The Paul George trade was rightfully perceived as one that significantly weakened the Indiana Pacers, who no longer an All-Star and go-to guy on the roster. That doesn't mean the team has completely flatlined, but in its own way has rejuvenated Pacers Nation in a different way, and it has honestly made the team more fun to watch this season.
Sliding into the lane for a charge, poking out a pass which leads to a transition bucket, playing for the full 48 minutes have all attributed to the excitement and buzz going on in Indiana.
The two players they picked up in the Paul George trade have also been refreshing surprises. Victor Oladipo earned Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors with his fine play, and big man Domantas Sabonis played like a potential future All-Star and garnered the praises of Myles Turner.
The Pacers presently sit at .500 and with no expectations, fans are enjoying every minute of the ride.
Al Jefferson has bought into Coach McMillan's philosophy, so there is no surprise when you see him slide into the lane to take the charge where he was previously content with not challenging the shot. Defensive coach San Burke spoke with the Indy Star's Jim Ayello and summarized the teams play perfectly:
“A veteran like Al (Jefferson) getting in the lane to take a charge, there’s something special there. We have a team that plays with heart. They have enthusiasm and passion. They just have this will. They love to play hard.”
You can call the Pacers the new heart and hustle team, but not by name only. The league tracks certain intangibles through advanced analytics and the Pacers sit right atop of the list.
The Pacers are among the five best teams to grab loose balls and are among the most effective at clogging the passing lanes and contesting shots with the best in the league.
They also sit among the best in deflections and contesting shots per game. Those things take effort, they take a willingness and a commitment to consistently perform each night. Without a superstar player to rely on, the team needs to do other things to win when the gap between talent is the challenge.
This is what coach McMillan drilled into his players before and during training camp, and so far it's sticking and the players like it, at least according to Thaddeus Young.
“I love it. We have to be all over the place. Right now, we don't have Myles (Turner) back there blocking shots for us, so we have to be in gaps defensively and get deflections. We have to be active.”
Due to their lack of height, the team is looking to run and wear down their opponents as much as possible, provide lots of energy, play scrappy basketball, and give themselves a chance to win. Coach McMillan says that's the identity they are going for, and this is how they plan to achieve it.
The fans are backing the team, cheering them on and supporting them through social media, and that's where McMillan likes it.
“I think people like to see pace and like to see energy and play hard, and this team is doing that. You give that type of effort and you scrap as they did (Sunday night). San Antonio got in their rhythm, but we didn’t give in. We kept fighting and were able to come back and win a game in the fourth quarter in dramatic fashion. That’s exciting, and people appreciate that.”
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