They seemed destined for another insipid season, once again fighting for the last place in the Play-Ins and instead they are unexpectedly rewriting the book of NBA history.
The sci-fi season opener of Tyrese Haliburton (who according to Garnett should be an MVP candidate) is certainly playing a fundamental role for the boys of coach Carlisle who are at 9 wins and 6 losses after the first 15.
At the moment I am undoubtedly there best offensive team in NBA history for averages and percentages: 128.8 points per game (NBA record) with 51% from the field, 39% from three and 80% from free throws for an absurd 61.7% of true shooting (NBA record, behind this year’s Thunder).
The Indiana boys really run: they are first in the NBA for ‘pace‘ (average possessions per game), per points scored on the break (27.0 per game) and for Average shots taken per game con 95.1. We are still far from the speed of the 60s – a period of astronomical scores, like Wilt Chamberlain’s 100 – but what is surprising are the percentages of this team combined with the pace at which they play.
On average 95 shots per game, more than 30% are taken at least 15 seconds on the clock: the key words of Carlisle’s attack are run hard on the counterattack and catch the defense off guard, disorganized while they are still deciding on the pairings.
Have a point guard with the game vision and scoring ability of Haliburton (45.4% from three) is essential for this type of game. I am He averaged 12 assists for Tyrese, all in the sun 2.5 turnovers average per game (best ratio ever – with a clear gap – between assists and turnovers for a player with at least 12 assists).
So… if they are the best offensive team ever why don’t they have a 15-0 record? Why Indiana it is at the same time one of worst defensive teams in history. I’m there at the moment third worst team ever for points conceded average (125.5) after the Denver Nuggets of 1990-91 and 1981-82.
The teams that managed to hold Indiana under 120 points in this season they all won. Among these are the Boston Celtics (fourth best defense), the Orlando Magic (third best defense) ei Chicago Bulls (last in NBA for pace with 96.4). The Kryptonite of these Pacers seems to be the teams capable of lowering the pace and deploying the defense well, limiting transitions as much as possible.
Despite the pick and roll Between Haliburton e Turner is one of the most profitable in the entire NBA (1.27 points on average per pick-n-roll) it goes without saying that this team excels when it can run on the counterattack and find one of the many free shooters in the corner. Tyrese Haliburton, Myles Turner, Buddy Hield, Aaron Nesmith e Bruce Brown they’re all pulling with more than 35% from three.
It is difficult – at times impossible – to predict where this team will arrive, especially if the game philosophy is to score more points than the others. No team with a defense like that has ever come close to winning a title, but these Pacers are shaking up the NBA and we should enjoy them without too many preconceptions.
2023-11-28 13:20:14
#Pacers #playing #season #NBA #history
