How far can Indiana Pacers go in the 2021-22 NBA season?
The 2021-2022 Indiana Pacers might be one of the most exciting teams this season. They could end up competing for one of the top spots in the Eastern Conference or underwhelm and be in the same position as last season.
There's some evident talent all over the roster. Eventually, the starting five could look like Malcolm Brogdon, Caris LeVert, T.J. Warren, Domantas Sabonis and Myles Turner. That lineup can match up to just about anyone in the Eastern Conference if they can all stay healthy; LeVert, Warren, and Turner all have extensive injury history.
The Pacers don’t have fantastic depth, so losing one of their core pieces can set them back. However, they have hired long-time Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle to come in and move the Pacers in the right direction. One of the most significant issues for the Pacers over the last few seasons has been coaching. Carlisle will be an improvement in that department.
Predicting the Pacers floor for the 2021-2022 NBA Season
After a disappointing 34-38 record last season, the 2021-2022 Indiana Pacers will look to turn it around. They might be off to an early slow start and could remind people of the Washington Wizards last season. The Wizards got off to a slow start but had an impressive second half to force themselves into the play-in tournament.
The reason the Pacers might get off to a slow start could be due to a few factors. First off, it always takes time to adjust to a new coach. Even though Carlisle is a great coach, it is still a whole new team that needs to buy into his philosophy.
Second, the Pacers released a statement saying that T.J. Warren still has no timetable to return. Warren has already shown off his scoring ability in a Pacers uniform. The Pacers' offense was already pretty good last season, putting up the sixth highest points per game at 115.3.
Another factor that could affect the Pacers' final record is if they choose to trade Myles Turner. Turner has been mentioned in many trade rumors this offseason. The trade rumors come mainly because people question the fit between him and All-Star Sabonis in the frontcourt.
The defense for the Pacers last season was also an issue. They allowed the sixth-highest points per game, 115.3. Much of that was because they allowed the fifth-most points from inside the three-point land, allowing 30.9 made two-point shots per game.
Games with 7+ blocks this season:
3 — Myles Turner
3 — Rest of NBA combined https://t.co/59NEnOY2lE
The Pacers might get off to a slow start in 2021-2022 but are still talented enough to make it into the play-in tournament. At worst, they would have to win two games to make it into the playoffs.
Predicting the Pacers ceiling for the 2021-2022 NBA Season
The Pacers' 2021-2021 roster is extremely talented. Sabonis has been to back-to-back All-Star games. Both LeVert and Brogdon have All-Star potential. A healthy season for Turner could see him leap into becoming one of the elite rim protectors in the league. Finally, when Warren comes back, when he starts to get into a rhyme, this Pacers offense will be hard to stop.
On top of that, even though the bench lacks some depth, they have good guard and wing depth. T.J. McConnell could be a playmaker off the bench. Jeremy Lamb and Justin Holiday could be streaker shooters while also being solid defenders. Rookie and 13th overall pick in the 2021 Draft, Chris Duarte, could also be a spark plug offense off the bench.
so far so good for Pacers rookie Chris Duarte https://t.co/XEug6iYV1P
With Carlisle now running this offense and the pieces on this team, this offense could easily be top five statically. They were already highly ranked last season and should only get better.
Furthermore, in the last two seasons, Turner has shot 34% from behind the 3-point line on 4.2 attempts. He is not a knock-down shooter, but you must at least defend him out there. There should be no issue with keeping the Turner and Sabonis frontcourt together if Turner can keep improving as a shooter.
The Pacers could surprise everyone and be the fifth seed in the playoffs. That surprise could continue as they upset the fourth seed. However, the second round of the playoffs might end Carlisle's outstanding first season with the Pacers.
Realistic Prediction for the Pacers 2021-2022 Season
The 2021-2022 Indiana Pacers should be a good team this season. They have the coaching and the talent to go along with it. The issue is that the Eastern Conference has gotten a lot better over the last two seasons. Ending the season and having the opportunity to win one play-in game would be a win for the Pacers.