Indiana Pacers: 66-1

This.

. .this is going to get ugly.
Paul George is likely done for the year with a broken legand Stephenson is grazing in purpler pastures. Down their two best perimeter players on defense and offense, the Indiana Pacers are going to fight in a large way.
Frank Vogel nevertheless has Roy Hibbert in the center, and George Hill will continue to be among the NBA’s better defensive point guards. So getting stops still ought to be a power for Indy, however, scoring is going to be rough.
Really rough.
Bear in mind, this team ranked 22nd in offensive efficiency last year. After the All-Star break, only the Sixers’ scoring attack was less potent, per NBA.com. Taking away two of Indiana’s three leading scorers will make it almost impossible to have buckets at anything greater than a bottom-five pace.
Perhaps Chris Copeland will stretch the ground with his shooting. Maybe Hibbert will turn into a larger threat on the cube. David West might have yet another big year in him.
But even though all three of those things come to pass, it’s difficult to say they’ll compensate for losing George and Stephenson.
And in what may be the most terrifying harbinger of an offensive tragedy to emerge, Donald Sloan leads Indy in preseason points each game and is going to be the starter at point guard for up to three weeks while Hill’s left knee mends.
Oh dear.

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