Indiana brought back versatile Al Harrington and plans a more up-tempo style, but this remains an unpredictable bunch.
One imagines that if the Indiana Pacers fall into a funk at any point this season, Stephen Jackson will pull out a gun and shoot it into the air to wake them up.
They should prove a bit more alive than the team that finished .500 a year ago. That's because Coach Rick Carlisle has scrapped the plodding style and adopted an up-tempo game to take advantage of Indiana's athleticism.
The loss of perimeter shooter Peja Stojakovic and acquisition of more active Al Harrington at small forward should play into the faster pace. Vastly talented power forward Jermaine O'Neal also thrives in the running game. Point guard Jamaal Tinsley is not among the best at his position, and he's certainly prone to injury, but he boasts enough quickness to lead the charge.
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The aftermath of Jackson's recent nightclub incident might prove distracting, particularly since he averaged nearly 17 points a game last season and is a key component at shooting guard.
The Pacers feature enough talent and depth to compete for homecourt advantage in the first round of the playoffs, but don't lay down big bucks on that. They also have enough potential problems to miss out on the postseason completely.
This group is tough to figure, especially considering their offseason overhaul.
Key Additions: F Harrington, G Marquis Daniels, G Darrell Armstrong
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Key Subtractions: F Stojakovic, G Anthony Johnson, F/C Scot Pollard, G Fred Jones, F Austin Croshere
Sportsbook Odds: The Pacers are considered fringe contenders. WagerWeb.com has set their over/under at 43 victories and lists Indiana at +$2750 to win the 2006-07 NBA championship.
Player To Watch: The reacquiring of Harrington from Atlanta will likely prove the most beneficial of the many offseason moves made to shake up this suddenly struggling franchise. At 6-foot-9, he can post up opposing small forwards, but is also capable of taking the ball to the hole and finishing. Harrington will remove some of that defensive attention from O'Neal in the frontcourt and is also a premier rebounder among NBA small forwards. He brings an energy and all-around game the Pacers will need for their new up-tempo style. And he can eat up minutes at the power forward spot as well.
Outlook: It might take a little time for the Pacers to adapt to the faster pace, but most of the playing time will be allocated to players who have gained familiarity with each other. O'Neal, Tinsley, Jackson and center Jeff Foster have all been starters. The addition of Harrington, who played on the 61-win team of 2003-04, into the starting lineup should only produce positive results. Swingman Daniels supplies athleticism and versatility. Forward Danny Granger adds depth off the bench. There is enough talent to win, but injuries to O'Neal and Tinsley and personality issues have proven detrimental in seasons past. This was a team in disarray the past two years. If off-court behavior doesn't affect on-court play and the Pacers can stay off the operating table, don't bet against a win total approaching 50. If those same negative issues are revisited, don't bet against an under-.500 record. This team is indeed difficult to gauge.
