Why the Indiana Pacers Will Win the NBA Finals!

Why the Indiana Pacers Will Win the NBA Finals!

I’ve seen enough. The Pacers are winning the NBA Finals based on what I’ve seen in the playoffs thus far. Why do I believe this? Well, first off, they have the best all-around offense remaining, 68.9 assist percentage. That leads the entire playoffs. The next closest is Minnesota at 63.2%. Unlike every other team, there’s no weak link off the ball. You can’t consistently help off of anyone on the team right now or they will make you pay. If you enjoy unselfish basketball, this is your team. Everyone is involved. Everyone needs to be ready to shoot. They have five starters averaging 14 plus points per game. That has not happened since 1987. On top of that, they are top three in turnover percentage. They are first in three-point percentage, shooting 40.6% from deep. Also, 36 players have attempted 60 jump shots in the playoffs. Guess what? The top three in effective field goal percentage belongs to the Pacers. Aaron Nith, Miles Turner, and Andrew Nemhard. They say the game slows down in the playoffs, not for the Pacers. They have a top three pace in the playoffs. Also, fifth in fast break points per game in the playoffs. It doesn’t matter the time of the game in the half court, in the open court, or in clutch time. This Pacers team consistently is going to produce a great shot. Not only that, they make shots from three in the mid-range, at the basket, all three levels. You got to play straight up. You can’t overcommit to one guy because they are a team right now with the way they are playing. They have the best offense remaining in the playoffs. And just like in the regular season, their main lineup is once again one of the best in the league. In fact, for lineups that have at least played 50 minutes in the playoffs, the leader in net rating belongs to the Pacers. Hallebertton, Nemhard, Nmith, Seakum, and Miles Turner have played 164 minutes together. 124.4 offensive rating, 102.3 defensive rating. good for a plus 22.1 net rating. Them and Minnesota have a significant lead over the rest of the pack. And when it has mattered most, this team has not cowered away from the moment. Five wins undefeated in clutch games so far this postseason. A big improvement for this team compared to last postseason involves Tyrese Hallen. He’s been cooking defenders in the ISO situation. His shot making is a lot better. 1.09 points per possession in the ISO, 85th percentile. Guess where he was last season in the postseason? One point per possession, 52nd percentile. It’s a slight improvement, but it makes their team more dynamic. We know this offense doesn’t rely on isolation much, but in the guts of the game, it’s been helping a lot that Hallebertton is not just a playmaker. He’s making an imprint as a scorer and most importantly, he’s showing that ability when it matters most. And can we talk about the evolution of Miles Turner? He’s been a Pacer for 10 years. 5 years ago, he was constantly in trade rumors. He’s so crucial. He allows them to play a five out offense to maximize the spacing. 45% from three this postseason. He’s fine with switching on the other end of the floor if needed. Defensively, he makes them dynamic as well, just like on the offensive end. And he protects the rim with the best of them. 2.5 blocks per game. He’s their most important player in my eyes. He’s not their best player, but most important because no one on the team can do what he does at his size. He’s been making timely baskets. He’s been playing physical all postseason long, setting the tone at the rim and things like that. He really deserves more praise. He’s super underrated. And that’s the thing, defensively, they’ve grown so much. Last year, they were comical on that end. One of the worst in the league. In the beginning of the season, the same thing. And then post Allstar break, they’ve been a top 10 defense. They’ve been one of the best defenses in the playoffs thus far. On top of that, they are one of the most physical teams in the NBA. Everyone in the lineup has bought in and competes defensively, even Tyrese Hallebertton. They have a bunch of two-way players on their roster. Andrew Nehard, he can run the show if he’s feeling it. Can you believe he only averaged 10 points per game during the regular season, 29% from three as well. Come playoff time, he’s different. 14.6 points per game, 50% from three on 4.4 attempts per game. But also, quietly, he’s one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA versus the Cavaliers. He spent 32 minutes guarding Don Mitchell. He held him to 23% shooting. Are you kidding me? He is a menace defensively guarding point guards and shooting guards. Aaron Nesmith, another annoying defender who will pick up full court against ones and twos. He can honestly match up against any position as well because he’s feisty and tough if he has to. He plays so damn hard. He hustles every single second he’s in the game. quietly. He’s been a huge part of their turnaround 56 win percentage. When he doesn’t play and when he is in the lineup, it rises up to a 64 win percentage this season. On top of that, he’s shooting 48% from three on 5.6 attempts per game. Then, of course, you got the Turner and Seakum front court. We went over Turner’s rim protection. Finishing over Seakum is no easy task either. He’s a secondary rim protector, a good one in fact. and he brings a lot of length and size and versatility to the table. But think about it. Outside of Hala Burden, you have four aggressive switchable ISO defenders. If someone gets caught on a screen, it’s not a huge deal. On top of that, everyone is quick for their position. So, if they do get stuck in rotation, they can make up ground. And like I said earlier, Hallebertton has bought in on that end of the floor as well. He’s been average to good. And then going back to their offense, Pasco Seakkum just criminally underrated, giving them 18.8 points per game. And so far in the playoffs, he’s shooting 44% from three. And since joining the Pacers, he’s been shooting 38% from three. That’s the Pacers system in full effect right there. On top of that, 58% from two while shooting 10 two-pointers per game. Then casually off the bench, they got TJ McConnell, who can randomly take over a game by getting into the paint, scoring for himself, or creating for others. He can take over for a couple minutes here and there. He’s averaging 8.5 points, 4.4 assists per game in just 16 minutes. He’s huge in the minutes without Tyrese Hallebertden to keep their offense flowing. Benedict Matherin pitching in 10.9 points in 17 minutes off the bench. Then of course Obi Topphen is a burst of energy. Every once in a while he will take over just scoring in transition getting out of the oops and things like that. 8.5 points in 16 minutes per game. The deepest team remaining in every aspect. And it’s time for NBA media, NBA fans to stop treating them like a cute story. They started out the season slow and that warped everyone’s brain into thinking they were frauds last season or they just got lucky. But you take that away and you see they have been one of the best teams in basketball with one of the best starting fives in basketball for the majority of the season while playing elite defense and offense. They aren’t just a cute story. They are here and they truly have a chance against any team in the NBA remaining. Leave a like and let me know your thoughts below in the comments section.

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