Pacers Prominent Players Have Shown Positive Growth In Spite Of Lost Season

At nan halfway people of nan season, nan Indiana Pacers are 9-32 and person nan 2nd worst grounds successful nan NBA. Indiana has missed a mixed 217 games this play owed to injury.

There person been 24 players connected Indiana's roster this season, and 23 different starting lineups. It's been weird, it's been challenging, but it mightiness conscionable beryllium nan blessing successful disguise that helps get this squad backmost to nan NBA Finals. Let's springiness midseason grades!

Pascal Siakam - A+

Pascal Siakam has had a sensational year. His usage complaint is nan highest it's ever been successful his profession and he's seeing nan level shrink almost each clip he touches nan basketball. Despite each nan attraction he is drafting offensively, he is still averaging 23.5 points per game, which is nan second-highest of his career.

Rick Carlisle has advocated connected aggregate occasions that he should beryllium voted successful arsenic an All-Star and deserves nickname for nan unthinkable play he's having, contempt nan Indiana Pacers' wide record. Siakam has had astatine slightest 3 game-winning shots this season, and has 2 successful nan past 4 games against Charlotte and Boston.

Andrew Nembhard - A

With Tyrese Haliburton retired for nan full season, nan Pacers person fixed nan constituent defender responsibilities to Andrew Nembhard. Indiana is accustomed to playing pinch 2 shot handlers connected nan level astatine each times, but they've routinely stuck to conscionable 1 constituent defender connected nan level this season.

Nembhard has taken advantage of that, averaging a profession precocious successful points per crippled pinch 17.5, successful assists per crippled pinch 7.1, and shooting a profession precocious from 3 astatine 37%.

It isn't conscionable nan discourtesy that Nembhard is responsible for, but he is still being asked to take sides nan opposing team's champion guard/wing each night. With truthful overmuch connected his shoulders, Rick Carlisle said "he will get amended from this experience" and I expect it to salary immense dividends erstwhile this roster is afloat patient adjacent season.

Bennedict Mathurin - B

If I could springiness a people of incomplete I would. It's a shame that we haven't been capable to spot Bennedict Mathurin astatine afloat spot pinch a mostly patient roster. Mathurin has missed 17 games owed to a toed wounded he suffered successful nan 2nd crippled of nan play and a manus wounded that has kept him sidelined since January 4th.

Benn is averaging a profession precocious successful points pinch 17.8 per game. He is shooting a profession debased from nan section astatine 42.3% and 2PT% astatine 47.1%. Haliburton's wounded has allowed him to commencement successful each crippled he has been patient in, and nan accrued domiciled has caused him to spot tougher protect matchups, which impacts his efficiency. 

In 24 games, Mathurin has scored 20 points aliases much successful 10 of them. He dropped a season-high 36 points connected opening nighttime against nan Oklahoma City Thunder and looked for illustration a man connected a mission. If he had not injured his toed successful nan pursuing crippled successful Memphis who knows what this play would look for illustration for him?

Jarace Walker - C

Walker is 1 of only 2 Pacers (Jay Huff is nan other) to play successful each azygous crippled this season. He is shooting a profession debased from nan field, from two, and from three. He was starting early connected successful nan play pinch each of nan injuries but wasn't playing good capable to proceed starting.

During nan Pacers early play westbound seashore roadworthy travel he mislaid his starting spot to Jeremiah Robinson-Earl who was conscionable signed to a 10-day hardship objection contract. Anytime you suffer your starting spot to a subordinate who was signed to beryllium present temporarily, it raises a adjacent number of questions.

With that being said, now that Jarace has settled into a chair domiciled and nan squad has gotten healthier, his past 10 games are a motion that things are turning successful nan correct guidance for him. He is averaging 8.9 points per crippled successful 19 minutes while shooting a terrific 57.6% from 3 and 49.2% from nan field.

Rick Carlisle - A

Rick Carlisle reached 1,000 wins aft a 13-game losing streak against nan Hornets connected January 8th. With a résumé for illustration Carlisle's, it's difficult to put immoderate blasted for this play connected him. He's experimented pinch respective lineups and has not utilized nan galore injuries this squad has suffered arsenic an excuse for nan team's wide record. We've seen maturation from respective players this season, and I springiness Rick and his unit a ton of in installments for that.

You tin travel each maine connected Twitter @AlexGoldenNBA and checkout my regular Indiana Pacers podcast, Setting The Pace, wherever you get your podcast.