Basketball, She Wrote

How a more physical NBA could affect the Pacers

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For macro defensive changes, Pacers speak to micro shifts

On the potential to bring change to continuity

By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper

Altogether, the Pacers spoke to reporters for about 80 minutes on Monday at Media Day. During that span, according to YouTube's transcripts, the word "defense," when also including the forms "defensive" and "defensively," was mentio...

Pacers Mailbag: Let's get defensive & more!

Answering questions about the ceiling of the defense, potential wing targets, my favorite moments from the WNBA season, and much, much more!

By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper

As promised, this is the final mailbag before the official start of the season! That's right, we've made it through the offseason portion o...

How the Pacers pick and choose when to set picks

And why variety is the "slice" of life 

By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper

The pick-and-roll isn't as prevalent as it used to be. According to Second Spectrum, the league as a whole averaged 69.4 ball-screens per 100 possessions last season, which is the third-lowest frequency of any season in the advanced s...

How the Pacers can put a cramp in their own style

On summer's last gasp and why less breathing room, as it applies to certain types of floor spacing alignments, can be more 

By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper

The start of fall can be fickle in Indiana. Officially, the last day of summer is September 22, determined by the autumn equinox. Unofficially, Labor ...

Indiana Pacers 2024-25 Season Lookahead

Are the Pacers ready for primetime? 

By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper

As has become one of my favorite pre-preseason traditions, I have once again joined one of my favorite podcasts, Hardwood Knocks, hosted by the always-thorough and ...

Centering on the center options for the Pacers

Evaluating the pros and cons of playing with multiple centers or no centers

By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper

It wouldn't be nearing the start to another season for the Pacers without discussing/debating the potential options at center. From the purgatory that was staggering Myles Turner and Domantas Sabonis to t...

How the Pacers manage time in special situations

A look at a clever hack for catching opponents on the rebound 

By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper

Outside of Pascal Siakam's veteran presence and scoring prowess, the opening game of the playoffs wasn't particularly memorable for the Indiana Pacers. On the night, they trailed by as many as 30 points and quick...

Mailbag: Are the Pacers being overlooked in the East?

Plus, stats that don't exist but should, my favorite memory of playing basketball, and what the realistic outlook should be for the Pacers this season 

By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper

As promised, this is the patron-only mailbag for August. Special thanks to everyone who sent in questions, as there was pl...

On T.J. McConnell & why there can't be too much of a good thing

The more point guards, the better

By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper

When it comes to point guards, the Pacers are basically the embodiment of every "why not both?" meme -- only if "both" was replaced with "all." After already 2024-08-30 23:56:56 +0000 UTC View Post

Can Pascal Siakam & Myles Turner meet their match?

On what needs to happen for Indiana's frontcourt to better complement each other on defense

By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper

Following last month's mailbag, with a central focus on what comes next for Jarace Walk...

Ranking the Pacers' opponents in East Group B

A team-by-team look at the competition for the Pacers in pool play of the NBA Cup 

By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper

Although it remains to be seen whether the Pacers will once again be rolling out the special oceanic blue court as they attempt to roll back advancing to the finals of the league's midseason ...

On keeping Pascal Siakam posted

Analyzing why and how the post entry passes to Indiana's now-signed, often-sealing max star have changed and whether further change is still needed

By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper

Following last month's mailbag, with a ce...

Can Cole Swider get a move on with the Pacers?

On how the 25-year-old sharpshooter stacks up and compares as a movement shooter

By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper

Turns out, despite technically having 15 players on standard contracts, the Pacers weren't quite done making roster moves. 2024-08-06 12:30:02 +0000 UTC View Post

Explain One Play: Pacers' 1-4 low BLOB "Rolex"

Breaking down the baseline out of bounds play that works like clockwork for the Pacers

By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper

Following last month's mailbag, there were still plenty of Pacers-centric questions leftover, requiring additional time and space, that seemed like perfect topics to dive into now tha...

Analyzing the two-way contracts for the Pacers

On the decision to sign Quenton Jackson and Tristen Newton to two-way contracts, and why Enrique Freeman should be next

By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper

After completing a lengthy and exhaustive mailbag for July with a cen...

Pacers Mailbag: What's next for Bennedict Mathurin & Jarace Walker

Answering mailbag questions about what's next for the Pacers based on what's next for the team's two highest draft selections in decades 

By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper

This is the first installment of the monthly mailbag, focusing on the two lottery picks who didn't play for the Pacers during the playoff...

Andrew Nembhard breaks streak with breakout

On the significance of the Pacers investing in internal development 

By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper

Merci beaucoup, amirite? While preparing to play for the Canadian National Team at the Paris Olympics, Andrew Nembhard reached agreement on a three-year, $59 million extension with the Indiana Pacers that ...

2024 Pacers Summer League Recap

Reviewing the nine-day run for the Pacers in Las Vegas

By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper

For the most part, the Summer Pacers, who went 1-4 in Las Vegas, looked as though they belonged at Summer League. With only Tristen Newton and Quenton Jackson available as lead initiators, the roster as a whole needed more ba...

How the Pacers are pushing "thru" at Summer League

And what it means for Jarace Walker 

By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper

When Summer League started, the intention was to recap every game with both a play and player of the game. Following the exhibition opener against Brooklyn, the ...

Enrique Freeman plays big doing the little things

On the 23-year-old rookie's winning plays 

By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper

In what was a 98-94 win for the Summer Pacers, Enrique Freeman finished with five points on 2--of-6 shooting. As such, he wasn't as efficient putting the ball in the basket on low-volume as Jarace Walker, who scored 19 on seven shot...

Johnny Furphy shines as bright spot for Pacers

-- even as he was also obscured

By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper

The Summer Timberwolves had 17 steals in what was a 105-94 loss for the Summer Pacers, dropping the blue & gold to 0-2 in exhibition play. Of course, given that the Actual Pacers have arguably more depth at the point guard position than any t...

Way too early impressions of Jarace Walker

Recapping Summer League with the play and player of the game 

By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper

"That's crazy," Jarace Walker said following the third quarter in the wake of finding out that his team had already committed 27 turnovers in what became a 97-95 overtime loss for the Summer Pacers after surrende...

On the subtle awareness of Tyrese Haliburton

And what can be learned about the Pacers from Team USA

By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper

It doesn't happen often that consecutive sentences are strung together lauding Tyrese Haliburton's defense. Then again, it also isn't often (or, to be quite frank, ever) that he plays in a lineup with the defensive firepower ...

2024 Pacers Summer League: Sophomores

Taking a look at what to watch for from the second-year players and veterans

By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper 

Ahh yes, July. Perhaps the most hectic month of the NBA calendar when, in addition to what has been the slow burn of free agency, rosters chock-full of young players and short on familiarity c...

On James Wiseman & how the Pacers keep feeding their own beast

The Pacers can feed the former No. 2 overall pick into improvement, but they aren't necessarily satiating the areas where they need to improve 

By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper 

A day after losing Jalen Smith, who signed a new, three-year deal with the Chicago Bulls after declining his player opti...

2024 Pacers Summer League: Rookies

Taking a look at what to watch for from the newest Pacers 

By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper

Ahh yes, July. Perhaps the most hectic month of the NBA calendar when, in addition to what has been the slow burn of free agency, rosters chock-full of young players and short on familiarity come together in th...

Why Obi Toppin's return should signal consolidation

-- eventually 

By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper

Turns out, Obi Toppin won't be listening to offers from any other teams, as the restricted free agent reached agreement on a four-year, $60 million deal to stay with the Pacers just hours before the start of free agency, reports 2024-06-30 20:54:46 +0000 UTC View Post

Pacers draft Johnny Furphy: First Impressions

On the many fitting ways the No. 35 overall pick fits the Pacers 

By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper

Without a first-round pick, Draft Night for the Pacers didn't officially begin until Thursday afternoon -- when they moved up one spot from No. 36 to No. 35 to select 19-year-old Kansas wing Johnny Furphy, who...

Pacers Mailbag: Offseason, They Spoke w/ Tony East

Answering questions about the offseason for the Pacers 

By: Caitlin Cooper I @C2_Cooper

As promised, after completing our run of player reviews, Tony East and I swapped places as hosts for a special pre-draft version of my monthly mailbag...