'That’s the future of the league': Pacers' lack of size on the wing magnified against modern-built teams like Orlando
'That’s the future of the league': Pacers' lack of size on the wing magnified against modern-built teams like Orlando
“They’re 6-7 from every position and they got guys coming off the bench that are 6-7, 6-8,” Buddy Hield said. After another loss, the Pacers are now .500: 14-14.
When the Pacers’ last game in Memphis was complete and it was time to look ahead to the next game, the immediate thought was oof, bad matchup.
It doesn’t have to be that way and it shouldn’t much longer.
For several years now, the Pacers have lacked size on the wing — a player who can produce at both ends, and specifically slow the opponents’ best player. That’s usually an athletic 6-foot-7 wing. There is a correlation to the defense being bad over the last three seasons and not having this valuable player.
From Kyle Kuzma to Jayson Tatum, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Pascal Siakam and Jimmy Butler — these athletic forwards (and more) have torched the Pacers this season (and previously) — and gone for either new season- or career-highs in points.
And in the case of Antetokounmpo, a new Bucks franchise record.
The Orlando Magic, meanwhile, have many players with that archetype. Where the Pacers’ lack, the Magic are plentiful. They’re on the rise in the NBA and for several years, have attacked roster building differently.
The Magic (17-11) were on edge, desperate for a win entering Saturday’s game in Indianapolis, their second visit of the season. They had lost six of their last eight games, including four in a row, following their 14-5 start to the season.
They have one of the top defenses and the Pacers possess the best offense so that’s what it was going to come down to.
“The adjustment (from last meeting) is to play with a lot more force,” head coach Rick Carlisle said during his pre-game media availability.
The force required was not there from the start and the Pacers were inevitably in foul trouble all game. By the end of the first stanza, Andrew Nembhard and all three centers (Myles Turner, Isaiah Jackson and Jalen Smith) had two fouls each and the Magic had attempted 15 free throws to the Pacers’ four.
The Pacers gave up 73 points in the first half and went into the break down by 14. Second-year forward Paolo Banchero scored 23 of his game-high 34 points with ease: 7 of 8 from the field and 9 of 11 at the foul line.
“They do a really good job of getting downhill, they’re relentless,” said Buddy Hield, who scored 20 points. “(Franz) Wagner and Banchero do a hell of a job getting downhill and that’s why they’re so good. They’re able to slow the game down whereas a team like us likes to play fast so they’re on the free throw line and we’re walking the ball back up to them and their length can be a big factor in that we can’t get into our flow how we want to.”
Orlando’s game plan was obvious and they stuck to it: exploit the size differential and keep attacking. The Pacers weren’t happy with the free throw differential, 41 attempts to their 13. Banchero had more by himself (16).
“The foul differential killed us,” Carlisle said following their 117-110 loss. “Our whole team was fouling out in the first half.”
Added Tyrese Haliburton: “Teams live at the free throw line against us. That’s been a reoccurring theme, something that’s been noticeable since the Lakers game. … Teams are attacking us to get us to foul because they can’t run with us.
“When you’re out of position so much and in scramble so much, it puts people in bad situations to foul. We’re just out of position a lot as a team.
That directly impacted how they could play at the other end too. They go hand-in-hand. The Pacers were too often taking the ball out of the net and the Magic could run back and set their defense, eliminating one of the Pacers’ best strengths. Fast break points were a wash. The Magic, like other teams recently, picked up Haliburton for 94 feet.
In most games, you don’t have a chance to win if you’re outscored by 27 points from beyond the arc. That’s different if you’re scoring with such ease in the paint and at the foul line.
Look at Orlando’s shot chart from the first half. That pretty much sums up the game.
“Our guys all took on the challenge to sit down and guard, understanding that defense wins games,” said Magic coach Jamahl Mosley, who previously was on Carlisle’s Mavericks staff.
“I loved that we played the right way. People always ask, ‘what is the right way?’ It’s what the game gives you. You’re not forcing it, you’re not chasing it; you’re finding the right situation. There was a time, I called timeout and we had a play designed, they blew the play up with pressure and Franz and Paolo talked and communicated the next play and we got the shot that we wanted. So to me, that’s playing the right play with trusting and taking what the game gives you.”
Now, the Pacers (14-14) did a much better job in the second half. They held the Magic to 20 points in the third quarter and 44 in the half. They fouled 11 times, down from 19 in the first 24 minutes. And second half points in the paint were a wash, however, they got stagnant and had too many lapses in play.
“The thing that concerns me is giving up 73 in the first half and only 44 in the second half,” Carlisle said. “It just speaks to our readiness to compete right off the bat. It’s not ok to get smashed in the face to have to bring the level of force necessary — and that’s how it went tonight.