Although they had impressive stretches, the Pacers defense last season was largely a disappointment. It’s not easy to explain exactly why that was the case — they fared well in a number of crucial defensive statistics like contested shots per game and blocks per 100 possessions — but it nevertheless presents an obstacle going forward.
If Indiana wants to convince Paul George to stay a Pacer long term, as they reportedly intend to do, a significant improvement will have to be made on the defensive end. Broadly speaking, there are two primary ways to improve a defense (or an offense for that matter):
- Improve on weaknesses without sacrificing strengths
- Punt on weaknesses to further improve strengths
While the former strategy should be the first considered — it’s usually preferable to get better at things over getting worse at things — I think the latter strategy is where the Pacers will find success next season, even if it’s a bit unconventional.