Here is who started the second half the last time the Indiana Pacers played the New Orleans Pelicans: Caris LeVert, Chris Duarte, Justin Holiday, Torrey Craig, and Oshae Brissett. Aside from the obvious of how much has changed over the last 10 months — with three of those players no longer on the team, one now earning DNPs on most nights, and the other currently sidelined for at least the next two weeks — what arguably stands out most about that group is the absence of a traditional center.
Of course, on that particular night, Jonas Valanciunas was a bulldozer, drawing nine fouls for the game, whereas Goga Bitadze and Isaiah Jackson were both jumpy, either defending at weird angles on the perimeter or biting on every pump-fake around the basket.