3 weaknesses of the Indiana Pacers which have contributed to their slow start in the 2021-22 NBA season
The Indiana Pacers had a sour previous season, placing ninth in the NBA Eastern Conference but finished second out of five in the Central Division. With the acquisition of new players and the prospective rookie of the year, Chris Duarte, on the roster, it is expected that the Pacers will put up a better campaign in the 2021-22 NBA season.
#Pacers officially sign No. 13 overall pick Chris Duarte. @WISH_TV
McConnell re-signs, Duarte & Jackson added in the draft, Warren back from injury — Rick Carlisle’s roster is coming together for year 1 back in Indiana.
However, their first 10 games of the new season have been appalling as their previous season record was not as bad as it is now. The Indiana Pacers had a 6-4 record in the 2020-21 NBA season, but are currently on a 3-7 record after 10 games played in the new season.
After the first seven games played, the Indiana Pacers were only able to muster a win against the Miami Heat, while sustaining six losses. The possible weaknesses for these abysmal performances can be reduced to the following.
Three weaknesses responsible for the Indiana Pacers' slow start to the 2021-22 NBA season
#1 A weak backcourt
It's no shocker that the Indiana Pacers currently rank fourth out of five in the NBA Central Division and 13th in the Western Conference. While the Pacers are the second-highest in the league in total points scored, their defense has been very poor.
Myles Turner: "There's no moral victories or anything like that. This league is about winning and losing. ... We've got to figure it out. It's going to be a long season if we can't get any road wins." #Pacers https://t.co/jbZBaM56lj
The weakness of the Indiana Pacers' defense has seen 111.4 points netted per game by their opponents, which is currently the fifth worst record in the league. Their 109.7 defensive rating places them in the bottom-seven position in the league. The Pacers did not win enough defensive rebounds as they rank 19th with 35.3 defensive rebounds per game.
#2 High turnover frequency
The signing of coach Rick Carlisle has so far yielded no visible fruit aside from the Indiana Pacers' shooting power. They are currently one of the best teams from beyond the arc, with a three-point accuracy of 35.7%. This places them in ninth position in the league, while they maintain being the second-highest in total three-pointers made.
Despite their good run on offense, the Indiana Pacers have been caught slipping more often than not, having one of the highest turnovers in the league. In 10 games played, they have found it difficult to hold on to the ball, turning it over 161 times, the fourth-worst in the league.
Domantas Sabonis has had it the worst with 35 turnovers, 3.5 times per game. The Indiana Pacers currently turn the ball over 16.1 times per game, the ninth-worst in the NBA.
#3 Rebounding
The Indiana Pacers have fallen short repeatedly under the rim, failing to win rebounds on both ends of the court. This part of the game is crucial for any team looking to challenge for the title or improve their previous campaign. This weakness can be attributed to the absence of a single player on the Pacers' roster who is seven feet or above.
The early season has seen the Indiana Pacers record an average of 44.9 rebounds per game, placing them at 20th in the league rankings. This has always been a problem for their game, as they ranked 25th in the previous season with an average of 42.7 rebounds. Carlisle is yet to plug this weakness as it continues to hamper them early in the early season.