward climb to the playoffs if they turn things around. Currently it feels like they’ve went from a playoff contender to a wild card spot team.

[JMaster5K]

Any one else starting to feel like this year, we might be the in that awkward-middle position,... where we need to win now to support Pascal & Myles,... but with injuries, non-stepping-up/lack of development of younger players, maturity of the talent / talent level,... we may be forced into a development year?..... (Trying to look at things realistically, not optimistic, nor pessimistic. Struggling a bit to find that place? Seem to be a wide range of options and possibilities - It's early,. yes, that's how it always is at this point - yes. ) But it almost feels like we are stuck between directions,... way to early to feel like that.

Yes it is very early and I don’t think we’d be so concerned if Tyrese was playing like he did last season. From his struggles it has created some other struggles by starters when the offense isn’t clicking.
However it’s not all his fault. I think the coaches are also to blame for the slow start.

The defense has been lacking to start the season. The offense has struggled especially late in the game when they should be closing teams out. The youth has struggled to show enough strides in ability to cover for struggling players consistently.

Siakam has been great holding the team together from total collapse. We’ve seen glimpses of very good play from I Jax, Mathurin, and Sheppard.

Conversely Nesmith, Nembhard, Toppin, McConnell, and Turner have all been inconsistent. Walker has tried and flashed a bit but not as much as we hoped for. You can see talent but it feels like he’s not put all of it together to be assertive and aggressive.

I think Mathurin and Sheppard have started to show confidence in their ability and talent and by season’s end will be more reliable and ready to step up making a positive impact.

Injuries happen to all teams. Hopefully the coaches can get Tyrese back to being able to crack opponents defenses against him so that the offense can be effective and efficient leading them to wins. I’ll not hold my breath on defensive improvement.

Yes I agree I feel like the season could turn into a year long development process. Being so early it could also turn into a slow upward climb to the playoffs if they turn things around. Currently it feels like they’ve went from a playoff contender to a wild card spot team.

Agree with all your points,... In watching some of the highlights a bit more slowly,... it also seems like the league has also adjusted to how we played last season? They know what to expect from us & have decided to press defensively in the first,... let us run in the 2nd & 3rd,... save some 'runner's kick' for the 4th, then push us on both ends over the final stretch in the 4th?.... We aren't taking their legs out from under them, so far,... They are letting us run ourselves out, then pushing us?

Again,.. it is still way early,... but it does seem like we are missing something from last year?... There just doesn't seem to be the cohesion as a team that we had? Really hoping that is me just reading too much into it? and that it's just 'rust' which will wear off as the season moves on.

[JMaster5K]

I guess I should add,... If I was seeing the same team play, the same aggression, the same 'energy' and 'un-lacadaisical' approach as last year,... and we were 0-4,.. I'd be ok with that. It almost like the players (or coaches?) now expect to win & expect to be good, and have failed to take the workman-like approach with a chip on their shoulder that made them so competitive last year?

[Pacers Forever]

I guess I should add,... If I was seeing the same team play, the same aggression, the same 'energy' and 'un-lacadaisical' approach as last year,... and we were 0-4,.. I'd be ok with that. It almost like the players (or coaches?) now expect to win & expect to be good, and have failed to take the workman-like approach with a chip on their shoulder that made them so competitive last year?

It just felt like the first couple of games the team was out of sync, lackadaisical, and unprepared especially Tyrese. This resulted in an ugly win at Detroit and better than a loss. Wiseman is done. Next an uglier 25 point loss at the Knicks.

Next they played a bit better just to lose 2 more games by 4 points each. A incomprehensible loss against a depleted 76ers team and a loss at Orlando letting Banchero go off for 50.

Next a troubling win against the undefeated Celtics which was good but terrible losing a 20+ point lead to barely win in O.T.

On to New Orleans to play an injury ravaged Pelicans squad who with Zion, Brandon Ingram and backups beat a healthy Pacer’s squad into looking like they’re struggling again. Nesmith injured his ankle and I Jax is done for the season.

It’s really been a confusing start to the season between preparedness and growth of most of the roster players, execution, and results.

The players I have been most disappointed with are Tyrese, Myles, Andrew, Jarace, and Aaron.

Tonight Dallas will add to our loss column another beat down most likely. Scratching my head.