NBA 2015-16 season: Grading every team’s performance
By Tom West
Indiana Pacers (B)
Like many of the teams in the East who haven’t finished the regular season with glorious grades, the Pacers started well with the emphatic return of Paul George before gradually floating around the bottom of the playoff picture.
George’s complete return to continue from his horrific leg break was one of the most remarkable feel-good stories of the NBA early in the season. It made people take note of the Pacers again and realize just how talented George is at both ends of the floor, thanks to his career-high numbers across the board that continued through the season.
No matter how unrecognisable the Pacers may be in comparison to the 56-win, 2013-14 Eastern Conference Finals team, PG13’s 23.2 points, seven rebounds, four assists and 1.9 steals per game rightfully earned some attention and an All-Star appearance.
As the season went on and the Warriors gradually dominated the NBA’s favorite narratives, the Pacers were an easy team to forget. However, besides George making a huge impact after the loss of Roy Hibbert and David West last summer, the team’s defense has been a good enough trademark to firmly carry them into the playoffs.
First off, Monta Ellis has been a relative disappointment as someone who could have been a fairly dynamic scorer. He’s petered out to a modest 13.7 points per game on 42.7 percent shooting, becoming a player who’s shrunk among the team’s new talent.
Meanwhile, Ian Mahinmi has taken his game to a new level at both ends of the floor, upping his scoring output, passing, and defense in order to become a top candidate for Most Improved Player. Not to mention, rookie center Myles Turner has helped take over frontcourt duties to great effect, too, showcasing his rim protection, smooth mid-range game, and impressive knack as a go-to option in the post.
Frank Vogel has earned more respect after helping his team achieve a 3rd place ranking in defensive efficiency, while George’s comeback at least has the Pacers looking more like an imposing unit that have a star scorer again.
Next: Charlotte Hornets