Is it time for the Indiana Pacers to mature?
Monday brought Media Day, and a first look at the 2014-15 Indiana Pacers. A Pacers team that will look the same in some areas, yet quite different in others.
Noticeably missing is Lance Stephenson. Stephenson was often the Pacer known for his immaturity. Whether it be his antics during the Eastern Conference Finals that included him blowing in the ear of LeBron James, his humps and dances after making a big play or the highs and lows of his triple-double pursuits.
Sure the triple-doubles were nice and exciting, but many overlooked the rebound stealing from teammates or the bickering and pouting after being benched or not involved in a play. With Lance gone, with it goes the immaturity…or does it?
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Truth be told, current Pacers have some maturing to do as well. First and foremost is franchise player Paul George.
Paul George will miss the season recovering from a broken leg. George could use the down time to grow both on and off the court. He has been in the news throughout the offseason, whether it be his Twitter comments on the Ray Rice situation or his own personal custody situation that has been in the media.
George really doesn’t have any issues that a normal 24-year-old doesn’t experience. Expressing opinions on social media, possibly impregnating a stripper….things happen at age 24. However Paul George isn’t a normal 24-year-old. He’s a rising superstar in the NBA. He’s a media target. He’s a female target. That means he must make better decisions…smarter decisions…adult decisions.
Roy Hibbert must also mature. Hibbert must mature as a player. With no Paul George, it’s time for Roy to show some consistency. No more All-Star half the year and All-Bench the other half of the season. No more hanging your head low when things don’t go your way. No more “effort” that results in 2 points, 0 rebounds.
Hibbert will need to grow mentally in order to continue his growth on the court. Being unable to do so could result in this being his final year as a Pacer.
We also have the Hill boys. Solomon Hill simply must grow into the first-round pick the Pacers used on him. With no Paul George or Lance Stephenson, Solo could see more minutes, which should lead to more opportunity.
The other Hill is of course George. The hometown hero really needs to step up this year. I was hoping the Pacers would land a true point guard this offseason to allow them to move George Hill to shooting guard, but that hasn’t happened. This means Hill must prove his doubters wrong at the point guard position.
This doesn’t mean George Hill has to average double-digit assists, but he must lead this Pacers team and he must run this Pacers offense. If nothing else, do what you did in college…score. Whatever the case, George Hill must do something really well consistently, run the offense, score the ball, defend…something night-in and night-out.
Overall, the entire Pacers roster must grow. They have to learn to play without their best player, Paul George, and perhaps the free agency loss of their second-best player in Stephenson. They have to learn to not complain about officiating when things don’t go their way. They have to learn what it takes to beat LeBron, to get to the Finals, to take the next step. The Indiana Pacers have to learn…to mature.