How Other Teams Will Game Plan Against The Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are going to be a tough team to beat next season, especially since they have gotten even deeper and more developed.
You can expect to see the Pacers improve on defense and improve drastically on offense.
This article is going to tell you how other teams will have to think about when they play the Pacers.
Offense: When the other team is on offense, they are going to have an extremely tough task at hand.
Every time they are on offense, they are going to have to make it a priority to make Roy Hibbert mobile and away from protecting the basket.
Because, without Hibbert protecting the basket they can get an uncontested shot at the rim without having it swatted into the 10th row or majorly altered to the point that the shot is not a good shot to take.
Moving Hibbert will make it so the other team will not have to live and die by the 3 pointer.
It opens up many more options for every team, but it only works if the other team has a Guard that can run the pick and roll as well as a Center that Roy Hibbert will be guarding, that can run the pick and roll as well.
Another option the other teams with those luxuries have to make Hibbert a liability is to run the pick and pop with a Center that has a mid range game that is dangerous; perhaps a Chris Bosh type player.
The other teams will also have to make the game run through anybody that isn't being guarded by Paul George.
He is a "show stopper" and can lock down almost anybody in the league.
He is a top notch perimeter defender and you will not find very many people who can get by him off of the dribble.
He will also contest any shot heavily that you put up.
He is also dangerous because he is elite at playing the passing lanes, which makes it hard to make post entry passes but other teams should not do that because they will have to post up West or Hibbert and that is too difficult unless you have elite post up big men.
So the other team can only score with their Small Forward if he is elite and a top 3-5 Small Forward.
So, too sum that up, they have to use somebody else to penetrate the lane.
At the Power Forward position, they will also have to run the pick and roll or the pick and pop because David West is a bruiser and is extremely talented at low post defense.
It is a better gamble to shoot over West than to post up West.
So, if the other team has elite post up big men at the Power Forward or Center position then they can ride the post, but there are very few in the NBA.
Another thing the other teams will have to worry about is if Lance Stephenson is the starter.
He is lightning quick, he can be a pick pocket, and he is extremely talented at playing the passing lanes.
So, the other teams will have to not use their Shooting Guard as a penetrator unless he is elite at ball handling and penetration.
The other team will have to use their Point Guard as the penetrator and either run the pick and pop, pick and roll, or drive and dish.
Basically, the other team will have to use their Point Guard to drive in the lane and survey his options; whether to pull up from 3, pull up from mid range, drive wait for the defense to slide over and kick it out for a 3, drive wait for the defense to react and hit a cutter, run the pick and roll and shoot off the pick, run the pick and roll and pass to the roll man, run the pick and pop and shoot off the pick, and run the pick and pop and pass to the pop man.
The other teams are going to have to use a lot of backdoor screens to create mis-matches.
For example: the Center sets and off ball screen for the Shooting Guard, the Center is then being covered by Lance Stephenson and the Shooting Guard is being covered by Roy Hibbert.
They can then either give the ball to the Center to post up Lance Stephenson or they can give the ball to the Shooting Guard to blow by Roy Hibbert to finish at the rim or pick the best option.
The other team is going to have to run and gun to out run the Pacers before they set up in their half court defense so they can hurry and get fast break points.
Too Sum it up: 1.
) Use the Point Guard to run the offense.
2.
) Mobilize Roy Hibbert 3.
) Drive and Dish 4.
) Run the Pick and Roll/ Pop 5.
) Don't Post Up with the Power Forward or Center 6.
) Don't try to play 1 on 1 with the Shooting Guard or Small Forward 7.
) Let it all happen and have faith in your Point Guard with his basketball IQ 8.
) Watch the passes so the Guards do not steal the pass.
9.
) Do not get caught dribbling too much.
10.
) Outrun the Pacers so they can't set up on Defense Defense: When the other team is on defense they are going to have to pressure the Point Guard as soon as he touches the inbound pass.
The Pacers struggle at breaking the press and that is where the other team is going to have to capitalize.
They are going to have run a full court press to try to shut down the Point Guard- Small Forward while they are handling the ball to force a bad pass or an 8 second violation.
But in case that they do not run a full court press and they are in the half court set this what they will have to do.
Let's start off at the Point Guard position; they are going to have to put some major on ball pressure on the Point Guard to attempt to force some bad passes or to rip the ball from his possession.
They can not let him shoot because George Hill is an above average 3 point shooter who can really knock them down.
So they have to close out on him and make him panic with the ball.
On to the Shooting Guard position; I am going off of the playoff starters so I assume Lance will start but probably will be Danny Granger.
They are going to have play off of him and force him to shoot the ball and prevent the drive so he does not blow by him for a finish at the rim or whatever is the best situation.
If he drives, he will create a hole in the defense and somebody will have to slide over and help then the defense is beat and the Pacers will get open shots so they can't allow him to drive so they have to play the drive and allow the 3 pointer because he is not very good at all at shooting 3 pointers.
Now onto the Small Forward position: this is a puzzle that doesn't have all of the pieces.
He can beat you anyway that he wants to; he can shoot, drive, you name it.
So you just have to put your best perimeter defender and pray that he doesn't beat you.
Onto the Power Forward position; David West has a very good post up game and you should not allow him to post you up.
He also has a high percentage mid range game so you will have to play tight on him always and deny the ball just like you will have to for Paul George.
Roy Hibbert; he is a challenge as well because he can use his height to kill you in the post.
As Shaquille O'Neil said; "hook 'em to death" that is exactly what he will do when he gets the ball is hook shot you to DEATH.
You have to put your most athletic Center on him when he is in the post.
He also showed some life from his mid range game and he has worked on it during the off season like Paul George has as well.
You need to force him to put the ball on the ground and just get physical with him.
Everybody on the Pacers can shoot free throws so hacking them is not a good solution to any problem when playing them.
Another thing that you can't do when playing them is allowing them to slow the tempo of the game down.
They thrive in the half court set and you have to make it a fast tempo game so they cannot set up in the half court.
Too Sum it Up: 1.
) Pressure the Point Guard 2.
) Full Court Press 3.
) Put your best perimeter defender on Paul George 4.
) Remember and respect Paul George because he is the whole package 5.
) Get physical with Roy Hibbert 6.
) Make Roy Hibbert put the ball on the ground 7.
) Don't Foul 8.
) Make Lance Stephenson Shoot the 3 9.
) Play the drive on Lance Stephenson 10.
) Get into David West's head 11.
) Contest every shot heavily 12.
) Don't allow any holes or gaps in the defense 13.
) Don't let them slow the game down
You can expect to see the Pacers improve on defense and improve drastically on offense.
This article is going to tell you how other teams will have to think about when they play the Pacers.
Offense: When the other team is on offense, they are going to have an extremely tough task at hand.
Every time they are on offense, they are going to have to make it a priority to make Roy Hibbert mobile and away from protecting the basket.
Because, without Hibbert protecting the basket they can get an uncontested shot at the rim without having it swatted into the 10th row or majorly altered to the point that the shot is not a good shot to take.
Moving Hibbert will make it so the other team will not have to live and die by the 3 pointer.
It opens up many more options for every team, but it only works if the other team has a Guard that can run the pick and roll as well as a Center that Roy Hibbert will be guarding, that can run the pick and roll as well.
Another option the other teams with those luxuries have to make Hibbert a liability is to run the pick and pop with a Center that has a mid range game that is dangerous; perhaps a Chris Bosh type player.
The other teams will also have to make the game run through anybody that isn't being guarded by Paul George.
He is a "show stopper" and can lock down almost anybody in the league.
He is a top notch perimeter defender and you will not find very many people who can get by him off of the dribble.
He will also contest any shot heavily that you put up.
He is also dangerous because he is elite at playing the passing lanes, which makes it hard to make post entry passes but other teams should not do that because they will have to post up West or Hibbert and that is too difficult unless you have elite post up big men.
So the other team can only score with their Small Forward if he is elite and a top 3-5 Small Forward.
So, too sum that up, they have to use somebody else to penetrate the lane.
At the Power Forward position, they will also have to run the pick and roll or the pick and pop because David West is a bruiser and is extremely talented at low post defense.
It is a better gamble to shoot over West than to post up West.
So, if the other team has elite post up big men at the Power Forward or Center position then they can ride the post, but there are very few in the NBA.
Another thing the other teams will have to worry about is if Lance Stephenson is the starter.
He is lightning quick, he can be a pick pocket, and he is extremely talented at playing the passing lanes.
So, the other teams will have to not use their Shooting Guard as a penetrator unless he is elite at ball handling and penetration.
The other team will have to use their Point Guard as the penetrator and either run the pick and pop, pick and roll, or drive and dish.
Basically, the other team will have to use their Point Guard to drive in the lane and survey his options; whether to pull up from 3, pull up from mid range, drive wait for the defense to slide over and kick it out for a 3, drive wait for the defense to react and hit a cutter, run the pick and roll and shoot off the pick, run the pick and roll and pass to the roll man, run the pick and pop and shoot off the pick, and run the pick and pop and pass to the pop man.
The other teams are going to have to use a lot of backdoor screens to create mis-matches.
For example: the Center sets and off ball screen for the Shooting Guard, the Center is then being covered by Lance Stephenson and the Shooting Guard is being covered by Roy Hibbert.
They can then either give the ball to the Center to post up Lance Stephenson or they can give the ball to the Shooting Guard to blow by Roy Hibbert to finish at the rim or pick the best option.
The other team is going to have to run and gun to out run the Pacers before they set up in their half court defense so they can hurry and get fast break points.
Too Sum it up: 1.
) Use the Point Guard to run the offense.
2.
) Mobilize Roy Hibbert 3.
) Drive and Dish 4.
) Run the Pick and Roll/ Pop 5.
) Don't Post Up with the Power Forward or Center 6.
) Don't try to play 1 on 1 with the Shooting Guard or Small Forward 7.
) Let it all happen and have faith in your Point Guard with his basketball IQ 8.
) Watch the passes so the Guards do not steal the pass.
9.
) Do not get caught dribbling too much.
10.
) Outrun the Pacers so they can't set up on Defense Defense: When the other team is on defense they are going to have to pressure the Point Guard as soon as he touches the inbound pass.
The Pacers struggle at breaking the press and that is where the other team is going to have to capitalize.
They are going to have run a full court press to try to shut down the Point Guard- Small Forward while they are handling the ball to force a bad pass or an 8 second violation.
But in case that they do not run a full court press and they are in the half court set this what they will have to do.
Let's start off at the Point Guard position; they are going to have to put some major on ball pressure on the Point Guard to attempt to force some bad passes or to rip the ball from his possession.
They can not let him shoot because George Hill is an above average 3 point shooter who can really knock them down.
So they have to close out on him and make him panic with the ball.
On to the Shooting Guard position; I am going off of the playoff starters so I assume Lance will start but probably will be Danny Granger.
They are going to have play off of him and force him to shoot the ball and prevent the drive so he does not blow by him for a finish at the rim or whatever is the best situation.
If he drives, he will create a hole in the defense and somebody will have to slide over and help then the defense is beat and the Pacers will get open shots so they can't allow him to drive so they have to play the drive and allow the 3 pointer because he is not very good at all at shooting 3 pointers.
Now onto the Small Forward position: this is a puzzle that doesn't have all of the pieces.
He can beat you anyway that he wants to; he can shoot, drive, you name it.
So you just have to put your best perimeter defender and pray that he doesn't beat you.
Onto the Power Forward position; David West has a very good post up game and you should not allow him to post you up.
He also has a high percentage mid range game so you will have to play tight on him always and deny the ball just like you will have to for Paul George.
Roy Hibbert; he is a challenge as well because he can use his height to kill you in the post.
As Shaquille O'Neil said; "hook 'em to death" that is exactly what he will do when he gets the ball is hook shot you to DEATH.
You have to put your most athletic Center on him when he is in the post.
He also showed some life from his mid range game and he has worked on it during the off season like Paul George has as well.
You need to force him to put the ball on the ground and just get physical with him.
Everybody on the Pacers can shoot free throws so hacking them is not a good solution to any problem when playing them.
Another thing that you can't do when playing them is allowing them to slow the tempo of the game down.
They thrive in the half court set and you have to make it a fast tempo game so they cannot set up in the half court.
Too Sum it Up: 1.
) Pressure the Point Guard 2.
) Full Court Press 3.
) Put your best perimeter defender on Paul George 4.
) Remember and respect Paul George because he is the whole package 5.
) Get physical with Roy Hibbert 6.
) Make Roy Hibbert put the ball on the ground 7.
) Don't Foul 8.
) Make Lance Stephenson Shoot the 3 9.
) Play the drive on Lance Stephenson 10.
) Get into David West's head 11.
) Contest every shot heavily 12.
) Don't allow any holes or gaps in the defense 13.
) Don't let them slow the game down