DON’T READ TOO MUCH INTO EARLY SEASON STRUGGLES.

This phrase is one that needs to be put on repeat. I’ve fell victim to it, as have many, many other fans of a particular player or team.

It’s hard to keep that in mind though when a team missing their best player starts  the season by losing their first three games. Let me preface by saying all three of those losses(Detroit twice and Cleveland) were all games Indiana should have won without Victor Oladipo. They had a lead in two of those games and the Cleveland game we thought was a given.

Oh how times have changed though. Indiana is winners of 4 straight games, 7 of their last 8. T.J. Warren is proving to be a go-to scoring option for the Pacers, dropping 18 per contest. Malcolm Brogdon is giving more than what we knew he could with 21, 9, and 5. All that to say he is shooting 98% from the free throw line. The Holiday bros are showing they can be solid contributors, especially Aaron. After a dismal opening night performance that saw him draw a blank in just six minutes, he’s scored in double figures three of his last four games. T.J. McConnell has been phenomenal. Doug McDermott has shown promise of a deadly three point shot. He just can’t guard a stand still rock if he was required to.

That’s just to name a few. I know in my previous article, I wrote about the Pacers having the 30th toughest schedule in the league through the first three weeks. My argument to rebuttal that is, the blue and gold have also suffered an almost insurmountable amount of injuries through three weeks and are still winning.

Time will tell, but with depth showing out in full force for the team representing the Hoosier state, I like where this could be headed come time for the likes of Myles Turner and that Oladipo guy to return.

Click above to listen to the most recent episode of ‘The Strictly Basketball Podcast’. It’s a weekly podcast that I host with Tyler Brown. We discuss first and foremost the Indiana Pacers and a variety of topics surrounding the NBA.

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