OK,... Fair warning,... I think on this post, I'ma go full conspiracy theory? read at your own risk,....
I keep reading articles from sportswriters,... not analysts, that say 'the Pacers are going to be slower next year', 'the Pacers will be more deliberate', & 'the Pacers will be a better defensive team next year, but worse on offense'.
The more I look at our team,... & the more I watch what the FO is doing in terms of personnel,... I'm starting to believe, once again, the coaches are going to 'zig' when the rest of the league expects them to 'zag'?....
I look at our PG's,... neither Drew, nor TJ read the court the same way that Tyrese does. (Full disclosure,... no one reads the court the way that Tyrese does.) Neither sets up the offense as early, nor manipulates the defense in the same way as Tyrese. Both Drew & TJ are very, very smart players. They have very similar playstyles. Both of them attack the paint & put 2 feet in the paint. Using their penchant for getting into the paint to bend the defense & create the offensive advantage, either for themselves, a lob threat, or (more likely) the shooters beyond the arc.
So, that's what I think we are going to do,... and do it FAST. Force the other teams frontcourt to run, or give up even more shots at the rim? Force faster reactions that lead to quick 3-pointers? Which of course leads to longer rebounds on misses, which helps us out, as our guards can then be a primary source of rebounding?
In that type of offense,... Benn's skillset gets maximized. He can even be an offense initiator, even if he isn't a primary ball handler? TJ or Drew get into the paint,... kick the ball, continue on the cut through the paint, which leaves Benn to attack downhill, while maintaining the perimeter shooters around the offense? Same holds true for OB1. He isn't much of a kick-out passer,... but the rest of that plays into his strengths as well.
Speed would be even more important than strength. It would fit our 5's, way better than slowing things down? They could generate their mismatches by simply beating the other teams bigs down the court?
I keep thinking of the last generation Warriors offense? inlet pass to the paint (or in our case drive), flex the defense, set up the 3 pointer?
In that type of scheme,... we haven't talked much about Shep,... but Shep would really thrive in that scheme. He's been asked to be a defender off the bench to earn his time. He has the skills & athleticism for it. But, he was also an extremely efficient, 2nd in his league in scoring in college (18.8). His skillset aligns really nicely with Peters.
Pascal would (as he did quite a bit this year) start at the break as a shooter,... then as the PG gets into the paint & kicks out, or goes through the paint, would flash down into the mid-post to set up his game, as the defense is following the lead guard, or closing out on the shooter?
Would we be more deliberate? probably,.. we would have more specific actions defined as part of our sets. Our guys would still be reading & creating,... but with a better idea of who is going to be where? But, slower,... I don't think so. Better defense,.. yeah, I can see that. Worse on offense? not necessarily. I mean the offense will be different. It will have to learn to run without Tyrese,... but our coaches have figured this stuff out before, and I'm believing they will do it again. IMO, with even more speed, not less?
OK,... 'thought exercise' over,.... LOL It's just that I could actually see that working?
