Myles Turner has some lofty hopes for the Indiana Pacers.
Unreachable ones, if you ask me.
From Basketball Insiders’ Michael Scotto:
“I think we can be a top-four seed in the East,” Turner told Basketball Insiders. “We can challenge Cleveland and I think we can make a big push to be in the Eastern Conference Finals. My expectations are high.”
There is no question that the Pacers should be a playoff team in the East. But top four? And good enough to challenge the Cleveland Cavaliers? That feels overly ambitious–mostly because of their identity crisis.
Pacers team president Larry Bird traded in defensive stability for offensive versatility over the offseason, and it shows, oftentimes in the worst way. The Pacers are dwelling near the top 12 of points scored per 100 possessions, but their defense has cratered, according to NBA.com.
This doesn’t figure to change. The Pacers no longer have defensive mainstays Ian Mahinmi and George Hill. Turner and Jeff Teague, respectively, are downgrades on the less glamorous end, although, in Turner’s case, that could change.
More than that, the offense might not be able to sustain its current pace. Paul George, Monta Ellis, Thaddeus Young, Teague and Turner make for a tantalizing group on paper. But they don’t complement one another particularly well. George and Teague are the only established shooters, and everyone but Turner is accustomed to spending more time with the ball in their hands.
Even if the offense keeps up, by Indy’s standards, its torrent tear, we can’t just ignore the team’s defensive performance because it’s so early. The starting lineup might survive, but the bench is headlined by Aaron Brooks, Rodney Stuckey, C.J. Miles and Al Jefferson, not one of whom is considered a better-than-good defender.
It’s good that Turner believes in his team. It’s expected. But his faith, along with the Pacers’ aspirations, belies this squad’s potential.
